There are many different styles of belly dancing skirts. When we think of a belly dancer moving around on a stage we think of elegance, grace and class. Wearing a skirt that moves well with the music and movements is a great way to enhance a performance. In this article we will talk about the different styles of belly dancing skirts.
There are hip scarves or hip belts and there are belly dancing skirts. The hip scarves have coins, are shorter and can be tied up and adjusted around the waist. Skirts tend to be full length with a much smaller amount of coins or no coins at all. There are skirts with long side slits that show of the dancer’s legs, multi coloured skirts and solid colour skirts.
Layers: Many skirts are multilayered so when the dancer moves the skirt flows with the movements. The more layers the skirt has, the more the skirt will move and flow, giving it a graceful appearance.
Material: Silk, satin and chiffon. These materials look great under the light and move well with a spinning body.
Petal skirts have vertical layers with triangle ends. The ends of the petals and skirt almost appear as if they have been ripped off or shredded. These skirts are usually made from satin or chiffon. When spinning in a circle the petal layers flow out and up. The loose sections that flow out are called petals. If a skirt has 8 sections it is called an 8 petal skirt. The petal skirt falls into the gypsy boho skirt category.
Ruffled skirts: A ruffled skirt has strips of cloth gathered along an edge. (Usually the bottom edge)These skirts can also fall under the gypsy boho category. Any skirt with a ruffled edge can be labelled a ruffled skirt.
A fishtail skirt is very tight and fitted on the waist, hips and bottom and is loose at the calves and feet. When a dancer spins, the bottom of the skirt moves the most. This is a great skirt for those who are not afraid of showing off their hips.
A full circle skirt looks like a circle with you lift all of the edges up or if you lie the skirt flat on the ground. If you spin around wearing a circle skirt the bottom of the skirt will be in a perfect circle.
Petal skirts, gypsy boho, ruffled skirts, fishtail, and full circle skirts all move very well with the body. Full figured women and petite women all look great dancing in these types of skirts. Have fun when you are selecting a belly dancing skirt, make sure you twirl around to see how it looks.
