standard dress fashions

[Laura]

Based on what I saw in the Championship Standart at Nationals, here are the "in" things:

chiffon or organza underskirts
Not enough to make the skirt poofy, but enough to make it drape and flow nicely

no horsehair braid or satin banding on hems
only a very very few dresses had these

floats
lots of them. big ones. layered ones. pleated ones. not a lot of neck-scarf styled ones, except either as part of a big one attached to a wrist or in combination with several other sizes and styles of floats.

[redhead]

big floats are dangerous... did you see how girl in purple dress (was it Olga?) almost chocked another girl with her float? what can be done to avoid it?

[alemana]

one woman i saw at Empire this weekend danced half or more of several standard dances with her blue float covering her face like a shroud. it was SURREAL - she made no move to uncover it, just danced blind all over the floor.

[Katarzyna]

I LOVE floats :)

[standardgirl]

I LOVE floats :)

I do, too! :D

[Indiana_Jay]

floats
lots of them. big ones. layered ones. pleated ones. not a lot of neck-scarf styled ones, except either as part of a big one attached to a wrist or in combination with several other sizes and styles of floats.

Whatsa float?

Jay (new student, never been to a competition)

[cl5814]

floats
lots of them. big ones. layered ones. pleated ones. not a lot of neck-scarf styled ones, except either as part of a big one attached to a wrist or in combination with several other sizes and styles of floats.

Whatsa float?

Jay (new student, never been to a competition)

If i am correct, look at Laura's post of Kat dancing. The piece of material from the dress linked to her arm is called a float. Here is a link to it.

http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10863&start=90

[Katarzyna]

you're 100% correct.

[Indiana_Jay]

If i am correct, look at Laura's post of Kat dancing. The piece of material from the dress linked to her arm is called a float. Here is a link to it.

http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10863&start=90

Oh, now I see. Thanks, cl. Lovely dress, Kat. Now that I've seen the pic, I recall seeing several dresses with floats in the Gere/Lopez film, "Shall we Dance." At the time, I had no idea that piece of material had a name!

Jay

[macha]

Apparently, large, unwieldy, colorful things used for parading around- double entendre! LOL :wink:

[Purr]

Floats can be pretty, but on a dress I'd wear they'd probably be dangerous. :oops:

[Katarzyna]

Why?

[Purr]

Well...Murphy's Law would apply...anything that can happen will happen

... I'd get tangled up somehow in the float

... My dance partner would get tangled up in the float

... Someone else would dance by too close and get tangled up in the float

Maybe it might depend on how the float was attached to the dress.

(Ok, I admit it. I'm a klutz, and if there's a way to get tangled up in something or trip on it, I'll do it. :oops: )

[wyllo]

One or two dresses had multi-layered skirts, which I thought accented movement very nicely. I did NOT like the wedding cake peach and white dress (Laura has a picture of it with her photos from Nationals). It certainly was attention-getting, but a little over the top for me. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't have what appeared to be a huge glob of shaving cream in the bosom area.

And I know we aren't talking about latin - but I loved the latin dancer with a single black feather in her hair. Together with the costume it looked like a classy, toned-down version of a showgirl.

[Katarzyna]

I hated the cake like gown in standard. I like the white one Erica wore in earlier rounds a lot more.. I like some of the multi layered dresses, there were lots of ruffles and flowing fabrics...

[Laura]

I wanted to make sure people got a chance to see the "wedding cake" dress.

[Joe]

Linkety?

[fascination]

for what it is worth....I hated that dress as well...thought she looked like little bo peep...and am so glad that floats are big now because I just arranged to have one made accordingly

[ghanima]

Actually I kind of like that dress, and you have to respect Erica's courage to wear something thats not exactly what everyone else is wearing these days. I always find her dresses interesting, unique and well constructed, her mom makes them for her. She has a very athletic dancing style so I can see why she goes for something different because in my opinion she dances very differently from alot of ladies on the floor.

I saw a picture of her from blackpool in a similar purple dress. Does anyone have a picture of that one.

[Ithink]

Erica's dress was pretty hideous. I mean you could be different without being hideous, right? Wasn't a big fan of her polka dot dress either. But despite the dresses, did the NY people in the crowd really HAVE to cheer when her and her partner got 6th place? I mean how rude can you be? Yeah, I know she's not in the Ballroom on 5th "in-crowd", but does she deserve jeers?

Also there was this lavender dress with hanging large sequins that was really loud (the couple made the 1/4 final) which annoyed me to no end. And a dress that had a pastel rainbow of colors which made the usually lovely girl in it look 5 months pregnant - not very flattering.

There weren't many truly great dresses on that floor actually. A few that stand out were Julie Hayes' white dress (and the blue one that was identical that she wore for Senior I standard the night before) which was really lovely, as well as Sarika Hudson's red dress but then again Sarika would look great in a burlap sack :D Honorable mention also to Diana's red dress which looked really great on her and Threestep :wink:

As for latin, I loved Elijah Piker's feather look and her dress, although according to Laura it might be illegal next year. And I LOVED her dancing!! She's really fabulous (by far the best girl in that final) and it was really sad to see the disappointment on her face at placing 3rd and missing qualifying for the Worlds :cry:

[Katarzyna]

Erica's dress was pretty hideous. I mean you could be different without being hideous, right? Wasn't a big fan of her polka dot dress either. But despite the dresses, did the NY people in the crowd really HAVE to cheer when her and her partner got 6th place? I mean how rude can you be? Yeah, I know she's not in the Ballroom on 5th "in-crowd", but does she deserve jeers?

Well, they didn't dance very well in the final, and people were happy that they were marked accordingly. Because anything could have happened....

Also there was this lavender dress with hanging large sequins that was really loud (the couple made the 1/4 final) which annoyed me to no end. And a dress that had a pastel rainbow of colors which made the usually lovely girl in it look 5 months pregnant - not very flattering.
I've seen a version of the sequined dress on Hazel and Ieva, but the lavender one wasn't great... Pastel rainbow looked good while in dance hold, but not very flattering while just standing there....

[Laura]

Linkety?

It's down in that gallery of pictures from Nationals (http://www.lagassa.com/bin/liveframe.cgi/nationals05) I posted.

Here are some previews:
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0439.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0440.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0448.JPG

[Laura]

Also there was this lavender dress with hanging large sequins that was really loud (the couple made the 1/4 final) which annoyed me to no end.

I kind of liked the idea of the polka-dot dress. All that nude mesh on top is illegal for IDSF competitions, though.
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0181.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0195.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0221.JPG


The dress with all the hanging pailettes belonged to Kora Uczekaj.
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0207.JPG

There weren't many truly great dresses on that floor actually. A few that stand out were Julie Hayes' white dress (and the blue one that was identical that she wore for Senior I standard the night before) which was really lovely

They weren't completely identical, but very close (I helped construct them). The peacock blue one had chiffon underskirts, and godets in the overskirt, the white one had crystal organza underskirts, and the skirt was cut in full princess panels.
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0053.JPG

Honorable mention also to Diana's red dress which looked really great on her and Threestep :wink:

I helped construct that one too :-) I wasn't too sure about it when I looked at the design, but it's not my duty to like or dislike -- it's my duty to run up long seams and roll hems! :-) But when it was done enough for Diana to try it on I realized it was going to be awesome. Even then, I didn't realize how awesome until she stoned it and I saw it on the floor.
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0212.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0237.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0260.JPG

As for latin, I loved Elijah Piker's feather look and her dress, although according to Laura it might be illegal next year.

She looked great, both in terms of dancing and her outfit. I think it might be illegal after October because of the skirt. It's really borderline. The rules say in 3.10.5.2.2.1 that the panties must be fully covered by the skirt when standing. Thing is, I'm not sure the lace loincloth she had was really even a skirt. Same goes for that dress that had a "skirt" made of 4" long paillettes on drop beads. But I'm not sure on these, just wondering if they're going to be legal or not.
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0424.JPG
http://www.lagassa.com/lfdir/galleries/nationals05/preview/DSCN0425.JPG

[Katarzyna]

I kind of liked the idea of the polka-dot dress. All that nude mesh on top is illegal for IDSF competitions, though.
I liked this one too.. I liked the stoning... Such a covered up dress and not allowed at IDSF comps.. Crazy..

[Laura]

Ice dancing went through the same thing a few years ago regarding nude material. They made some rule saying that nude material couldn't be more than a certain percentage of the dress.

[Katarzyna]

Interesting. I am starting to worry about a gown for BYU. All the ones I have show a bit of skin...

[Laura]

BYU has VERY strict rules. If you have straps going over your shoulders, they have to be at least 1" wide. You can't have the back opened more than a certain width and a certain length. You can't have a halter-style top. There are other BYU-specific rules too. Your best bet is to look at their web site and be very careful -- they really do have someone who checks. In fact, at one point they made people submit photos in advance of the competition.

[Katarzyna]

Totally crazy rules there.... I think one of my new ones might be fine, but really not sure...

[alemana]

the winner of the pro smooth comp at Empire this weekend had on a dress i loved - the sleeves were nothing but sparkly webbing.

http://supershag.com/gallery/Dance-Pictures-Empire-Sat/IMG_1670

[Merrylegs]

the winner of the pro smooth comp at Empire this weekend had on a dress i loved - the sleeves were nothing but sparkly webbing.

http://supershag.com/gallery/Dance-Pictures-Empire-Sat/IMG_1670

Oooo! Me too! That's Nick and Lena Kosovich, LeNique!

That dress ROCKED! She looked beautiful in it and Nick was the epitome of class. Does he make his suits?

Alemana, I saw you at the comp but that room was so crowded I couldn't get over to you. I'll post some stuff on that thread when I get a minute. It was a good comp.

[Kitty]

Interesting. I am starting to worry about a gown for BYU. All the ones I have show a bit of skin...

one of your new ones is fairly closed... have to check the open back though.. but should be fine I think...

[Katarzyna]

Interesting. I am starting to worry about a gown for BYU. All the ones I have show a bit of skin...

one of your new ones is fairly closed... have to check the open back though.. but should be fine I think...
Yellow one should be fine I think..

[Kitty]

Interesting. I am starting to worry about a gown for BYU. All the ones I have show a bit of skin...

one of your new ones is fairly closed... have to check the open back though.. but should be fine I think...
Yellow one should be fine I think..

actually that one has narrow straps on the shoulders, might be a problem. But the red one might be ok

[Katarzyna]

We'll see

[dancer_duchess]

I agree... Be very, very careful, they are sticklers on dress code and experts at spotting even the tiniest discrepency. I've attended BYU for the last three years and started taking the ballroom classes last fall. At the Dancesport championships BYU hosted that semester I competed in the BYU classes competition and wore a ballet-style bun cover that had a little glitter residue from when I used it for ballet. I checked the guidelines and there was a rule about glitter or stones on dresses, (don't panic, I think that's just for the class competitions) Just to be safe I washed it before the comp and got most of the glitter out of it (and all over my other clothes :roll: )I thought it wouldn't be a big deal. I thought wrong. One of advanced teachers saw my hair and took me over to a judge to discuss whether or not it was appropriate. I kid you not, twenty minutes and three judges later I had to take it off. I understand the point of the rule is to avoid dresses that are gliterized like REAL competition dresses, but come on people!
Sorry, not trying to sound bitter. I love BYU (go cougars) Just be careful. I could take off the offending item, but it's a lot harder to fix something more major like strap width or hem length when you're there. Good luck by the way! When are you performing? I'd love to come watch!

[SDsalsaguy]

Welcome to the DF dancer_duchess, and thanks for the cautionary tale! :D

[DancingMommy]

It's official. Little bo peep lookls like she stole some 1960s prom dress - not that I have a problem with that, but the floats so didn't match? Or am I missing something? As in the picture didn't do it justice?

Remionded me of the one in the movie Grease.... It ad those kinds of ruffles and was pale blue.... I forget who was wearing it... Frenchie maybe?

[Katarzyna]

I agree... Be very, very careful, they are sticklers on dress code and experts at spotting even the tiniest discrepency. I've attended BYU for the last three years and started taking the ballroom classes last fall. At the Dancesport championships BYU hosted that semester I competed in the BYU classes competition and wore a ballet-style bun cover that had a little glitter residue from when I used it for ballet. I checked the guidelines and there was a rule about glitter or stones on dresses, (don't panic, I think that's just for the class competitions) Just to be safe I washed it before the comp and got most of the glitter out of it (and all over my other clothes :roll: )I thought it wouldn't be a big deal. I thought wrong. One of advanced teachers saw my hair and took me over to a judge to discuss whether or not it was appropriate. I kid you not, twenty minutes and three judges later I had to take it off. I understand the point of the rule is to avoid dresses that are gliterized like REAL competition dresses, but come on people!
Sorry, not trying to sound bitter. I love BYU (go cougars) Just be careful. I could take off the offending item, but it's a lot harder to fix something more major like strap width or hem length when you're there. Good luck by the way! When are you performing? I'd love to come watch!
Let;s ho[e all goes well there. BYU is really too much with rules, but they are still going to get quite a crowd..

[macha]

So... would this dress work for... well.. ANYTHING?... Just curious....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/silverhorse/standardmaybe001.jpg

[Laura]

You can definitely wear it for Adult Syllabus at USA Dance events (although, the float might have to go, the rules don't say anything about it but I could imagine a costume invigilator saying that an arm float makes it a costume). If the shoulder straps are 1" wide or wider, you could probably also wear it at Brigham Young University competitions.

[macha]

What about say maybe nashville in january....

:shock:

Just to watch, of course...

[Laura]

Of course! But why just watch if you can dance...don't rule it out!

[macha]

Dancing and Competitive dancing be two different things, though.

Bumping into elderly couples on the practice floor and bumping into people who have been dancing since they were three ....

Nope... Give me the biggest, meanest, ugliest, worst horse you HAVE and I will climb on it instead.

Naked.

[Laura]

Ahh, but that's the thing...you could enter an adult syllabus category and bump in to people who have been dancing for about as long as you have. The ones whohave been dancing since they were kids skip all that and go straight through to Championship, although they sometimes make a brief pass through Pre-Championship.

Sorry...I'm always trying to get people to try competing! :-)

[Joe]

I agree... Be very, very careful, they are nazis on dress code
FTFY. ;)

[fascination]

okay now I am getting concerned about this....I dont know anything about which guidelines apply to which events or which event is under a particluar governing body...but I have just spent a B'JILLION DOLLARS on a smooth and a standard dress and I am now freaked out that they might be problematic...they are very modest in cut so that's not an issue but they are stoned out the wazoo....please help me to understand whether or not I have a problem....at this juncture I am only doing smaller comps in the midwest but will be doing intermediate bronze standard at ohio star and full bronze smooth...do I have an issue?...both of my dresses can be seen on the deirdre of london website if anyone would need to evaluate them further ....thanks

[Katarzyna]

Are you doing Pro am ?

[Chris Stratton]

The rules against stones generally apply to amateur syllabus events in the US that are sanctioned by USABDA or NDCA (slightly different rules in each case). Pro-am events usually do not restrict costumes, except perhaps at the lowest level. And many college comps allow costumes starting in silver or even bronze.

The safest thing is to read the rules of the specific competitions you plan to attend.

[wyllo]

Hey! Another midwesterner. :D Which comps are you going to? I wouldn't worry too much -- the pro-am comps seem pretty liberal in what they allow and if your dresses are modest they probably meet the new USABDA rules. Plus, a number of comps in the midwest allow costumes, but do not define what that means so no problems there. If you are going to BYU, on the other hand, it sounds like a read-over of their dress code would be a good idea.

If you are still worried, contact the competition organizers and ask for clarification.

[fascination]

this is another point of confusion....is pro/am any pro dancing with any Am or is that just folks like Senner and Ares? I am dancing with my instructor in the aforementioned categories/levels (full bronze and probably changing soon at five lessons a week)....I think is reasonable to assume that I would dance at just about any comp that isn't on a college campus and is between milwaukee and indianapolis...and then of course the ohio star....

[Chris Stratton]

Pro/am refers to the events (at competitions that have them) intended for mixed couples. Dancing with your instructor, you would not be able to enter competitions that do not have pro-am events, such as anything that has been held under a USABDA/USA Dance sanction to date (the new top level world-team-selection events theoretically might be open to you though)

[fascination]

thanks chris ...but that is about as clear as mud to me :oops: not your fault though....by the way, I generally love your posts because my husband was an engineer in a former life and I think you approach things the same way....which in general is not a language i speak :lol:

[Laura]

this is another point of confusion....is pro/am any pro dancing with any Am

It is any pro dancing with any am, and is most often a student dancing with his or her private lesson teacher.

or is that just folks like Senner and Ares?

They represent the top level of pro/am dancing...there's lots of other pro/am couples at all different levels and with all different kinds of profesionall and/or personal relationships out there.

I am dancing with my instructor in the aforementioned categories/levels (full bronze and probably changing soon at five lessons a week)....

Then you are dancing pro/am, and are not subject to USA Dance's rules regarding syllabus costuming of adult amateurs.

I think is reasonable to assume that I would dance at just about any comp that isn't on a college campus and is between milwaukee and indianapolis...and then of course the ohio star....

Excellent! You can dance in the Pro/Am events at any NDCA-sanctioned event, and you will be able to dance in any "World Class Qualifying Event" at any USA Dance Regionals starting this fall. However, to dance in the World Class Qualifying Event you really should be a TOP level Open Pro/Am dancer, and you and your teacher would need to join USA Dance.

[fascination]

thanks laura...but I think it will be at least another couple "weeks" before I am a top level dancer :lol: ...working on it though 8)

[marykomatsu]

"I kind of liked the idea of the polka-dot dress. All that nude mesh on top is illegal for IDSF competitions, though."

I wonder about this. I checked out the IDSF website and looked at the photo shots for 2005 at the World Games. I saw tons of flesh mesh out there. Maybe it's "illegal" and maybe it's debateable.

I know IDSF says dresses cannot be "flesh colored" but maybe it is ok if part of the dress is flesh colored mesh. In any case, they are definitely dancing in them.

Is is some new rule not yet in effect? (BYU is not included in my comment here; they are their own private island)

[Laura]

"I kind of liked the idea of the polka-dot dress. All that nude mesh on top is illegal for IDSF competitions, though."

I wonder about this. I checked out the IDSF website and looked at the photo shots for 2005 at the World Games. I saw tons of flesh mesh out there. Maybe it's "illegal" and maybe it's debateable.

That's the thing -- it's debatable. We didn't have anyone from the IDSF there to educate us, all we had were the written rules. A small group of USA Dance officials were looking over the costumes at Nationals and dicussing how we think the incoming rules will apply to them. We thought we'd start trying to figure it out now, before it actually becomes an issue. We mostly watched the kid events, but every so often we'd talk about an adult dress. There were three of us. I wasn't sure how the nude mesh on top of the polka dot dress would work with the rules. The other two thought there weren't enough appliques on it, and so that it was illegal. It's so hard to say and enforcing this stuff is going to be such a pain in the behind.

This is one of those cases where trying to legislate taste (and I'm not implying that the polka dot dress was without taste -- like I said, I liked it, it was espeically creative in the way the dot centers were used in the floral applique areas) is just going to end up causing more problems in the end. I can understand that the older conservative Swiss gentlemen (this is how they were described to me -- I've never met them) on the IDSF council might think there's a thing as "too much" nude material, and so would try to make a rule to force people to tone it down. But the rule backfires because it's not clear what is what, what is too much, etc etc. It's one thing to say "no cut outs in the panty area" -- that is VERY clear -- but with something like this I don't see where the line between "fine" and "not allowed" is.

I'd kind of like to get out of costume policing, but other people keep dragging me back into it because they know I at least know the rule book as it's written (not necessarily how it is specifically applied).

[marykomatsu]

It's interesting and I guess needs more study. I'll keep an eye out at Emabssy at the IDFS Grand Slam standard and see what the costumes look like.

I personally think flesh mesh is great stuff and helps ALOT in constructing certain dresses. I hope it can still be used, I like the look.