maria_harlequin

My teacher is planning to have the beginning class perform at a hafla next month and it's their first performance. I was asking her about what she was planning on doing for the costuming since I know none of them owned costumes yet.

Apparently, most of them don't want to invest in an expensive professional costume...and they don't want to wear "student" attire either ala hip scarves, skirts, and belly tops (and they're not even interested in spending about a $100 on good, high quality student attire). It seems like they want to borrow my teacher's and the advanced student costumes.

Anyone else find this a little bit strange? We invested hundreds and hundreds of dollars on our costumes, probably thousands for some of us and to just have someone casually say that they want to borrow them because they're not sure if they want to continue performing...just seems a bit rude? I hope no one sees me as a greedy or selfish person! I wouldn't have a problem lending out a costume if a troupe member has an emergency or if it were a similar situation... Also, things could get awkward if a costume gets ruined, misplaced, or the person borrowing it sweats excessively...I mean, I understand not wanting to blow $$$ on a professional costume but not wanting to invest in higher end student costuming or investing at all and borrowing...

What would you do? Were you ever caught in a situation like this? My teacher is going to propose renting out costumes if all else fails...

Gia al Qamar

There is no way, under any circumstances that I would EVER 'lend' or rent a costume to another dancer, yet alone a student.
As a dancer, I felt that I had to EARN my first real costume and I think that is an imporant goal for student dancers to make as well.
if they don't want to purchase costumes, they can make their own. It'll be a great lesson in appreciating how much work goes into making clothes for stage.
Unless a DEAR friend had an emergency, I would NEVER lend a costume...ever.

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Rassi

I would never lend a costume to anyone. When I was a student my instructor let a student borrow a very expensive costume for a performance. The student had major body odor and ruined the costume. As much as the instructor aired, fabreezed, etc....the smell was still there.

shiradotnet

I can sympathize if they're not sure about spending money at this point on an activity they're unsure they'll continue.

I actually do have a supply of matching costumes that I lend my students for performances - a set of matching L Rose Designs dresses with hip scarves. These items are all machine-washable. I bought these items because I want a more unified look for some of the performances I arrange for my students.

However, if the teacher is comfortable with them wearing "student attire" such as you described, and if the only objection to the "student attire" is coming from the students themselves, then I think it's time for those students to learn that you can't always have what you want.

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ladykat

It's just plain cheeky in my opinion; as a baby belly for my first performance we all did the jingly belts, black tops and bought chiffon skirts from our teacher.

I have borrowed stuff from one member of my teachers performace group, but only the run-of-the-stuff, not her 'extra special' stuff , but i think the whole group asking to borrow expensive costume is not on.

hugs all

x

Mosaic

Nope, would never lend a costume. I have lent a chiffon skirt to a very close friend, but that is all.

Basically if the students don't wish to buy/have made a better costume than student attire, then they have no choice but to wear skirt/top/coin belt.
~Mosaic

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Anala

I think that teachers should not only instruct the skills needed for the dance (the steps); but, they should also give lessons in the ethics, the professional behaviors, and the expectations of performing.

Your teacher will be teaching the opposite if she (I assume she) lends out costumes.

Realistically, professional grade costumes (or even a passable bedlah) must be fitted properly in order to dance in it. You can't expect them to work as costumes without alteration; and, "borrowing" does not include "modifying."

So, her first line of defense is that it is neither done nor reasonable. If they insist on being unreasonable, she can turn it into an economics lesson and let them "borrow" the costume in exchange for her "borrowing" the fair market replacement value interest free.

I hope they will be reasonable.

Regards,

Anala

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The Practical Dancer

Daimona

I can't even imagine your teacher would believe you want to lend out your expensive hard-earned professional costumes, and I agree with all of the above mentioned arguments.

Some of the costumes will be ruined one way or the other. People's odors have been mentioned. Strange perfumes and make-up stains are others. Not to mention wear and tear damages caused by people not used to handle these precious items, or simply don't respect other people's properties enough to handle the items with care.

If they don't want to spend $$$ money on costumes, or make their own, they should either wear "the student attire" (coin belt/hip scarf and matching tops/skirts/trouser), or buy cheaper costumes. It IS possible to find ok students costumes for less than 100 USD. If they buy their own costumes, I don't see any problems selling it after the performance if they decide not to perform again either.

I usually don't lend out my costume (particularly not the professional costumes) to anyone. The only exception is if I'm giving a crash course for a bachelorette party, where I offer to dress up the bride-to-be during the class if she is somewhere near my size. The costume I'll mostly use for this purpose is a rather cheap costume (a former troupe costume; bedlah with skirt, turban wrap and gauntlets - app. 85 USD all included). The bride-to-be can only wear it under my supervision (if they want her to have a costume the rest of the party I offer them to buy her an inexpensive galabeya and a hip scarf instead). I help the bride-to-be getting dressed (using tons of security pins) and help her undress after class, and I will never leave her out of my sight. If parts of it get ruined and are unrepairable, I can afford loosing it or replace the ruined parts. The lining is easy to remove for cleaning between each time it is used. Odors haven't been a problem so far, but the turban wrap was almost ruined once because the bride-to-be's friends had dyed her hair red just before the class and it wasn't a fixed dye. I couldn't remove all the red stains, but most of it disappeared after I washed it and it won't show when in use.

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-- Daim.

Aniseteph

I would absolutely NOT lend, and to expect the advanced students to hand theirs over is outrageous.

If you aren't ready to commit to spending on a costume, you shouldn't be wearing it, IMO. That's why there's basics 'n' hipscarves and glitterdot.

zena

wow - I think that the students should be aware that there are costs associated with the activities/hobbies. That being said if they want to wear expense costumes, then they should invest in them. If not, then make do with with what they have. The expectation that the advance students lend out their costumes is not appropriate.

I lent a troupe mate (who is also an instructor) one of my costumes. She in turn decided to lent the skirt to her student. I was not impressed by this and now I am not willing to lend her another costume. She did not ask me if it was ok - she just decided to do it since it was in her possession and told me after the fact.

edited to add that the skirt came back with some of the beading damaged.