| For dancing these two programmes Strictly Come | | | | visual sport that costumes do play a huge role and |
| Dancing and Dancing with the Stars have been | | | | they also help the dancer get into the role within the |
| instrumental in getting dancing out to the masses. | | | | routine. A ballroom costume for example will be |
| Come Dancing was actually one of televisions longest | | | | flowing and give a graceful feel whilst an argentine |
| running shows but towards the end of its life in 1998, | | | | tango costumes will be fitted and more revealing to |
| popularity had severely dropped. It was deemed | | | | match the style of the dance. Dance costumes are |
| tacky and boring. The rooms seemed poorly lit in the | | | | now far more comfortable and allow for far more |
| halls the dancers were performing in and it looked | | | | movement today. Lycra and other technical fabrics |
| very dated. The problem was, once Come Dancing | | | | allow the costumes designer to design the most |
| had come off the air, there was no form of ballroom | | | | intricate and show stopping clothing. You only need |
| or Latin dancing shown on the television in the UK. | | | | to look at the latest televisions programmes for this. |
| Strictly Come Dancing was first shown in 2004 and | | | | Colour plays a huge role in the look of the costumes |
| has grown and grown to become one of the most | | | | which then, in turn, can portray a different image of |
| viewed television programmes on the BBC. Also | | | | the dance. A classic and beautiful waltz costume |
| spawning the magazine show Strictly Come Dancing | | | | would suit a pastel shade whereas for a fiery tango, |
| It Takes Two with Claudia Winkleman. The show has | | | | it would be red or black for example, most definitely |
| made ballroom and Latin dancing cool again basically. | | | | not a pastel shade. It is rare to see a dance costume |
| They use modern music to dance to, use different | | | | made fully in a patterned fabric. A patterned fabric |
| dance steps combined with the classic and required | | | | can distort the body and in competitive dance, it can |
| dance steps and add lots of entertainment. | | | | hinder dancers as the judge cannot correctly see the |
| The celebrity aspect of course is a big draw for | | | | alignment of the body. |
| viewers. Many people root for their favourite star | | | | When discussing dance costumes, the main focus is |
| should they be a sportsman or woman in the field | | | | on usually on the female costume but male costumes |
| they like or their favourite soap star. | | | | are just as important albeit more understated. It is |
| The costumes are an extremely large part of the | | | | very important for the male costumes to |
| show, so much so that they get individually discussed | | | | complement the females in style and often a hint of |
| on the It Takes Two programme on a Friday. All | | | | the same colour is integrated into the male costume |
| professional dancers understand the effect a | | | | as well. A man’s costume must enable him to lift |
| costume has on a dance for many reasons. | | | | the female if the dance requires it and in routines |
| Dance costumes are specifically designed and | | | | where he must slide along the floor, knee protection |
| constructed to aid the dancer in each particular | | | | pads for example need to be added. Shirts need to |
| dance, to be comfortable, unrestrictive and enhance | | | | be secured so that they do not untuck. |
| the dancer’s for the dance. Dance is such a | | | | |