Lorelie’s Lovelies Bellydance and Costume Information with Links to Resources

A Guide for Bellydance with Lorelie Students

Bellydance often gets a bad rap.  One of my goals as a teacher is to help change this view. It never felt right to me to call it bellydance but since the term is popular I use it for marketing purposes. Technically it is called Middle Eastern Dance or Orientale Dance. We can help to make this change by being respectable through our costuming for the audience and more importantly respectful of the culture.

The variety of dance styles within the Middle East are wide. This is why we have a Saidi dress for our folkloric number and a Bedlah (bra and belt, with skirt and veil) for the Orientale performance. There are so many styles and types of costumes. 

Be Mysterious

I feel It's best to keep some mystery with the costuming by not revealing too much. The bra should fit well and cover well but a little cleavage is fine. Jewelry and other touches can help to soften and beautify the chest and neck.

Small Peeks

Showing too much skin can take away from the dance performance. You can still be sexy without being too revealing. In fact it's much sexier to show small peeks of skin (your best parts of course) using open leg harem pants and or skirts, big flowing sleeves with open shoulders or slits from shoulder to wrist. Ankle bracelets can lend a hand in sensuality, arm bands with beading, decorative shrugs, long fringe to help disguise any problem areas etc.

Create an Illusion

We’re creating an illusion not just with the movements but also with our costumes. A tummy cover is great at smoothing over and making our costume look much more pulled together and tasteful. I require that my students use them in group performances. They add to the beauty and sensuality, much like lingerie. You can find classy ones with sheer glitter stockings, fishnet, or lace.

Take a Peek at our Costumes 

Folkloric Set : Banat Baharei and Shik Shak Shok

Annette is modeling the Saidi dress. Her belt is unfinished in this photo. We added sequined fringe to the belts. Link is below for the fringe we used. A ohoto of the grouo is below too.

Color choices for this dance choreography are - Pink - Violet - Green - Blue

Silver Stretchy Material can be found at most JoAnne Fabrics to create the wrap around the hips. ( Annette’s belt is the silver material)

Sequins - we used strips of sequined fringe from an existing hip scrf purchased on Amazon (This can be purchased by the group to save money) We took strips of the sequins and sewed them onto the silver stretchy material. 

The headpiece is a silver headband intertwined with matching material from the dresses. Most of the dresses had to be hemmed. We used the excess material to weave into the headdresses. You may be able to find these pretty headbands at Walmart.

Barefoot or Footies - The Bloch brand footies are good ones.

Jazz Shoes - in case you are looking for support in class and for turns they can be used for performance too.

Oriental Set : Pharoah and It’s Time to Play

Orientale costume. Some of the girls bought previously used costumes and skirts and tweaked them to fit plus added our own touches.

Must haves for the costume

Sheer or fishnet tummy cover - You can look in the lingerie department of stores and or thrift shops for unique ideas. Or go to my Amazon shop . Dahlal Internationale has them too.

Lorelie's Lovelies Wearing Their Unique Bedlah

Costume Resouorces

Dahlal Internationale for 20 % off use CARVEY20

I have an Amazon shop which I am slowly building up with all the items that we require and or just to see samples of what you will need.

Magical Fashions 

Muwashahat Dance for The Heard Opera House 

Midsummer's Might Everglades Enchantment Ball

June 22 2024 Lorelie's Lovelies performed for the Midsumme's Night Enchantment Ball at The Historic Heard Opera House. It was spectacular. The dresses were simple renaissance style. We crafted our own Pom Pom Headpieces and bought the corsets. Not a typical Middle Eastern Dance Costume however for the theme of the event they were pereectly suited. 

NEW Folkloric Costume