Fashion and Costuming as a Pillar of Black Dance Culture
By Christian Hopley
In 1978 Donna Summer belted over a disco beat “Let's dance the last dance”. In 1992 Sade in her song Feel no Pain Told us “It's gonna come back on everyone if you don't make them dance”. Even in 2022 Beyonce most recently proclaimed “Bet this body make you dance, dance, dance, dance”.
Uptempo dancing music has been the fuel of Black Americans for decades; musical and performative movements such as Soul train, Disco, Rock n’ Roll, even the queer Black ballroom society all depended on fashion as a supporting instrument to ignite their lively and rebellious movements.
The 1970s was a sort of mini renaissance for Black people in America. The decade saw the first issue of Essence magazine, Johnson products Company famous for Afro Sheen and Ultra sheen became the first black owned company listed on the US Stock exchange, Muhammad Ali is at the top of his game, and Shirley Chisolm is campaigning for president. Black people were feeling more alive, especially fresh off the heels of the civil rights movement. This era and feeling of freedom is what allowed Soul Train to bloom. There is no better way to affirm your liberation and release your stresses than through unbridled dancing. Soul Train in the 70s was the destination for the hottest and latest in Black fashion. Pairs of dancers would make their way down the line showing off their colorful outfits every Saturday, most of which were self-made and designed. The allure of the Soul Train fashion was that there was no strict canon. Dancers appeared on screen every week wearing suits, wide leg high waisted pants, upcycled denim, kimonos, even dashikis. It was truly a diasporic explosion of fashion. The fashionable and lively program was a perfect representation of the freedom Black Americans were floating in during this era.
Later into the 20th century and further uptown, NYC was brewing a strong dance and performance underground culture. The queer ballroom scene was and still is an explosion of devient expression. They would steal gowns and elaborate items from luxury boutiques which they would call “mopping”; all in an effort to feel their best and enumerate their movements even for just one night.
Beyond the physical garments, ballroom relied on luxury fashion and its ethos to establish group identity. Each house has to have a name and most houses even now take on the names of preexisting luxury fashion houses. Some notable houses include The House of Saint Laurent, The House of Maison Margiela, The House of Mugler, The House of Lanvin, and The Gorgeous House of Gucci. House members would often take on their house names as their last names. These houses were their chosen family as many of them faced rejection or even violence at home. The balls were one of the very few places where queer people could feel a sense of security and even if for one night were able to feel real and regal. They depended on fashion as a place of refuge. Fashion and costuming acted as one of the pillars of this community's dance and movements at balls.
What is most memorable about the fashion during the disco era was its provocative nature. Not just provocative in the sense of seduction but also provocative in the way it deviated social norms. The style of dress was explicitly loud and free. Disco fashions canon included sequins, gemstones, sparkles, mesh, high slits, feathers, two-piece sets, and especially platform shoes.
During the disco era, clothing was more than just an accessory to the experience, your outfit was a part of the dance itself. Clothing had to be able to move and dance along with you. Someone who is famous for structuring garments to dance with dancers is Stephen Burrows.
He is known as the creator of the lettuce hem which gives garments a bouncy flounce when in movement. Intentionally using jersey materials, appliques, and color blocking techniques, allowed his pieces to be just as fantastical as the person wearing them to the disco.
Ola Hudson is another icon in disco fashion. She was a notable costume designer during the era, and her designs could be seen on Diana Ross, David Bowie, and Janet Jackson. From strong shoulder suits to flowy dresses, even grabbing inspiration from Soul Train fashion, Hudson was a favorite of the stars during this period. Hudsons went on to design collections for Henri Bendals, and Neiman Marcus.
Freedom to celebrate and freedom to feel alive is an important component of liberation. Our dance, our movements, our expression, our style of dressing is all a part of how we experience true liberty. Black dance culture is a part of history and the fashions during each period helped bolster the identity of a people.