Flamenco Shoes in the New York Times

I just came across this article in the New York Times . I like Eva Yerbabuena’s comment about good shoes making her feet feel as if she’s not wearing any shoes!  [...] Read the full article

Flamenco Hair Ornaments

Traditionally, female flamenco dancers wear their hair long – and that’s one tradition that doesn’t appear to have changed in nuevo flamenco.  It’s rare to see a flamenca with a short hair style! Also traditional is the use of hair ornamentation.  The stereotypical image of a flamenco dancer is a women with a red rose [...]

Cheap Flamenco Skirts?

Flamenco costumes can be expensive, and if you’re just taking your first class, you probably aren’t ready to invest in a genuine flamenco skirt. Unfortunately, High Street gypsy-style or Boho tiered skirt may look suitable for flamenco, but they often don’t have enough material (unless they’re a circle skirt, in which case they’ll have that [...]

Dressmaking: how to make sleeves you can dance in

I’ve been lucky to have access to a specialist flamenco dressmaker for most of my flamenco outfits – but once or twice, I’ve had to resort to an ordinary dressmaker, with mixed results.  Don’t get me wrong, a good bridal dressmaker will know exactly how to go about making you a beautiful flamenco dress, given a few photos [...]

Dressmaking: how to choose fabric for a flamenco dress

Flamenco skirts and dresses require a lot of material – allow 2 metres (2.5 yards) for a simple skirt and 3 or 4 metres for a dress.    That much fabric is heavy!   Bear that in mind when buying fabric to make a flamenco dress, and  look for materials that are on the lighter side. Don’t [...]

Mexican Folklorica Shoes for Flamenco

Thanks to the many Californians who’ve told me that Mexican Folklorico shoes are a good – and economical – substitute for flamenco shoes, for those on a budget. Although I’ve never examined a pair of Mexican dance shoes, I can understand why they would stand up well to the rigours of flamenco. I remember some years [...]

Bargain Flamenco Dresses

As we all know,  flamenco dresses are horribly expensive.   Of course, we offer some good value flamenco dresses here on Dress for Flamenco, but what if you don’t like buying online? One option is to go to Spain.  I know that sounds like an expensive solution, but what a marvellous excuse to take a flamenco holiday!   If you [...]

Adding Nails to Character Shoes for Flamenco

I’ve had several enquiries about adding tacks to character shoes – including a couple from people who were sold character shoes as flamenco shoes, and didn’t discover their mistake until too late. I have bad news, I’m afraid – you can’t add nails to character shoes, or any other normal shoe for that matter. The [...]

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Ballet turns – How to do a Pirouette

How to pirouette is one of the most frustrating skills for a ballet dancer to master – especially multiple pirouettes. It’s true they require perfect balance and control – but the real reason they’re… Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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Ballet Stretching

We’ve all seen ballet dancers stretching before class or before a performance. Would it surprise you to know they’re doing the wrong thing? Stretching before dance can make your performance worse, not better. Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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Ballet Floor Barre

Barre exercises are the building blocks of ballet. Without the fundamentals of barre work, you can’t be a ballet dancer. But there are times when barre work isn’t appropriate. Perhaps you’re a student … Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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How to Fit Pointe Shoes

It’s very important to buy pointe shoes that fit your foot properly. Buying pointe shoes isn’t as simple as choosing a shoe you like! First you have to work out your foot shape. Based on that analysis,… Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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Ballet – Pointe Shoe Brands

There are many pointe shoe makers, in England, Russia, America, and all over the world. This article lists the key players. Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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Foot Shape: Which Pointe Shoes Fit Better for My Feet?

You may never have wondered what shape your foot is – until it’s time to buy your first pointe shoes. Then, the shape of your foot suddenly becomes important, because it determines which make and model of… Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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Gaynor Mindens – the lazy dancer’s shoe?

There is a lot of prejudice against Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. Is it fair, or is it just that ballet teachers are traditionalists and don’t like change? The main criticism of Gaynor Mindens is that they… Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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How to Make Your Own Belly Dance Costume

Professional belly dance costumes are expensive, so it’s only natural that students turn to making their own bellydance costumes instead. Making your own outfit isn’t hard, but it is time-consuming. Sewing… Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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Am I Too Fat? Belly Dance for Plus-Size Women

You’re never too fat to belly dance! It’s one of the few dance styles where being plus size is no big deal, which is why it’s such a great exercise for curvy gals (and in case you’re wondering, that profile… Read the full article

July 12, 2010 0
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