Smooth v. Standard - Lady's Costumes

[ladyinred]

This may be a *duh* question, but is there a difference between a lady's costume style for american smooth for international/standard smooth? I.E. skirt style and flow...

Also, for american smooth, I have seen dresses that have the skirt starting at the hips and I have seen dresses that have the skirt starting at a little lower than the hips (more underneath the buttocks). Are both acceptable? Is one more acceptable for novice level or high level dancing?

Thanks!

ladyinred

 

[Ithink]

The skirt is usually wider (like a full circle or more) for smooth allowing for skirt manupulation by the lady that's part of the choreography. I've also noticed that smooth costumes tend to be more latin-y for ladies, e.g. cutout bodices, very open backs, slits in the skirt, etc. while standard dresses are more, for lack of a better word, conservative. Another difference, is that very few smooth competitors can get away with the huge complex floats that are popular in standard these days because of the open work involved. Floats tend to get in the way of that...

As far as where the skirt starts, it's pretty common to have either of the styles you mention - anything goes in skirts as long as they don't constrict movement.

 

[tanya_the_dancer]

This may be a *duh* question, but is there a difference between a lady's costume style for american smooth for international/standard smooth? I.E. skirt style and flow...

Also, for american smooth, I have seen dresses that have the skirt starting at the hips and I have seen dresses that have the skirt starting at a little lower than the hips (more underneath the buttocks). Are both acceptable? Is one more acceptable for novice level or high level dancing?

Thanks!

ladyinred

I think it makes sense to stay away from all those dangly floats for a smooth costumes, since you will be doing things like underarm turns etc. and then you'd have to get back together and floats might get in the way.

 

[Merrylegs]

I think it makes sense to stay away from all those dangly floats for a smooth costumes, since you will be doing things like underarm turns etc. and then you'd have to get back together and floats might get in the way.

I compete in Smooth and wore a dress with floats for my last competition. They were definitely challenging. At one point I came out of a turn and it was like I had been caught in a net, my whole head was covered in a float. I just laughed and kept going.

 

[alemana]

i saw a lady dance an entire waltz once with a float over her face like a shroud. it was surreal.

 

[Twilight_Elena]

i saw a lady dance an entire waltz once with a float over her face like a shroud. it was surreal.

IMO, the worst thing that can happen to you when dancing either socially or competitively is feeling uncomfortable in what you're wearing. Better to wear jeans and sneakers than stumble through an uncomfortable attire.

Twilight Elena

 

[Keelzorz]

The real problem with floats is that one has not practice with them. It's not really difficult to adapt to a fuller skirt, aside from the weight and momentum of it. Slit skirts are pretty much only seen in Smooth - they don't have the body for Standard. Smooth dresses tend to be slimmer, but that's all personal preference. But floats require you to be aware of them.

For example, my gown has long floats which come from the neck. For Smooth, they hang strait down - yet they still get in the way in Tango, especially during hand changes behind the back. For Standard, I pin them up to my wrists, but it requires a lot of presence of mind to keep them under control. At Yale, they had partners stand close for a count during Semi's - when the music started, my partner rolled me out and tore one of the floats off (ripped the float and broke the safety pins), as I believe it got wrapped around his arm. It made him smile during Waltz, for which I might forgive the damage to the gown. :lol:

 

[Katarzyna]

Slit skirts are pretty much only seen in Smooth - they don't have the body for Standard. Smooth dresses tend to be slimmer, but that's all personal preference. But floats require you to be aware of them.

I usually think of standard dresses as slimmer, at least currently, than smooth dresses. Although it seems that both smooth and standard skirts worn are rather slim and more form fitting than before...

 

[bjp22tango]

Having seen (on TV) even high level standard competitors dancing with floats over their faces for a good portion of a dance, I always wonder what the trade off is. What is so great about them, if you have to worry about them all the time? And has anyone had the float "float" over the leaders face? This would be like a hood coming up on a car, I would think.

 

[Katarzyna]

Having seen (on TV) even high level standard competitors dancing with floats over their faces for a good portion of a dance, I always wonder what the trade off is. What is so great about them, if you have to worry about them all the time? And has anyone had the float "float" over the leaders face? This would be like a hood coming up on a car, I would think.

I think floats create a really flowing look, softness... enhance movement. Sometimes they end up in the way a bit but really not too much..

 

[ladyinred]

Thanks!

And I agree, I'm not the biggest fan of floats.

I am working on making my ballroom costume for smooth, and I am most nervous about making sure that I have the skirt right... should it be a spliced shirt, chiffon skirt, original skirt, etc... which is most appropriate for smooth... how much fabric should I use, etc.

So, if anybody has any ideas, they would be much appreciated!