Ballroom Dancing

- What material is best for a competitive ballroom standard dance dress?
My family knows how to make great intricate dresses, but they know little about competitive ballroom dancing. What kind of material do I tell them to use? And where should I look for patterns? (I'm doing standard and smooth, so the long flowy style is what I need)

A My absolute FAVORITE material for any dance wear is what I often refer to as 'Miracle Fabric'. It is a blend of (typically) 95% polyester and 5% spandex, though I have seen 97% polyester with 3% spandex. The result is a lovely fabric with a bit of stretch, some weight that moves beautifully on the dance floor, and a nice, smooth texture that DOESN'T WRINKLE. Also a kind of 'miracle fabric' Ballroom gown I have has an upper portion (from the hips up) made of a blend of 90% Acetate and 10% Lycra, (a teeny bit rougher texture; great for attaching rhinestones or other embellishments) with the skirt done in a light, cotton-polyester blend that has a lovely satin-like sheen on it. The hem is weighted with a super-thin wire sewn into the hem; the wire is almost curled which creates a great 'petal' shape that looks fabulous during turns and such. These materials are fantastic because I can honestly just wad it up, stuff it in the corner of my suitcase or dance bag, and pull it out looking like it came right off of the hanger. Occasionally, I will need to steam wrinkles out of the skirt, but rarely. The 'miracle fabric' is a bit tough to sew, (I know, I've done it) but the results are brilliant and well worth it. As far as patterns; I tend to modify patterns for formal dresses; such as adding straps or sleeves; creating cut-outs, and modifying the skirts. The skirts are what give the flow; sew together about 8 panels that look something like an upside-down 'V' with the point cut off, measured to your tastes. The wide end will create the gorgeous flare you want at the bottom of the skirt where the top of the skirt will fit neatly around your waist or hips, depending on the dress. If you want a strapless look for the top half, use some flesh-toned fabric to keep the dress where it needs to be. Never go truly strapless as it is a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. Try your local fabric/sewing store and look in the formal wear or costume section for some patterns to modify. Be sure to sew in dance pants or booty shorts/hot pants, otherwise you will be giving the audience a show every time you take a turn. The miracle fabric is just great; it breathes and moves, and is also...machine washable! I have full formal dresses as well as an abundance of practice clothes in this fabric and I can throw it all into the washer and dryer. Beware, though, if you do throw it into the washer make sure it can't get caught around the inside if the washer or it will lose it's elasticity. Use the gentle cycle and tumble dry on low. If you have sewn rhinestones on; turn the garment inside out. Remove it from the dryer immediately or it can get wrinkles set into the fabric from the heat of the dryer and must go through the wash again for another cycle or two in order to fix it. Hope I helped and I hope all goes well for you!

- can anyone please tell me where i might get a ballroom vintage ballroom dress?
I am looking for a ballroom dress that they used to wear on the program ' come dancing' it was on the tv in the 70's. Ive tried searching different web sites. I know that there was a shop in Blackpool that did them, but I wouldn't know how to find out where it was. The dress had lots and lots of layers of net, and the top layer was silk or similar, please help.

A e bay ..perfect for ballroom dresses this timeof year