A student signing up for her first belly dance class may be excited or even a bit nervous about learning how to shimmy, do belly rolls, and hip bump. As the first class date draws near, she’ll start to wonder about what to wear. Professional belly dance costumes are heavy, expensive, and too delicate to wear on a regular basis – so what should a new belly dance student wear to practice?
Here are some tips to put together a comfortable, practical, and fun outfit for belly dance class.
The Basics: Belly Dance Practice Wear
Belly dance may be a fun way to learn more about sensuality and body awareness, but it is also an exercise class. Students should wear clothes that are breathable and comfortable to move in.
Here’s a list of belly dance clothes ideas:
- Yoga pants with a camisole
- Fitted sweat pants and a tank top
- Dark tights and a t-shirt
Most teachers won’t require students to show their bellies during class, or even during performance. Cropped tops aren’t necessary! For students that are comfortable exposing their stomachs in class, they can either roll up their tank top, or wear a sports bra to class.
Some dancers choose to wear jazz shoes or other dance flats, but many belly dancers prefer to practice and perform barefoot. Socks may be permitted, but they can be dangerous if the floor is slippery and the class is working on spins!
Belly Dance Class Accessories
While belly dance is a great way to get in shape and meet new friends, many students are drawn to the allure of belly dance costuming. There are a few easy ways to add some basic costuming to a practice outfit to feel a bit more like a real belly dancer!
- Wear a hip scarf. These can be made with coins, beads, or fringe. Check with the teacher before purchasing one: she may have recommendations for high-quality scarves at low prices. Plus, some teachers ask that no scarves with beads be worn in class, as they beads may fall off and dig into dancers’ feet.
- Wear bracelets. There are many types of bracelets that belly dancers wear, such as glass bangles, metal cuffs and sequined cuffs. Not only do bracelets look nice, but they add a bit of extra weight to the arms, helping to condition the muscles used in the snake arms movement!
- Wear a bindi. Many belly dancers wear a sequined or rhinestoned jewel on their forehead.
It’s a great idea for a new belly dancer to find a fun bag to use as her belly dance bag. In here, she can store class notes, a water bottle, a hip scarf, and any props (such as veils or finger cymbals) that the teacher requires.
What Not to Wear to Belly Dance Class
The suggestions above outline the best clothing to wear to belly dance class. Here’s a list of a few items that should not be worn to class.
- Jeans
- Short skirts
- Bra tops
New students should always check with their instructor to find out if she has any class-specific guidelines. The main rules for belly dance class wear are to be comfortable and to have fun!
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