Sewing Costumes for 2013 Review

Oh -- how I wish this blog would behave like I want it to. I have tried to write text above all these pictures to introduce this subject. It is not going to happen. So I will just make the best of it and continue on. I have spent a lot of time this winter on heading up the costume committee for our 2013 Review. I am not sure how much "heading up" I am doing. It has worked where the people on the committee has taken on 3 or 4 of the dances for costumes. We have consulted with one another and got ideas but once we finished with that we all fell into our places and ran with whatever was "our baby." Connie took on one of the numbers--Opus. BTW-our theme for the whole review is "Thanks For The Memories-A Tribute to the 1940's USO Show. It is going to be good if I do say so myself. It was decided that the people in this dance would meet at my place to get fitted for this costume. It ended up being productive and a good time.

The costume is a green sparkle material. It is going to be a shrug and a little swingy skirt worn with a pink long sleeve leotard. And we will be wearing snoods in our hair. Sandy is posing with the shrug over her T shirt.

It ended up being somewhat of an assembly line. Connie is cutting skirts. I was sewing waist bands. The others were drinking wine and giggling.Alicia put the waist band around her chest. Darlene is looking on and shaking her head. I was laughing as I took this picture.

Ruthie holding up the costume. She is 84 and still tap dances.

I really like this picture. Darlene has her pants off here because we were fitting her skirt. She is hiding behind Connie. I promised everybody that I would not take any pictures that would embarass them.

Opus is a hard dance and I am struggling with learning it. It is so darn fast. My mind knows what to do (sometimes) but my feet won't move fast enough. I need to practice, practice, practice. It is stressful for me to learn dances. I like it when I know it well enough to not have to think about it so much and then I feel like I can add my own style. Right now it is just so much concentration. There is no way I can even smile. It doesn't come easy for me like it does for some of the others. You ought to see Connie. She is shown one time and she has it. She starts dancing the new stuff right away. I am amazed and I envy that.

"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree is the one that I have had to make and be in charge. It is a pinafore made with apple green with big white polka dots. It is a pinafore trimmed with eyelet and rick rack. On the bib and pockets are some sequin apples. Now the young people reading this are wondering "pinafore" what's that? And "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." Never heard it.

Along with all of this there have been others that we have to put together. We are repurposing some that were from other years. And we are making some look different with hats and head pieces. I am running out to the storage unit at least once a week. I have bags of sequins and material in the guest room. It is all a little overwhelming but I have no doubt it will all come together. Everything has to be done by November 1, 2012 for pictures. And it will be.