Repurposing Your Dance Costumes into Halloween Costumes
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Wanda Maximoff and Vision from WandaVision, photo from www.thedirect.com
As anyone who’s danced for an extended period knows, costumes can accumulate quickly. After various performances and recitals, the number seems to stack up exponentially. Before you know it, your closet is filled to the brim with tutus, bodices, leotards, jumpsuits, and hairpieces galore. Rather than allowing these sequined creations to collect dust in your bedroom or garage, why not sift through them to create this year’s Halloween costume? Read on to find out some of my top suggestions for turning dance costumes into Halloween costumes.
Superhero
A colorful or sequined leotard paired with colorful tights or leggings and a cheap cape will transform you from zero to hero this Halloween season. You can even make your own superhero emblem out of paper to tape onto the cape or create your own headpiece out of cardboard to further the details. For me, the inspiration behind this idea was undoubtedly Wanda Maximoff’s Halloween costume in WandaVision. By wearing a red leotard, pink tights or leggings, a red cape, red gloves, and a cardboard Scarlet Witch crown, you can morph into an Avenger just like that!
80s-inspired jazzercise outfits, from www.popsugar.com
80s Jazzercise
Similar to the superhero costume, the base of an 80s jazzercise costume is a colorful leotard and a colorful pair of tights. However, instead of accessorizing your ensemble with a cape, add some bright legwarmers around your ankles and sweatbands around your head and wrists. Throw on some chunky sneakers and show everyone your best jazzercise moves this Halloween. Extra points if you carry around a boom box!
Zombie ballerina
If you have the full ballerina get-up (leotard, tutu, tights, etc.) on hand, you can easily turn it into a costume with some eccentric makeup. Why not dress up as a ballerina turned into a zombie? By adding liquid latex to your face to look like peeling skin and some red, brown, and green eyeshadow to look like rotting flesh, you can become the scariest undead ballerina ever. Check out this zombie makeup tutorial to give you some assistance!
Angel
A simple white leotard can be transformed into an angel costume with just a few additions! Add a white tulle skirt or tutu to make it look like you’re sitting atop the clouds. Making your own wings and halo out of cardboard and feathers or pipe cleaners will complete this heavenly look.
Still of Natalie Portman in Black Swan, photo from Fountain Resource Group
Odile from “Black Swan”
If there’s any movie that encapsulates dance and horror the best, it has to be the 2010 thriller Black Swan. In the film, Nina Sayers, played by Natalie Portman, has her reality distorted as she prepares for the polarizing roles of Odette and Odile. Overcome by the demands of her choreographer and the role itself, Nina transforms into Odile, the “Black Swan,” growing black feathers out of her face and beady red eyes. If you have a black leotard or bodice, black tutu, and pink tights, all you need is some heavy black makeup, red contacts, and black feathers to complete this costume. It’ll be sure to give people a fright!
Catwoman
For this costume, black latex is your best friend. Pair some black latex pants or a black latex jumpsuit with a black (preferably latex) top or black leotard. Add some cat ears and some black whiskers to complete the look, or create your own Catwoman mask out of felt to complete the look!
Flapper Girl
Costumes for jazz dances often feature fringe details, making them a great base for a 1920s-inspired flapper costume! Pair a fringe dress or biketard with a homemade flapper headband and some character shoes to transport you back to the roaring 20s!
Instead of spending excess money and time searching for a Halloween costume this year, look no further than your own closet! With a little tweaking, accessorizing, and charm, you can turn your everyday dancewear and dance costumes into some remarkable Halloween creations. Happy haunting and happy creating!
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