A few months ago, Balboa & Lindy Hop champion Laura Keat contacted me to ask if I would be interested in making a costume for a new routine she was working on. As a rule I don't sew for other people (I don't even hem Chris's pants, he has to take them to the cleaners), but this was a special project that I was very interested in working on.
On Saturday night at All Balboa Weekend, Laura and her dance partner, Jeremy Otth, performed Hal & Betty Takier's "Maharaja", a musical short from 1943. This is one of only a few clips we have of LA Swing from the 30's & 40's, and this one is a wild ride - the energy and enthusiasm combined with their street dance technique has been hugely influential to modern balboa dancers. In honor of Hal's recent passing, Jeremy & Laura wanted to represent this in their recreation.
Inspiration: 40's Playsuit
Inspiration: High-flying skirt!
I draped the top and the skirt, and we decided to put buttons down the skirt so that it can fly open for this routine but be not as...revealing for others. :)
Cute, right? Well, get ready to be wowed - they NAILED the routine! Bummed I couldn't be at the event in person, but so glad I got to be part of it anyway!
Jeremy Otth & Laura Keat perform Hal & Betty Takier's "Maharaja" in tribute at the 2012 All Balboa Weekend
Photo by Shannon Sheldon
Photo by Shannon Sheldon
Super cute!
ReplyDeleteWow, your friend Lauren is such a lovely dancer! And that skirt, you're so right about the 'swish' of rayon, it's perfect for swing skirts & dresses. I loved the 'pecking' too.
ReplyDeleteOooh, you did such a fine job being part of such a bal classic! It looks gorgeous in the routine. Which yes, they really nailed it! Hope to have some classes from Laura and Jeremy in september, yay!
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC!!! Your outfit looks wonderful, and they did an amazing job!! Kudos!
ReplyDeleteHow FABULOUS!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great outfit, totally perfect and you were so right it had fabulous "swish"!!!
ReplyDeleteSo cool that you got to have a part in it.
Congrats on a job well done!! :)
It looked fantastic in person!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous outfit--just LOVE the top, it's perfect!
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