Advice from students, costume workshop?

[Maria_Aya]

Hi there

After spending a crazy winter with sewing, doing, re-doing, lost into threads, sewing machins and sizors and after having my studends begging and many friends also, I decided to give a costume workshop at the end of May.

The style of the workshop is gonna be like this:
Students will come with their own materials (I have informed them before what exactly, how much fabric what type etc), and in 3 hours they will get out of class with a ready bellydance outfit, and a small booklet with instructions, and ofcourse a lot of fun.

So the question is this:

I'm between making with them:

Baladi dress?

Harem pants?

Circle skirt?

or showing them how to make from 2 coin belts, a bra and a nicer belt?

Votes? from students? what you feel its more importand for you?

Maria Aya

p.s. Ofcourse we expect it to be a fun day, full of music, coffee/cookies, laughings etc, maybe somedancing between us also.

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Hi Maria, That's a great idea! Why not work on circle skirt(and it's many variations) in the morning of thw workshop and making coin belts/bedlah in the afternoon?
Yasmine

 

[sstacy123]

Hard choice but I think perhaps the circle skirt.

 

[Safran]

Cool idea, Maria! The object of the workshop should depend on the level and needs of the participants though... If they are beginners and this will be pretty much their first costume, then I'd suggest doing a two-piece costume - I think this is what most of the beginners expect from a bd costume... Rather a bra and belt than a circle skirt, as making a skirt is somewhat easier and needs less instructions, so it can also be done at home.

Make sure you have truckloads of spare needles, pins, threads etc - you will need them. And depending on the amount of the participants at the workshop, maybe you want to involve more sewing-experts, who can go around and givea advice.

Ah, I wish I could attend a workshop for making a baladi dress though

 

[Shanazel]

I usually teach a short workshop on costuming about once a year- nothing on the scale you are suggesting, Maria, though I would love to do so. People always seem to be so short on time... alas.

Anyway, everyone brings a bra and materials, and I show them how to reinforce, cover, and decorate the bra. Then we have a demonstration on how to fit a hip band. Everyone ends up with a custom made pattern, and we discuss ways to construct and decorate it. I also demonstrate how to make harem pants and circle skirts without patterns. Usually within a couple of weeks, people start showing up with costumes they've made.

Good luck and have a wonderful time. Shanazel

 

[sparklyraven]

We have a class devoted to costuming and we preface it with a field trip to the fabric store "see what you can do with this?" on an off class day and then the next class we all cut out each other's circle skirts, harem pants, and if there is time tops. Its fun to have the students show up later on with them all completed.

So we usually just get done harem pants and a circle skirt in a 2 hour class, but we don't sew stuff, we just cut and pin and we don't usually get to everyone's because we all help each other out.

One thing which I love that you could do is the coin belts into a nicer bra and belt. I want to come to your class! I think that would be a great workshop to take!

 

[Moon]

Great idea Maria Aya!

Personally if we had this kind of workshop at my dance school, I would prefer something like a top or bra & belt because usually around here they are the most expensive to buy and the most difficult to find. (ok harem pants too, but for practice you can also use a "normal" long skirt and it already looks nice )

 

[Maria_Aya]

Thanks all for the great advice

Just mentioned yesterday and have already 7 people interesting !!!

I think for the first I'm gonna stick with the bra and belt from 2 coin belts project

Many photos will come for sure, before and after !!!

Maria Aya:dance:

 

[Simone min al Akariyah]

The bra

I think a propper costume bra is the most difficult thing to buy. Almost everyone can change and sew pants, skirts and belts on her own.
I have seen so many (high-rated) professionals dancing with inapropiate bras which do not fit to their appearance.

If I was your student I would beg for a bra-workshop.

 

[Mouse]

Your workshop idea sounds great! I'd take a workshop like that in a heartbeat

 

[Moon]

Almost everyone can change and sew pants, skirts and belts on her own.

Wow... you just made me feel stupid

Good luck on your workshop Maria, I'm sure the students will love it (so be prepared to give a similar workshop again soon )

 

[Simone min al Akariyah]

Hi Moon, honestly ... everyone who wants and has no money to buy costumes because the expensive regular classes choke your remaining budget - everybody can do it. You just have to read some recommendations in BD-books and practice arabic characteristics like patience. But being supported by Maria within a workshop is a much better aid.

 

[gwinity]

You know, Maria, I don't know abut anybody else, but I'd love to know how to turn two regular coin belts into a spiffy belt-and-bra set!

We've done workshops for tribal tassel belts, and 8-point overskirt thingies, but were just given a sheet of printed instructions for cholis and circle skirts (and harem pants even I can make with no pattern!)

 

[sstacy123]

Heh! I had trouble with a plain rectangle veil! But I will NOT give up.

 

[Madeline]

I wish I could take your class on how to make a bra and belt set from coin belts! I’ve always wanted to do that, but my attempts haven’t worked very well. Do you have any hints?