Tapping into the inner diva

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pygmalion

Well-Known Member
Yet another Faking It topic. Aside: Darn, I wish more ballroom dance came on TV. Then finding new topics would be easy. :lol:

One of the big issues on the show was that Joe, the main character, was a tomboy, complete with baggy sweats and a baseball cap. To become a competitive dancer, she had to go glam -- complete with fake eyelashes and high, high heels. Question: how important is that glam to ballroom dance? Why? Why do women have to have that dance diva look? Are things evolving away from this? Isn't all that stuff kind of fake and irrelevant to dance? So why do we force ourselves to do it? And can a not-so-girly girl make it in the ballroom world?
 
I don't think the dance diva look is necessary. Just removal of her cap and no baggy clothes made all the difference. To tell you the truth I didn't like all the make up, change of hair etc. I prefered her natural look, but then I'm just a NATURAL kind of guy. I'm not against makeup etc, per se, but overdoing it is not the way I like to see it. However, I can see the reason for really doverdoing oing the makeup for a competition as you have the harsh unflattering lights, a big dance floor....
 
pygmalion said:
.....Why do women have to have that dance diva look?.....
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I haven't seen any of the faking it episodes but just from a dancer's point of view, I think it's about the "character" of the dance. All dances have a certain feel to them and for alot of the ballroom dances, the inner DIVA is a character that is played in order for the dance to look good. It's not just ballroom though. Take hip hop for instance. If you're not a "girly-girl" type, you would probably be more comfortable as a hip hop DIVA so to speak and opposed to a ballroom DIVA. Not that hip hop doesn't have glamour in its own right but the "glam" is more apt to include baseball caps and sweats with a few diamonds added. I don't think a rumba would look as well in a competition if you're wearing a t-shirt, sweats and baseball cap. :wink: So, the other question is ...
pygmalion said:
.....And can a not-so-girly girl make it in the ballroom world?
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I think so but she will have to know the "character" of the dance. It make take a little time depending on the person but it is achievable. :D
 
I also like the natural look, or at the most, some eye make up and gloss on the lips . . .
Makes me go back to the days of when I was single, and, if I were attracted to a certain female while out on a prowl . . . I'd definitely look at make up and things like that . . . cause if it would turn out to be a one-night stand, I always wondered what she'd look like in the morning . . . you know, those coyote mornings!!!

Sorry . . . I couldn't help but go with this . . . cause it is important!
 
I didn't catch the ballroom Faking It... :oops: Would someone mind giving me the play by play on what happened? I'd be much obliged. :)
 
pygmalion said:
Yet another Faking It topic. Aside: Darn, I wish more ballroom dance came on TV. Then finding new topics would be easy. :lol:

One of the big issues on the show was that Joe, the main character, was a tomboy, complete with baggy sweats and a baseball cap. To become a competitive dancer, she had to go glam -- complete with fake eyelashes and high, high heels. Question: how important is that glam to ballroom dance? ..........
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I was watching ballroom dancing on PBS and they mentioned that your look counted for 50% of your score. :oops: :)
 
Yeah, it is a little high. Especially since different judges have their own opinions about what looks good and what doesn't. Particularly for the latin competitions where ladies' costumes may use as little material as possible. Some judges may think that might hinder the performance or enhance it. You never know. :|
 
Those Latin costumes! :shock: I wonder how the style of making them so skimpy came about. I have to speculate it's about showing off body movement, so less fabric is better. *shrug*
 
pygmalion said:
Those Latin costumes! :shock: I wonder how the style of making them so skimpy came about. I have to speculate it's about showing off body movement, so less fabric is better. *shrug*
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I wonder. Does anyone have any 'old' photos from say the 70s or even 60s, of what the latin dancers used to wear :D
 
Pacion said:
pygmalion said:
Those Latin costumes! :shock: I wonder how the style of making them so skimpy came about. I have to speculate it's about showing off body movement, so less fabric is better. *shrug*
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I wonder. Does anyone have any 'old' photos from say the 70s or even 60s, of what the latin dancers used to wear :D
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The really skimpy costumes have only evolved in about the last 10 years, when DANCESPORT has become different from DANCING.

If you have seen any of the old Championship Ballroom Dancing videos they sometime show old clips. Some studios even have older photos still on the walls.

The ladies used to dance in what I would consider now a rather flashy social dance dress, and before Lycra made it big, they weren't even out of stretchy material. Then they went through a phase that I would call "chorus line" with the front of the legs exposed high and the rear covered to about the knee. Now it seems like anything goes, as long as you have the body for it and strong enough elastic :shock:
 
The really skimpy costumes have only evolved in about the last 10 years, when DANCESPORT has become different from DANCING.
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Hmmm, I'm not sure about that - I think there may have been a period of skimpy latin costumes in the late 80's or early 90's. My data point is that when I was a beginner about nine years ago, I did bronze latin pro am with a local pro at one competition. My costume wasn't ready yet, so he offered me one that his former pro partner had owned. It was just a few patches of fabric and some elastic - I had a good laugh in the restroom while trying it on and then declined.

Sania
 
Sania said:
The really skimpy costumes have only evolved in about the last 10 years, when DANCESPORT has become different from DANCING.
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Hmmm, I'm not sure about that - I think there may have been a period of skimpy latin costumes in the late 80's or early 90's. My data point is that when I was a beginner about nine years ago, I did bronze latin pro am with a local pro at one competition. My costume wasn't ready yet, so he offered me one that his former pro partner had owned. It was just a few patches of fabric and some elastic - I had a good laugh in the restroom while trying it on and then declined.

Sania
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Yes, I will agree with that Sania. I still think of the early 90's (when I started paying attention to costumes) as 10 years ago... Where does the time go :roll: Even back when I had a body that would OK in the patches and elastic you woudn't have caught me even trying one on, let alone dancing in one LOL! :D
Bonnie
 
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