My first solo performance!

A couple of months ago my dance instructor issued a “rookie challenge” for our bi-monthly performance at a neighborhood coffeehouse. The challenge was for any dancer who hadn’t soloed yet to choreograph and perform a two minute piece.  I have been belly dancing off and on since 2006, but this is my first year of performing.  I accepted the challenge then took it one step further and designed my own costume as well.

A quick trip to the thrift store yielded a long purple velvet skirt and velvet patterned blouse in similar colors. The blouse was a terrific score because it already had a ruffle and a shiny jeweled button adornment. I also found chains of plastic jewels that were originally part of a chandelier. I seriously considered hacking the skirt to change how it drapes, but in the end laziness won out and I decided it was fine as it was. The coins came from a scarf I already owned but was falling apart and shedding beads and coins every time I wore it. I also had a stash of black plastic beads.

Before

While making the hip scarf took the most time, the blouse was the tricky part.  I banished the shoulder pads, seam ripped under the ruffle to free it, then cut away all of the fabric below the under bust line after keeping 2 inches for seam allowance.  I serged edges on the ruffles then along the bottom of the blouse before sewing a casing for the elastic. The end result was a lovely crop top with a dangling belly-button covering ruffle.

I cut the hip scarf out of polyester, then finished the edges with my serger.  I used tailor’s chalk to outline where the trim needed to go, took some measurements, then started making the crochet trim.  All of the plastic chandelier jewels came connected to each other with split jump rings, so when I separated the jewel chains I left a single jump ring on each one.  The coins were connected to the jewels using the jump ring, which made assembly super easy. It also meant that I didn’t need to string beads ahead of time.

Row 1: Chain until necessary length reached. Turn.

Row 2-3: Half double crochet for entire row.  Turn.

Row 4: *Half double crochet 3.  Thread a bead on the loop then secure a jewel with a Lark’s Head knot.  Re-start the loop from the most recent stitch.*  Repeat between * until you reach the end of the row.  Bind off.

Close-up detail of trim

I made four rows of trim, then sewed them onto the hip scarf with a zig zag stitch.  It makes a very pretty sound when I dance with it!  I also made a decorative hair clip, but it has gone missing since the performance so I don’t have any pictures of it yet.

The music that I danced to was Hely Meli.  Overall I am incredibly pleased with the costume and my first solo.  I remembered all of my choreography, and by the second round of the verses I was feeling really good.  Looking forward to future performances and costumes!