Belly Dance Hip Scarves
Belly Dance Hip Scarves
A belly dance hip scarf has one purpose: to make you look good!
A belly dance hip scarf will enhance what you are wearing, and accentuate
your hip movements. While a belly dance hip scarf can be used with
street clothes, this article is about the use in belly dance.
Hip scarves for belly dance (Raks Sharqi) come in an almost endless
range of selection. The key is to select one that is appropriate to
your dance, your audience, and of course your outfit. Dancers will wear hip
scarves over skirts, dresses, trousers, and harem pants. Think of a hip
scarf as a coordinated accessory, like earrings and makeup; The style,
color, material, and even size should compliment the rest of the costume.
Prices
The prices for belly dance hip scarves run the gamut. Inexpensive
scarves for rehearsal or day wear are available in the ten to twenty dollar
(US) range. For more elaborate costumes and performances, more
expensive versions are appropriate, some are custom made to include
crocheted fringe, custom attachments, and matching materials to the main
costume.
There are different belly dance hip scarves matched to different styles of
dance. Cabaret style dancers tend toward lighter weight and thinner
materials, where Tribal and fusion dancers often have heavier fabrics, often
cotton or velvet. Typically the cabaret style will have light-weight
coins or other flashes of metallic items. Coins are usually arranged
to contact each other during movement to produce sound. Tribal style
hip scarves may have heavier metal objects, either of oxidized silver, or
another metal to simulate silver. Large tassels are also popular.
The shape of the scarves varies also. Some are triangular, and others are a
long rectangle. They may be tied at the side (hip), or front.
A belly dance hip scarf enhances your dance performance and your costume.
If desired, a scarf can create a jingly sound by attached “coins” (to keep
costs down, the coins are usually thin metal disks; rarely are actual coins
used). Some hip scarves are decorated with crystals or beads.
Further Information
