Shoes for those venues where it's yucky or unsafe NOT to have them

corset style vests(new item that our troupe uses on really hot days in venues where just a coin bra isn't appropriate)

Different items for doing up your hair (jewelry pieces, headbands, cowie falls, hair falls, feathers, flowers, etc)

yes, definitely performance shoes...china flats work great and are cheap.
maybe some kind of underbust vest or wrappable top...especially if the decorated bra still has the manufactured straps and closure at the back.
also basic headdress stuff...a head scarf, a decorated headband, flowers etc...

I enjoy seeing lots of color in Tribal Troupes.

I jump for Joy when someone orders a colored skirt from me... =) LOL

and I third the shoes! sandals or china flats for venues with hot or yucky or whatever floors.

I actually think that's a pretty long list for just the basics :), but I guess it depends on how many performances/how much variety of costumes you want. My personal list of *absolute* basics would be:

pantaloons,
tiered skirt,
choli;
*something* for hips (tassel belt or fringe belt or even just layers of triangle shawls);
some kind of jewelry, and
something for the head/hair (jewelry, scarf, flowers, whatever).

Coin bra strongly recommended but not absolutely necessary (especially if the choli is fancy or decorated) Personally if the skirts are black I'd go with a coloured choli.

My old troupe had had a stock of basic items (pantaloons, skirts, turbans, a few cholis), that new dancers could borrow to start out with. This made it easy and quick to get a cohesive look, leaving it up to the individual to hunt down jewelry and scarves and stuff, although most of us made our own stuff eventually. It does of course require an investment of troupe money and there is the danger of items not getting returned sometimes.

The jewelry one gets me, personally, assuming you mean tribal jewelry. I've been performing for a year and a half and *still* don't have much in the way of tribal jewelry. It's really, really expensive and a challenge to find 1) what you like 2) in a size that works for you.

I'd really like to see alternatives presented to dancers in troupes just starting out. I'm a soloist, so I've just made bangles cuffs with memory wire, Czech beads, and Swarovski accents. I can make a pair of whatever for under $10. It's not *tribal* but I won't bankrupt myself on them. I guess my opinion on pushing tribal jewelry is that it sends the message that the look is more important than the dancing (*huge* pet peeve of mine. I've met many a "belly dancer" who thinks she raqs because she's amassed a few grand in costuming). Again, I may just be sensitive to it. I just assume it'll take me many, many years to accumulate the tribal jewelry of more seasoned dancers.

Aside from me getting on a bit of a soapbox... I think the list is good. Very basic with some versatility in the belts (I'd guess you encourage different color/fabric pantaloons?). I'd probably rank a color skirt/coin bra a bit higher. As in, optional but, if you're serious, you should be looking into this. I'd put jewelry down there, too, myself.

I am one of those people who is slowly making the transition to ATS. If I was in someone's troupe, it would not be unreasonable for them to require me to have, as the basic starting point:

black 10 yard skirt
choli (I'd not quibble if they said a real backless choli versus a 1/2 top type)
pantaloons (absolutely no melo-type pants but might include ruffled or tiered leg varieties)
hip adornments - including something with fringe and something with tassels
decorated bra (could be simple at first)
jewelry (could be simple at first but piled on)
hair decoration fixins -- for both turban and hair garden
makeup for tribal performance face

I started buying costume pieces but have gotten to making them. The list above is not terribly expensive if made, except I've not made a choli yet.

The other thing is if these things were required and I didn't know how to do/make, assistance from the more experienced members would probably be expected, rather than letting me flounder. Looking at the OP, it seems my list is very similar to Nancy's list.

z

Nancy -

In order to make things look cohesive but not necessarily identical, our troupe leader has us try and match silhouettes. Basically, we can wear whatever we want to as long as if we all lined up, our shadows would look pretty similar. That tends to make things look more put-together without totally throwing out individual style and comfort. That way, someone who maybe isn't totally comfy wearing a midriff-showing choli could still wear a tunic as long as it stil has the same shape as everyone else.

Just an idea from experience! :D


I also love the little corset vests. Those are SO AWESOME and so comfortable.

- Amy