Thoughts on Vintage Side Slit Skirts and Modesty

A Bhuz member asked for assistance on getting that "vintage Turkish slit skirt look" while also preserving modesty.  The following comments were my response, adapted slightly so that they may be useful to you as well.

For the skirt pattern:

• Pick the style based on the number you will do. Side slits cut so that the skirt is sliced in half (front to back, i.e. down the outside of the leg) flare ridiculously when you spin. They work in some contexts; but, they "get in the way" unless your dance consists of lunge poses. Most slit styles are either slit so that 1) the front an back panels meet right over the protrusion of the pelvic bone and so that the panels are about an inch apart; OR, 2) they are cut the same way and the font panel is just gathered more so that it falls more between the legs (gathered to about 3-5" across). The really good news is that, with a little construction forethought, you can make the skirt so that it rides loose on the elastic waist and then pin it to where you want it, pinning the fabric to the elastic. You can even adjust placement of the slits as you practice or at a break in the set, especially if you make the back panel gathered, so that it works well with your number. (Some embellish the waist. I never do that, as that is what my belts are for.)
• AND, no one says the skirt has to be a circle skirt -- you can get some very nice skirts out of plain old rectangular panels, cut so that 2/3 of the length is in the back and 1/3 is in the front. These will flair less when spinning, can be layered with other skirts nicely, and can be made out of heavier fabrics, like a gorgeous brocade. AND, these don't have to be hung to give, in general.

For the modesty aspect:

• I have been studying Turkish costumes a fair amount recently. In studying photos and seeing a scant few vintage pieces in person, let me tell you something few have called out -- Turkish dancers with the more revealing costumes actually attached the skirt in between their belt and their underwear, making a fabric sandwich that stayed put. Everything has to be perfectly fitted for this to work, but, basting threads and an assistant to help the fit can make it happen. Just don't over hydrate and be sure not to sew yourself "into" the costume so that you cannot get out.
• If that is not an option (and it is for only a very few of us), you can use pins to get the same effect. Dressing and undressing will take longer; and, you will still have to have a perfectly fitted belt with a curve along the backside and the right V in the front to get the right look/
• If that is not an option, sheer harem pants with side slits are dead sexy, very vintage, and pretty easy to make. See https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7804276&type=3 for my method, which works for both harem and flare leg pants.
• Another option is to attach the side panels using rows of beads, with the length set so that they slightly drape when standing still and hold the panels just the right distance apart when spinning. Chains work in a pinch, too. Old necklaces can be repurposed for this. AND, I have seen this on dear Tulay, too.
• When in doubt, there is nothing easier or more vintage than a good, old fashioned "drop skirt." This is something you RARELY see anymore, and it's a shame. A "drop skirt" is just a panel of fabric, about as wide as your pelvic bones are apart, and long enough that you can tuck and attach it in the front to the waistband of (your skirt, underpants, etc.) and in the back to to the waistband of (your skirt, underpants, etc.). Make the length just short enough and narrow enough so that you don't get your foot caught in it when you dance. A veil works in an absolute pinch; but, my favorite are the long, rectangular holiday scarves out this time of year. (I buy them on Jan 2nd when the price plummets and use them later.)

The Practical Dancer’s Guide to gifts for the bellydancer (and, for the dancer who may not have told their family)

The holidays are here!  Your family may have been asking you for gift ideas – but, you may or may not have told them you dance.  “Outing” yourself is your call; regardless, here are some items they can get you to support your dance habit, that won’t put them on mailing lists they’d rather not be on, and that can stay within a budget.  I have included links for visual aids.  You may find better prices elsewhere

1.     A good wooden drying rack – an all wood rack is best.  This can be used for airing out costumes without stretching them.  If you pick one with a flat top, bedlahs can be stabilized and not slide off.  While metal ones may be cheaper, wood will not rust and stain your clothes.

2.     Luggage dedicated to dance.  Tired of finding glitter on your clothes when you travel for your day job?  (Tired of your significant other complaining about this happening to them?)  Get some inexpensive luggage dedicated to dance clothes.  I started with 2 or 3 totes, later added a duffel that I practically live out of, and eventually added a full size suitcase.  Mine are all black with pink polka dots, so I don’t confuse them with my “regular” luggage.  AND, I can find them easily in crowded dressing rooms.  Look for good quality relative to the price as well as a configuration that suits your needs.

3.     And, while you are at it, perhaps you need a train case to hold that stage makeup separately from your costumes! Not your speed,  they also make toiletry bags.  I have one of these, and it has held up well, packed to the gills, for a few years now.

4.     Jewelry organizers.  I LOVE my Neatnix stax!  I found mine at the Container Store while killing time for a workshop, and I have NEVER regretted the purchase.  The single compartment style is on my own list for this year, as it looks like it will hold those lovely collar necklaces such as the ones from Shiny Sparkly Things!

5.     A foam roller can be a godsend to a tired dancer.  It is a massage therapist and a chiropractor that works on YOUR schedule.  I take mine on the road to workshops if I am driving and it has rescued me from kinks caused by strange beds and air mattresses.

6.     A tripod for your phone.  There is no feedback like video feedback!  If you already have a smart phone, ask for a tripod or stand and turn your phone into a feedback partner!

7.     For those who sew, or need to do repairs, Stanley Levy’s book, Bead and Sequin Embroidery Stitches is a must-have.  Techniques are clearly explained with plain language and lots of images to assist.

8.     If you are a note-taker, a journal or diary can make a beautiful gift that helps you to record notes from workshops, online classes, and personal practice.  Taking notes allows a different part of your brain to work, enhancing your learning and helping you to retain more.

9.     Multibar or scarf hangers can help organize veils and hipscarves in the most cluttered closet.

10. Been collecting back issues of Arabesque?  Want to preserve your vintage collection of Habibi issues?  Ask for magazine storage containers, preferably acid free ones.  They can keep your copies safe, even at the bottom of a closet.

11.  Got snaps? Hooks and eyes? Beads coming out of your ears?  A safety pin collection to make the Bellydance Superstars envious?  Asking for bead storage containers can yield infinite storage possibilities, whether you sew or not.  What you put in them is up to you.  Look for secure clasps and preferably segmented lids that only open one section at a time.

12. Two Faced’s Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue, because you really want it ON your eyelids, not IN your eyes!

13.  A magnifying mirror, because eyes seem to fail us in dimly lit changing rooms, after workshops, when we are mature enough to have something to say in our dance.

14. Need to preserve that vintage Abla that you won in an online auction?  Have a Bella to store?  Have non of the above, but still want to keep that costume that TOOK FOREVER preserved nicely?  Ask for acid free storage boxes and protect those investments.

STOCKING STUFFER TIME!  The following items make great small gifts for troupe mates, students, teachers or stocking stuffers for dancers:

15.  An eye mask for the traveling dancer, sleeping in a hotel or at another dancer’s house.

16. And, since the other dancers you may be staying with can be rowdy, how about some ear plugs?

17. Dry shampoo can save you as you scramble from a workshop to a hafla performance, can perk you up between gigs, and ad sticking power to hair for sword work or slippery head gear.  My favorite is by Big Sexy Hair and is small enough to fit in a travel gig bag.

18. Also good for freshening up quickly are Wet Cleansing Towelettes, such as these by Ponds.  Larger packs are good for home, smaller ones can be found in the travel section of drug stores.

19.  BIOFREEZE!  My chiropractor introduced me to this wonder gel and I swear by this stuff.  The roll-on version keeps it off your hands, which is good when you have eczema (like me) or a tendency to rub your eyes.

20. Diaper pins, because so many large safety pins are just plain poorly made.

21. Cover Girl Outlast lipstick.  I SWEAR by this stuff.  “Eternal Flame” and “Ever Red Dy” are my standby colors.  These things go on, stay on, and clean up easily with baby oil.   Let me put it this way: it survives a steak dinner, once dry will NOT stain your veil, and the gloss stick doesn’t seem to trap hair or chiffon.  I am not a paid endorser, just an enthusiastic user.  I love this lipstick!

22.  Fuzzy socks!  Seriously, I won’t travel without them now.  I toss some in my dance bag for workshops and have been saved from frozen toes on cold, vintage floors.  Besides, you want some comfort and pampering after dancing all day, don’t you!

23.  Finally, that bastion of 80’s fashion that you can ONLY get between now and January 1^st, LEG WARMERS!  They keep foot cramps at bay, tame errant flare leg pants, and still let the instructor see your feet.  Wear them without shame!

24. Battling cold hands and still need to play zills?  Arm warmers are your friend!

25. Know someone who takes on REALLY complicated costume projects?  Consider giving labels, whether premade or custom for them to sew in and declare their commitment to the project!

The Hard Behaviors

Aslahan wrote a wonderful post about some of the hard conversations that a teacher must have with a student over time.  I encourage you to read it, even if you are not yet an instructor.  This got me to thinking about the other side of the relationship, and some of the harder behaviors one should embody as a student, where it may be more beneficial to NOT say something, but, to still take an action that can benefit you as a dancer without disrupting the class.

With all of these strategies, the key is to not “take away” or otherwise make a spectacle out of your actions.  This is a time for discretion, not confrontation.

Issue: The instructor is asking students to do a challenging movement without ensuring they are able to do it.  This could be a Turkish drop, a complex yoga move such as pigeon pose, etc.

Problem: You could get hurt.

Action: Make it a habit to introduce yourself to the instructor before you start to study with them. If you have a limitation or injury, always inform them before class starts and advise them that you may have to modify or exclude yourself from certain movements that involve [X].  Even if you do not have a pre-existing condition, if you are worried that a movement will injure you, STOP.  Do not do it.  If you can modify the move safely do so.  If not, here are some non-disruptive strategies to avoid injury: Use the time to get some water, take some notes off to the side or back of the room, or use the restroom.  If the movement at issue is part of a longer part of the lesson, quietly explore the vending if there is some, take detailed notes on a part of the course you liked, or go outside for some fresh air.

Issue: The instructor starts to explain something in a manner that contradicts what you have been taught, or what your research does not agree with.

Problem: The instructor does not know the material.

Action:  Well, does the instructor really not know?  Or, could it be that you simply have not encountered this explanation yet?  This is a time to be open.  Hear what the instructor has to say.  Listen with an open mind and an accepting expression.  If you are a student with only a little experience under your belt, this is a time to learn that there are both “known” and “speculated” things about our dance.  Take notes, mental or physical, and follow up with your own research.  If you are more experienced, listen for nuggets of truth.  If you have a great deal of experience and know that what is being said is a bunch of hooey,  use the time (while keeping a “listening” expression) for some honest self-assessment: are their things YOU teach as absolutes that you, perhaps should learn more about?  Where are the gaps in your own study?  How many corroborating sources do YOU require before accepting something as “true?”

Issue:  A movement is described one way, then performed another. Or, the students keep trying to get what the instructor says; but, when it is performed for the instructor, the students are told they are doing it wrong.

Problem: The instructor may not be communicating clearly.

Action:  This is the time to ask questions, very carefully worded questions.  As the expression goes, “A problem well stated is a problem half solved.”  As you watch the instructor and the students move, look for places that may prompt a question: the direction of the movement, the placement of the weight, the point of transition.  Try to ask an open ended question (one that cannot be answered “yes” or “no”) to get the most out of the answer.  If needed, follow up with more.  Be sure to ask from a perspective of curiosity, not confrontation, from a place of learning rather than being right.  As you hone your skills at asking questions, you will help others to have the courage to ask and to shape their own questions.

Issue:  The instructor cannot communicate clearly, is asking students to do something dangerous, is clearly not educated in a topic, and may be a bad dancer, to boot.

Problem:  You cannot find anything useful in this class, and it seems like a waste of time to be here.

Action:  This is the hardest situation to be in, for it requires the most professional of responses.  Outwardly, keep an open, “listening” face.  Perform the movements asked, unless they are dangerous, while working on something that is part of your own development (crispness, arm placement, intensity, etc.)  If that is not possible, then there is one action that you can take quietly, and with great discretion: learn what NOT to do.  It is very hard to do this without being noticed; and, the key is to not show that you are doing this.  Take notes, mentally or physically, on things the instructor could be doing to “be better.”  Honestly assess your own actions when you practice, perform, or teach to see if YOU embody any of these behaviors.  Develop strategies to change your own behaviors: How can you identify the simple ones and remove them? How can you break down the complex ones to over come them?  This is the time for the greatest discretion and greatest honesty.  Resist the urge to make a show of  your discomfort with the situation, and turn it into the most valuable learning opportunity.  Remember, even manure helps things to grow, when applied properly.

These are the top three issues I could think of after reading Aslahan’s wonderful post.  There are probably others, too.  Again, the key is to get what you can out of every course you take – even if it is learning what not to do.

To quote my beloved, late grandmother, “Discretion is the better part of valor.”

Public Service Announcement: Finding Saroyan Zills while you can

Harry Saroyan has apparently announced that he is retiring and will no longer manufacture his wonderful zills.  Since his zills are so wonderful and high quality (I own three pair, even though I am a struggling student), I thought I would assemble a list of vendors where you might find some while they are still available new on the market.  (And, I type this with the guilt of one who KNOWS how good the zills can sound, but also needs to get a practicin’ instead of a slackin’!)

So, as of this writing, here are the vendors I could find.  Please note that some vendors also stock zills by other manufacturers.  And, this is just a Public Service announcement and not an endorsement, unless otherwise noted.

His own store, which currently has a notice that it is closed due to unforeseen circumstances: http://www.saroyanzils.com/

The Belly dance shop of NC, who kindly sold me two pair over the years:

http://www.thebellydanceshop.com/products.php?id=18

Shimmy Shimmy: http://www.shimmyshimmy.com/

Bellydanceshoppe.com: http://www.bellydanceshoppe.com/Finger-Cymbals-s/100.htm

Dahlal International: http://www.dahlal.com/categories/musical-instruments/finger-cymbals/saroyan-finger-cymbals/

Stellar Advantage used to sell them (bought a pair from her years ago); but, you will have to contact her to see if she has any more: http://www.shimmystuff.com/

Fahtiem, who has a longstanding relationship with Mr. Saroyan and has endorsed his zills for years.  (By the way, study with her – it is a transformative experience!) http://www.bellydancemagic.com/zils/index.html

Miss Belly Dance: http://www.missbellydance.com/Zills_Finger_Cymbals_s/133.htm

Bellydance.com: http://www.bellydance.com/Finger-Cymbals_c_8.html

The dreaded Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Saroyan-Zills-Finger-Cymbals-Zils/dp/B002TIF8MG

ETA one more, from a friend: http://www.artemisimports.com/finger-cymbals-zills/

I regret that those are all of the listings I could find.  If you take your playing seriously, or, if you want the motivation to take your playing seriously, do invest in a good pair.  And, I have to add with regret: while you can.