What to Wear to Class?
Dress down!
Please wear comfortable, stretchy, close-fitting exercise clothing that permits easy movement. Appropriate clothes include:- stretch pants
- yoga pants
- tights
- shorts
- leotards
- t-shirts
- tank tops
- athletic tops
- crop tops
Hip Wraps
Delineating your hips with a fringed shawl or scarf will help you to see your movements, and connects you to a centuries-old belly dance tradition. I sometimes have wraps available for purchase in class.Shoes
I usually prefer to dance in soft soled dance shoes such as ballet slippers, jazz shoes, half soles or dance sandals. If you have (or are willing to build) tough calloused feet, you may prefer to dance barefoot. For beginners, I recommend Bloch Dansoft ballet shoes (available from the manufacturer, online retailers, or check the yellow pages for “dance supplies.”) Beginners who are not ready to invest in a dance shoe but uncomfortable barefoot may wear socks.What not to wear
- Skirts Skirts are impractical for warm-up stretches on the floor. And, many belly dance moves originate from the knees, so it's important that you can see what your legs are doing.
- High-heeled shoes Only bare feet and soft shoes are permitted, to protect the studio floor.
- Jingly Scarves and jewelry Please don't wear jewelry, clothes, or adornments that are distracting, restricting, sharp, or otherwise unsafe. Poorly sewn ornamental coins, beads, and bells are of special concern: these objects often fall to the floor, where they can cut dancers' feet. Please be certain that any beading or ornamentation on your dancewear is securely sewn. While costuming is an important (and fun!) element of belly dance performance, serious students usually find that they are most comfortable and focused when they take off their jewelry, pull back their hair, and wear simple clothes that show the line of the body. I strongly encourage students to dress down, and save performance costuming for performances.
top ↑