Aziza Sa'id's FAQ - Pregnancy

Heidi: Dombolis originated due to two things we wanted to do with our costuming - 1. Cover our bellies for those of us still sensitive to our stretch marks, and 2. We wanted a "choli" that would also allow us to wear our decorated bras (to hold up those breasts that are now slightly sagging due to nursing!) So we took the choli idea, added a long front piece, made them able to stretch below the bra in front, and also added a back piece to cover the back strap, and wa-la! The Domboli!

Chris: My pregnancy belly dance outfits were Ghawaazee coats with buttons that ended right above my belly. If you've ever seen the Ottoman Traders of California, it was that style of coat. I usually wore a sheer shirt underneath (I was not about to let people look at my already creeping stretch marks!)

A new bra or stretch velvet top (with a good support bra underneath) because your bust will increase in size! To throw emphasis on the hips, which can get lost under a big belly, use a thin (2" or so) belt or scarf. Poufs on each hip also help. Also, think adjustable size-wise.

IMHO, tribal-esque costumes work better for a pregnant dancer and her audience than anything cabaret/sequined.

Chris: Personally, I felt very lovely dancing in slightly-to-somewhat loose Beledi dresses. I do recall some instances of people dancing in earthy type bedlah (a-la mother-goddess) letting their abdomens be uncovered in an expression of joy. Probably not the route many dance-hobbyists would go, but an option nonetheless. I think most people would continue to fit well into a Beledi style dress through their second trimester. (I know that I didn't fit in anything but a tent by the time August rolled around.) ;-D

Gwyn: As far as costuming, I did the two piece look for as long as I felt comfortable, which was about 6 months along. At six months, I started to get BAD stretch marks. As I'm about nineteen feet tall, and it was my first baby, it didn't really SHOW as pregnancy. I performed at a seminar show, and wore a long and loose robe with a hip scarf over it. Still haven't seen the video yet, but there was definitely an audible gasp when I came out.

Heidi: I will say my body is not the same as it was before - I gained about 55 lbs with each pregnancy, but did lose it all except a couple pounds of it. My main souvenir of pregnancy is my stretch marks, which I have done two things about, in regards to dancing. One, I make costumes that cover my belly without looking like I'm covering my belly, and two, I just try and be proud of my belly, no matter what shape it's in. I would like to think that many audiences would appreciate the dancing, whether or not you have a perfect body before or after pregnancy.

Safiye: I love Madame X's adjustable patterns. If you sew, or can find someone to sew for you, they adjust beautifully through the pregnancy and afterwards while everything is still changing. I've made several for myself, in different fabrics and styles, and enjoyed them enormously!

Onca: Costume wise I loved to strut my belly, but a sheer dark leotard under your usual tribal or cabaret costume will flatter your figure while allowing you to wear your usual stuff.

Kypris: Another thing is to get a really good maternity bra. Regular bras don't take into account that there is a BABY up underneath your rib cage, and too much pressure from elastic in a regular bra is HORRIBLY uncomfortable. You also want the extra support you get from a maternity bra, since your breasts are most likely pretty sore at one time or another, and they are going to be bigger and heavier when you start doing those shoulder shimmies. If you are 8 months pregnant, you can go ahead and buy a nursing bra, and they even have sport nursing bras, which are great. You can find maternity and nursing bras on the web and at maternity stores. A couple of good web sites are onehotmama.com and discountmaternity.com (or something like that).

A maternity unitard is wonderful too. I bought a short one since it was summer, and it was so comfortable (one reason is that it supports your belly, yet doesn't cut or bind anywhere), that I wore the darn thing all the time, not just to work out!

Chris: I guess the main challenge with cabaret costumes is to make it to grow with you. In the end, I stopped dancing professionally at about 4 months (but I was already showing heaps and huge in the boobs by then), but made up a few costumes for concert performances and in expectation of post-natal work. Four months post-natal, my boobs are still double their former size and my weight is down, but figure still different, so thinking ahead (lots of stretchy fabric!) may pay off.

For the first few months, I got away with just adding fabric swathes to the tops of my bras (and had a great cleavage!)

After a while, chest/ribs expand and boobs may take on a mass previously thought unimaginable! Best suggestions I got were really to make up a couple of costumes worth of 'bras' by making these into crop top types. I made a shaped lycra crop top and decorated it with sequined motifs and a little beading and wore a sturdy bra under. I have seen that these are kinda in fashion with some of the Egyptian styles.

Another thing I tried was to make up a kind of soft cup bra with decoration, which I could tack to various size real bras.

Stretchy costumes are good. I added some bits to cover the zipper for my last final public performance at about 7 months.

I also cut up a pair of fishnet tights matching my costume and made a cover for the belly, which made a kind of hourglass cover from undies - it was attached to a bra which it clipped to. It didn't hide the bump (why hide the little beauty?), but looked cute and added a bit of subtlety for those offended by an outy bellybutton.

For beladi, etc., I guess it's pretty easy to just make it all in lycra or other stretchy fabric.

For hip maternity wear try http://www.naissancematernity.com/