As a former dance instructor, I know how hard it can be coming up with new costume and recital ideas season after season and year after year. It can be especially difficult in less-traditional schools of dance like jazz.
So for all you frazzled dance instructors out there, here are my 5 favorite jazz dance costume ideas for 2009:
1. Bollywood
Blend together the music of India, the dance moves of Bollywood and the costumes of the continent and you’ve got an incredible, fast-paced and highly entertaining routine on your hands.
For your costumes, think bright colors, sheer fabrics, lots of gold and a spirit that invokes the Indian ocean. For inspiration, look up costumes from popular Bollywood movies and note the vibrant shades, flowing scarves and eye-catching metallic trims.
2. Viva Las Vegas
With a Viva Las Vegas theme, the song choices are endless (Viva Las Vegas, Luck Be a Lady, Vegas Girls, etc) and the costume choices are obvious. Think gold, flash, sparkles, feathers and the freedom to go as far over the top as you please.
3. Circus Circus
With a strong recognition in popular culture and a recent popularization by Britney Spears, the circus theme is hot right now and very simple to pull off. For a jazz routine and costume selection that’s edgy, opt for circus macabre, a blend of circus and dark gothic styles.
4. Heroes and Villains
After lots of exposure to the the hit television series Heroes and popular movies like Iron Man and the Dark Knight, kids and audiences are superhero-obsessed. Using music from the films, use this theme to create a world of heroes and villains in constant conflict.
The jazz dance costume ideas are pretty obvious and easy to create from basic dance leotards. Add lightning bolts, crests, capes and letters for heroes and dark makeup and masks for villains.
5. Underwater (great for pre-school classes)
One of the best children’s jazz routines I’ve ever seen was done to Octopus’ Garden by The Beatles. It was a darling underwater routine that not only showcased the fluidity of jazz movement, but also really embraced the theme.
For jazz dance costumes, you’re limited only by the number of creatures and plant life in the ocean, which is vast to say the least. From octopuses to brightly colored coral, you have a seemingly endless array of vibrant costume possibilities.
Once you have your apparel inspiration in mind, check out our dancewear collections or give us call to make them a reality.
we are looking for bollywood dance costume…great ideas………..where can we find one? thanks
Thanks for the effort you took to expand upon this post. I look forward to future posts.
Bsheikh@DiscussionForum´s last blog ..Discussion Forum • Discussion Forums