I’m here to tell you – think about them! You never know what type of stage you will be on. A dirty floor can hide hazards like broken glass or worse. I dance plenty in flats, heels and just my bare feet. It’s all according to the situation.

My advice, even if you don’t plan on wearing shoes always bring something to wear – just in case. Add a rinestone or two to leather ballet slippers and keep them in your dance bag Buy nude character shoes or lyrical shoes.

I have four types of shoes I dance in. I have modern “shoes” that only protect the ball of my foot. These are great for when you plan on doing alot of spinning or are dancing alot and want some protection and need to achieve that “bare foot” look.

Character Shoes – these darlings are what I use for the unexpected outside venue. I like the full foot T-Strap design because it keeps rocks and other debris out of the shoe. They are solid with just enough of a heel to make them look dressy, but not enough to change my balance.

My mixed media shoe, between the Character & modern shoe is the Grecian Sandal. This shoe covers the toes, has a small heel, but is split sole. You can move easier in it, but it won’t protect you from the ground quite as much. I call these my pavement shoes. Great for dancing in the streets, but not the grass.

Ballet slippers are always an option and I always keep a pair in my bag. Even just to wear around while I’m waiting for my turn to dance. It’s like the dancer’s bedroom slipper.

Lastly – my favorite – the Ballroom shoe. These shoes are just as elaborate as the costumes we wear. The latin style is my personal favorite. Open toe, strappy and in any color you could imagine!

The most important thing to keep in mind when picking out your shoe is the dance itself. Don’t pick out a shoe with a heel that you wobble on.

Practice in your shoes before you debut them onstage. Wearing a heel will change your posture, limit your range of motion, and can increase or decrease your traction on stage.

Thank you and happy holidays!

-Sumaya

My favorite new “move” from the workshop was “GW” or General Writhe. Sinking down into oneself, embodying the music, twisting & turning into and out of undulations, arm movements, chest & hip circles or figure eights.

Dancing in Atlanta, GA

For the show I got to wear my new “Tigress” costume! It held up just fine, and the dance was a hit! I was the second act for the night so I was able to see all the other lovely dancers that evening.

All in all, I would give the workshop an A+!

To begin I cut the denim fabric off a pattern from another Turkish belt. The base of the belt is three layers: denim fabric,  reflective cloth and a white tiger print salvaged from my high school years.   Scalloped sequins line the top and bottom of the belt along with accent silver tone glass beads. V-Fringe is attached to the back of the belt at the bottom.

Belt fully covered and awaiting final touches.

When building the bra, I started with a regular department store underwire a size larger than what I normally would wear. The more beadwork you sew on, the smaller the cups become. Also, remember that you need a padded bra to keeps it’s shape once all the heavy fringe is added. I covered the bra with the reflective fabric & the tiger strip print, then sewed a large V-Fringe to the top of the bra – from strap to strap.

The long V-fringe is from Horus & Isis and while they were a little slow in shipping, but the quality is superior!

Creating and sewing  your own costumes is important as a dancer.  It allows you to be creative in a totally different way and spending days sewing tiny beads will make you value your purchased costumes even more. While it may not always be cheaper in the long run the anecdotal experience you gain from building it yourself is priceless.