How to make belly dance


3 Easy Steps to Make a Gorgeous Belly Dance Costume at Home

Belly dancing costume is the simplest thing to design, unlike the cosmopolitan notion. DancePoise gives you 3 simple steps to make a gorgeous belly dance costume.

Spangly Tip!

★ Try to match the color of the sequin belt (worn on waist) with the top.
★ The color of the beads or sequins on the top should match with the skirt.

Believe me, you may be having a belly dance costume in your own wardrobe! Whether you are learning to do belly dancing as a casual hobby, for exercising purposes, or as a secret obsession, simply dressing the way professional belly dancers do, will give you the feel of an experienced belly dancer.

These days, there are a number of design houses in the US, Egypt, and Turkey, to name a few, which design hundreds of costumes every year, of varying quality and styles, ranging from $200 – $2,000 a piece. Can you get these costumes and be satisfied? Absolutely not! Because, there are many of us who have trouble finding exactly what we want out there, and are not exactly the fitting we require. Plus, think of all the time and effort needed for alteration of the dress. There are very limited selection options, for sizes other than 32B- or 34-inch hips.

This is where learning how to create your own costumes comes into picture. Making an authentic belly dance costume will be an expensive chance to be taken. You can make a basic belly dance dress, very much in your budget, by peeping just in your own closet.

We have explained the two most popular types of belly dancing costume: the one with Harem Pants and the other one with Long (lycra) Skirts. Notice the difference, and opt for the one you want.

Requirements

For a simple and elegant belly dance costume, you only need 3 pieces:

★ A long skirt or harem pants
★ A tight-fitting tank top (or crop top)
★ A hip scarf

STEP 1

Get a snug tank top or camisole that fit; almost any color and style will work perfectly for your belly dance costume. You can also create one by adding glittery details to your regular bra (refer to the image above). Sew on some beads at the perimeter of your bra.

STEP 2

We need to make the belly dance belt. Generally, embellished scarfs are worn on the waist. So, get a scarf that is sufficiently large, and decorate it with a shimmery lace. You can sew the lace on its edge, or simply use fabric glues to do that.

You can also go for heavy material or metal detailing for making fringes or sequins (coins) on the hip scarf, to get the traditional Egyptian look.

STEP 3

Fetch a pair of harem pants, or find a loose, wavy, ankle-length skirt. It need not be expensive, and it can be of any color you want. Sew some lace or beads on the surface of the skirt.

In Conclusion

That’s your final look. Belly dancing is fun. Show all your creativity you have while readying this costume!

Some Design Fluctuations

★ We have a huge range of options for step 1―coin bra, choli top, bolero-tied tops, beaded bra, etc. You can opt for any one of these too.

★ The side of the harems or skirt can be slit to leave an opening, which can be outlined with decorative trim, and the two halves can be tied together with beaded strands, metallic ribbons, or other decorations of your choice.

★ Scarfs can be sewn directly on pants.

★ Skirts can be of varied materials―opaque, silk, or chiffon; heavy material with embedded metals; large-tiered or flared ones with embellished embroidery and designs.

In the end, you can flaunt your belly dance costume along with attractive navel tattoos and sexy bellybutton accessories.

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Making Your Own Belly Dance Costumes


 

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

 

Table of Contents

  • General Advice
  • Costume Fabrics
  • Online Patterns
  • Fitting & Alterations
  • How to Sew

 

General Advice on Costume-Making

  • Belly Dance Costume Patterns. Guide to commercially-available patterns suitable for costumes.
  • We Who Are About to Dye Salute You! Shira's blog about her first dyeing experience.
  • Tips & Tricks for Dyeing Costume Pieces. Contributed by many dancers on tribe.net.

 

About Costume Fabrics

  • In Search of Authentic Middle Eastern Fabrics. Fabrics that provide a traditional look. By Arabella.
  • Costume Fabric Choices. Picking fabrics that work well for belly dancing. By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess.
  • About Persian Lace. By Saqra. Saqra provides background information about this fabric used in many belly dance costumes in the 1970's and 1980's.
  • Sewing With Glitter Dot Fabric. Tips for using this difficult-to-sew fabric. By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess.
  • About Assuit. By Trish St. John. Includes historical & cultural information, and how it is made.
  • Are You Sure Your Costume Isn't See-Through? (You Might Be Surprised!) By Saqra.

 

Online Patterns

By Arabella

  • Easy-to-Make Baggy Pants: One Size Fits Most. Even if you are not good at sewing.
  • Pharaonic Collar, Headband, Wristbands, & Dress
  • Quick Salwar (Pantaloons). Make your own pattern - easily!
  • Narrow Salwar (Pantaloons). Use only 1 1/3 yard of fabric.

By Shira

Hair Accessories
  • How to Make a Rectangular Head Scarf
  • How to Make a Triangular Head Scarf. For folkloric costumes.
  • How to Make a Cleopatra-Style Headdress
  • How to Make a Flower Headband for Melaya Leff. No sewing required.
  • How to Make a Pair of Beaded Earrings
Other Items
  • How to Make a Circle Skirt
  • How to Make a Semicircular Veil
  • How to Make a Rectangular Veil

By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess

Skirts
  • How To Make An 8-Point Skirt. Three different designs for a flattering skirt.
  • Making a Handkerchief Skirt. Make a square handkerchief skirt.
  • Making A Multi-Point Skirt. Details on how to make a multi-point skirt.
  • Circle Skirt Hem Problems. Why the hem of your circle skirt is uneven.
Belts
  • Make Your Own Belt Pattern. Additional clarification of some of the instructions that were provided in Fitting Belts.
Dresses
  • Baladi Dress. Hide a scarred or large tummy. Or, pursue a more covered look.
  • Baladi Dress With Veil. Is it okay to wear a baladi dress with veil work?
Pants
  • Harem Pants. Make pantaloons, and vary the look.
Arm Decorations
  • Making Gauntlets. Make gauntlets to match a costume.
  • Making Armbands. Accessorize your costume with armbands.
  • Sleeve Variations. Creative ideas for accessorizing arms.
Bras
  • How To Cover A Bra. Choose a suitable bra, and cover it with costume fabric.
  • Beads Connecting Bra. Could strands of beads connect a collar to a bra?
  • What About Soft-Cup Bras? Can you use one to make a costume?
Blouses, Vests, & Cholis
  • Support With A Choli. How to get the support you need when wearing a choli.
  • Making A Ghawazee Vest Or Jacket Pattern. Adapt an existing vest or jacket pattern for making a Ghawazee garment?
Other Items
  • How To Make A Veil. Make a belly dance veil.
  • Hip Drape. Just what kind of hip drape was the Costume Goddess recommending in the article about the pear-shaped figure?
  • Headdress Ideas. Don't step on stage with hair that looks like you just came from your office. These headdress ideas will make you look like a dancer from your head to your toes.

 

By Other Contributors

  • No-Cut, No-Sew Assuit Costuming. By Trish St. John.
  • Making Your Own Turkish Costume. By Vanessa Giddings. Patterns for gömlek, shalvar, hat, chirka, and entari.
  • Easy Shirt & Skirt. Especially nice for busty women.

 

Fitting & Alterations

By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess

  • Falling Gauntlets. What to do about gauntlets that keep falling down as you dance?
  • Battle Of The Hip Bulge. How to deal with "muffin top" just above the belt.
  • Tight Sleeves. How do you handle the sleeves on a fitted midriff top so that your top doesn't ride up when you raise your arms?
  • Fitting Belts. How do you make a belt fit the curves of your hipline?
  • Altering A Belt. What to do about those too-big, ill-fitting Egyptian-made belts?
  • Shopping for a Large-Sized Bra. What if you have trouble finding a bra to fit a large bustline?

 

How to Sew

For those who know a bit about sewing, but need guidance in working with the specialized fabrics and trims of belly dance costumes.

By Shira

  • Making A Narrow Hem. Ideal for curved edges such as circle skirts.
  • Bead & Sequin Embellishment for Costumes. Technique used by Egyptian and Turkish costume makers.
  • Dangling Paillette Trim for Costumes. Decorating the edge of a garment.
  • Making A Hip Elastic Casing with Wide Bias Tape. Ideal for garments with curved top edges such as skirts.

By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess

  • Machine-Sewing Sequins
  • Making A Ruffled Hem on Sheer Fabric
  • Attaching Coins, Beads, Bells
  • Making Beaded Fringe
  • Sewing With Glitter-Dot Fabric

 

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how to learn belly dancing at home

Do you want to learn how to dance belly dance correctly? It is enough to learn a few basic movements and add a special mood to them. We have compiled detailed instructions on how to learn belly dancing so that you can dance no worse than a Colombian pop star.

Tatyana Shamanina

Tags:

weight loss

Dancing

How To

Slim stomach

incendiary dance

Shutterstock

How to learn to dance a beautiful oriental belly dance at home? Of course, it's not easy. Nevertheless, it is easier to dance it at home than any other dance style. Especially if you have never been into dancing before.

Basic movements

  • Starting position

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Then slightly bend your knees and raise your chest - this is the starting position for starting any movement in the belly dance. For smooth movements in the dance, you need to tighten the muscles of the lower abdomen and engage the pelvis.

  • Hip lift or shimmy

Bend both knees. Then straighten your right leg to lift your right thigh up. Then lift the pelvis up to the chest, while the upper body should not be involved. The heels must not be lifted off the ground during this movement. When you "pull" up your right hip, lower it and repeat the movement with your left. Namely, straighten your left leg and lift your left hip up. nine0003

  • Fast Pace Hip Lift

Repeat hip lift on both sides at a faster pace. Do not pause - first lift the right thigh up, and then smoothly - the left. At an accelerated pace, the hips will swing quickly from side to side - now you know how to perform the shimmy movement.

  • Hip Drop

Start in the starting position with the right foot on the floor and the left foot slightly extended, about a few inches forward with the heel raised. Then bend both knees and keep your chest and arms up. Then straighten your left leg, lift your left thigh and immediately lower it to the level of your right thigh. At the same time, keep your right leg bent during the movement. Next, repeat the mini-bunch at a fast pace so that it looks smooth, without pauses and breaks. nine0003

  • Belly

How to quickly learn belly dancing at home? Easy, the main thing is not to miss a single basic movement, including the “tummy”. Starting position - feet are on the floor, the upper body is raised, and relaxed arms are at the sides. Then slightly bend your knees and tighten the muscles of your upper abdomen, pulling them in. Then relax your stomach and tense only the muscles of the lower abdomen. Consistently alternate, pulling in the lower, then the upper press. Repeat the movement smoothly and without pauses. nine0003

  • Try a breast lift

The last basic movement that will help you understand how to dance belly dance correctly. The starting position is a raised chest, arms are located on the sides, legs are together, and the feet are on the floor. Next, we pull the chest up to the end so that the shoulder blades seem to slide along the back. Then lower your chest back down. Repeat the link at a fast pace, while alternately contracting the abdominal muscles.

Why do home belly dancing? nine0024

Oriental dance will help not only lose weight, but also cope with various pains.

  • Back and Joint Pain

Gentle movements increase the flow of synovial fluid (natural lubricant) in the joints, and also tone the back muscles, which improves posture and prevents back pain.

  • Help in losing weight

How to learn belly dancing at home and lose weight? Easy - one hour session will help burn up to 300 calories. nine0003

  • Preparing for childbirth

Belly dancing tones the abdominal and pelvic muscles involved in childbirth.

  • Against stress

Oriental belly dance is not only beautiful, but also healing. The dance feels like a session of physical and psychological relaxation.

  • Period Pain

Soothing dance bands help reduce pelvic congestion, which improves circulation and relieves PMS pain. nine0003

Learning to dance belly: 8 steps to beauty and harmony | Beauty secrets | Health

There is no more ancient dance than belly dance. Even the walls of the tombs, erected on the orders of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten in the 14th century BC, are painted with scenes depicting in great detail nothing more than a belly dance.

The choreographer was a bee

The legend claims that this erotic oriental dance appeared quite by accident. It was all the bee's fault. Bewildered by the delicate floral aroma emanating from the oiled body of a young dancer, confusing her with a flower, a bee flew under her thin outfit during the performance. Frightened by the uninvited guest, the girl began to rotate her hips and stomach with all her might. It was as if her hips and stomach were competing in mobility, teasing and provoking each other. The grace with which she made the movements delighted those around her. nine0003

European travelers eventually became acquainted with the ancient dance. However, his eroticism is perceived by Europeans in different ways. “Indecency and indecency,” some exclaim indignantly. Others consider belly dancing a real art.

East - flexible body

Belly dance secrets are carefully passed down from generation to generation. For what? Not just for beauty. In Arab countries, the fertility of a woman is still perhaps her main advantage in the eyes of the majority. From early childhood, Arab girls begin to be taught special exercises, which are the basis of belly dancing. Daughters diligently adopt from their mothers the ability to control the body, move beautifully and gracefully. These simple movements make it possible from childhood to strengthen the muscles of the back, abdomen, lower back, and hips in girls - expectant mothers, which play a major role during pregnancy and during childbirth. nine0003

In addition, belly dancing is an excellent means of keeping slim and seductive forms for Eastern women. Even having grown fat with age, Arab charmers move easily, remain amazingly flexible. This is confirmed by official science. According to the research of modern scientists, Eastern women are less likely to suffer from cervical and lumbar radiculitis, less prone to scoliosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Following Hollywood stars

To maintain a perfect waist and elastic tummy, Hollywood stars are also fond of oriental dances. Imagine: in one dancing hour you can burn up to 400 kilocalories, strengthen the torso, improve coordination of movements, and make the spine more flexible. The dance will teach you how to move beautifully and follow your posture. And although at first it will be difficult for you, but in order to feel the gaze of men behind your back, it’s worth the effort.

Of course, it is better to learn belly dancing in the company of an experienced instructor, but some basic movements can be learned on your own. This simple but effective set of dance exercises in just a few months will make the abdominal muscles elastic and toned, and you - more sexy and erotic. nine0003

● Your clothing should be light and not restrictive. To begin with, tie a thin pareo (silk scarf) around the hips, which will effectively emphasize their flexible line. Raise your arms up and, clapping your hands to the beat, gently shake your hips. Do not start dancing immediately at a fast pace. Choose the rhythm of movement that suits you and try not to change it during the dance.

● Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your right thigh sharply, then your left. Try not to strain your abdominal muscles. Repeat the movement 8 times. nine0003

● Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Swing your hips gently from side to side, like a pendulum, 8-10 times. Make sure that only your hips move.

● Rotate your hips 8 times in each direction, as if you were spinning a hoop. Please note: the body must be motionless.

● Feet shoulder width apart. As you exhale, stick out your stomach as much as possible, 6-8 times. Tired - take a 10-second pause.

● Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your right foot on your toes and lift your right thigh. Shift your body weight to your left leg. Vigorously rotate your right hip clockwise 6-8 times. Repeat the exercise by changing the position of the legs. nine0003

● Feet slightly apart. Move the pelvis forward (the stomach is tucked up, the muscles are tense), then back (the muscles are relaxed) 6-8 times.

● Exhale deeply, forcefully draw in the stomach - the diaphragm rises. Then slowly inhale through the nose, sticking out the stomach - the diaphragm goes down. Do not move your body - only the stomach works (repeat the movement 4-6 times).

Dance for half an hour a day (better in the morning on an empty stomach or 2 hours after eating), and normal blood circulation in the pelvis, good bowel function, beautiful gait and majestic posture, healthy joints, elastic muscles are provided to you. nine0003

Personal opinion

Alsou:

- If it is professionally done, then I really like this art.


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