Summer 2006 Issue

July/Aug/Sep 2006

The Great Belly Dancer Cover-Up

By: Dawn Devine

     Many a dance instructor has created a list of belly dance costume essentials for their students.  Regardless of dance style, most, if not all, of these lists will include that truly essential garment, the cover-up.  Every professional dancer has at least one of these babies permanently packed in her dance kit ready for every performance.

     Cover-ups are invaluable, for a number key reasons.  They preserve the power and spectacle of the dancer's first grand appearance.  In a crowded restaurant, there may not be a well-defined "back stage" area. The cover-up prevents the casual observer from scoping out your costume before your entrance.  The cover-up also maintains the mystery and mystique of the dance. Seeing a costume on a woman just standing around somehow diminishes the full eye-dazzling effect of the moving garment.  Belly dance costumes, while beautiful to look at still, are far more powerful when in motion.

     Within the cultural milieux of our dance, the cover-up is a required part of our social custom. It is sign of respect to the event sponsor and your fellow dancers, a clear visual message that you are treating your entire performance with professional dignity and grace. At some events, you may be required to stand within or walk through the main room during a show prior to your own performance. Wearing a cover-up will prevent you from inadvertently up-staging your fellow dancers.  You can also meet-and-greet fans, friends and family while wearing your cover-up, and bonus, you can actually enjoy seeing part - if not all - of the show!

     The cover-up provides some practical uses as well.  It will keep your costume clean and neat, preventing spills from spoiling your appearance, and grubby hands from touching your delicate fabrics.  The cover-up muffles sound, so a jingly coin costume will be muted by a cover-up so you can move around quietly.  The cover-up might have pockets that you can carry around supplies you will need immediately before and after a dance.  Anything from a hankie to dab at perspiration, business cards for networking or even such essentials as mints and tissues can be discreetly stashed in a convenient pocket.   These little things can help you feel more confident and appear more professional amongst your peers and fans.

Essential Features of a good Cover-up

     There is no one perfect cover-up that meets every dancer's needs.  In general, there are a few things the cover-up must do.  First, it should be floor length, obscuring as much of the costume as possible.  It should be full through the hem, so it covers without crushing the skirt beneath.  Fullness through the shoulder and arm area will prevent too-tight garments from making impressions on your skin. A full wide neck opening is an excellent feature to look for to avoid smearing your makeup or destroying your hairdo.  There are several popular cover-up styles that can embody these features.  They include:

     The Envelope - Cut similarly to the classic Middle Eastern Abaya, the envelope is a simple fold of fabric with a neck-hole and two seams. The envelope style of cover-up is quite full and offers total costume coverage. This style involves a minimum of measuring, cutting and sewing, making it a favorite of do-it-yourself costume makers.  When made from exotic subtle fabrics, this simple construction can produce elegant results.  An upside is that the voluminous material means that this will fit over practically any dance costume.  The downside is that it can look overly shapeless.  Be sure to make it from fabric that is gorgeous for the best results.  You may want to consider using an Indian sari with elaborate beading and feature the heavily embellished pallu, or head-piece end as the center front of your envelope.

image2     The Classic Caftan - Designed to slip over the head, the caftan is one of the most popular styles among dancers.  These long close-fronted robes come in a variety of shapes and styles, colors and fabrications.  Features to look for when shopping for a caftan include large neck-opening, full sleeves and a wide hem to prevent the caftan from crushing full skirts.  For do-it-yourselfers there are several commercially available caftan patterns including the gorgeous Gaza Dress and Syrian Dress patterns available from Folkwear Patterns.  www.folkwear.com

image3     The Kimono - Easy-on front wrapping and tied at the waist, the kimono or robe-styled cover-up is a good piece to have in your dancer's wardrobe.  Some costumes are a little too full, or your hair might be too elaborate to "go over the top!"  The simple kimono style cover-up can be a striking alternative  to more fitted and formal caftans or robes.  Avoid using a kimono in inexpensive or down-scale fabrics that can give you the appearance of wearing a bathrobe. 

     The kimono is made almost entirely from rectangles, so the sewing is simple and easy and there are numerous websites with free patterns for cutting and making your own.  Hot-Tip - stitch the waist belt onto the center back to avoid losing it!

     The Coat - Front opening like the kimono style - but with more formal shaping and fabric selection, the coat style can serve a dual purpose as both a costume cover-up and also as an actual coat.  Gorgeous details such as decorative buttons, exotic frogs and sumptuous tassels as ties lead the coat to be the most potentially glamorous cover-up style.  If you are looking for a more Central-Asian look, seek out coats with asymmetrical closures, opulent brocades or ikat fabric and embroidered surface designs.  Look for ready-made coats at import stores and upscale boutiques in late summer, when lighter-weight fall-coats are available.

     The Cape - Perhaps the easiest to put on, but the most difficult to control, a cape is a great option especially if you are carrying props to and from the stage that you would like to keep concealed.        The cape can also be integrated into the dance and performed with, in much the same way that you would use a large half-circle veil.  Capes provide a more historical look and are particularly well-suited for re-enactors, tribal style performers and Mediterranean fusion/Gypsy style dancers.  For the do-it-yourself costumer, both Simplicity and Butterick pattern companies offer several cape styles in their costuming section.  Shop your local fabric stores during special sales for deep pattern discounts.