A Latin dress stands exclusive amongst others in its genre because of the fabrics, decorations, styles, and variety of design available. The worldwide acclamation and craze over Latin costumes, dance, and music are vastly due to an amalgamation of cultures that is reflected through its fabrics and styles.
Nuances of Latin dance dresses are diverse and well-suited on two levels: comfort and dance movements. The culture is rich in its vast list of dances with each have their preference for their costume.
However, it isn’t essential that all dance dresses would be appropriate for all styles of dances. The choice depends on all steps involved in the dance, and hence, gives the flexibility that one needs to have in that particular attire.
Despite being so diverse in their styles, all these dresses converge on certain points, which make it easy to distinguish a Latin dance dress from other contemporaries:
Standard features of Latin dress for a dance
There are a few characteristics which are the signature styles of Latin dance costumes:
- Bright hues: Blue, orange, red, and black are the staple colours of Latin dance costumes.
- Pattern: Flares and fringes are as innate to these dresses as are the bold colours. You can often see Latin ballroom dress with these features which complement their curves well.
- Draped shawls: Might be around the shoulders or waist, but swishy wraps are a mandatory inclusion in any Latin wardrobe. When in bright colours, they give clothes a touch of contrast; else, they add a nice touch to the swishing and swaying waist movement of dancers.
Apart from these standard features, Latin dance attires vary vastly in their style. Each dance form has its style of costume. Their distinct characteristic styles of dresses that also take care of the ease and springiness of dancers make it a favourite.
Latin costume style according to the dances
The costumes for Latin dance vary according to the purpose of performance – casual or competition. Amongst numerous Latin dances, here are a few of the known ones and their exclusive signature costumes:
- Cha-Cha-Cha
This dance involves partners whose costumes have some similarity. Women dancers are dressed in off-shoulder tops and full-length skirts. Their skirts usually have a ruffle at the lower part.
The dance is known for its unique beat ‘cha-cha-cha’.
- Rumba
The costumes have dramatic flares at the end of the sleeves and lower part of the skirt. This dance resembles a woman’s trying to win a man’s love and affection with her sensuality.
- Salsa
This form of dance plays around the idea of freedom and liberation. This is because the word ‘salsa’ means so. Reeking with splendour and excellence, salsa is one of the most famous dance forms all over the world.
The dress required for salsa is bold and flashy and is often colourful. High heels with straps accompany this.
Many of these ballroom dresses have undergone partial evolution; however, the underlying cultural and traditional essence of it remains the same. Considering the diverse range of Latin dances and appropriate dresses assigned to them, one may have a growing interest in signing up for one of them.
Therefore, in case you are thinking along the same lines, the list of Latin dress above will ease out your concern of “what to wear?”
Enjoy tapping your happy feet!