Looking back on the most fabulous and beloved Blackpool Dance Festival having now drawn to a close for 2018, it was an event full of buzz, excitement and fantastic couture.
Months, weeks and days goes into planning the look, style and design for each individual dancer, to make them stand out from the crowd. From Smooth to Ballroom to Latin to Rhythm, there were so many amazing Couture dresses dazzling under the lights of the Ballroom dancefloor.
I was intrigued to find out more about what was trending on the Wintergardens dance floor and what we can expect to see in dance fashion for the rest of 2018-2019 and got an insider insight from our talented designers Kushy, Joseph and Phoebe who were part of the CHRISANNE CLOVER team at Blackpool this year.
How was the general feel of Couture on the dancefloor this year?
This year in Blackpool everything was looking far more polished, embellished and premium. The crystallization on dresses with fantastic shapes and designs made the couture look rich in style and texture. Simple shapes and cuts with beautiful embellishment is the way forward in creating magnificent couture that dazzles under the spotlights.
What coloured dresses looked the best under the spotlights on the Wintergardens dance floor?
Depending on venues and lighting dresses can look different under all types of lighting. What works best in Bournemouth might not look as good at Blackpool. At the Wintergardens, couture in shades of purples and greens stood out the best. White dresses were also incredibly prominent.
Any particular fabric styles that proved to be popular?
Shading was very big on the dancefloor, a style that will be hugely popular for 2019. Our Sponsored Gold dancers Monica, Olga and Izabela looked magnificent in their shaded couture. The metallic look was also a real eye catcher on the dance floor – a fabric that truly catches the spotlight with each movement. From 3 dimensional petal detailing like Nataliya’s Ballroom dress, to a full metallic shine like Olga’s Silver and White, followed through perfectly into the shine of the shaded satin chiffon skirts.
Any particular look and fashion of couture that was dominant on the dance floor?
3 dimensional features including flowers and feathers on the body were massive. As mentioned above shaded fabric was a definite trend that we will see more of in the future. There were many new styles of sleeves and floats that were also noticeable. Experimentation with different looks of floats will be a key feature for Ballroom styles for 2019.
Bead droppers are still a very big feature on both Ballroom and Latin Couture. Bodices and arms dripping with beads creates fantastic movement and beautiful shine, adding the perfect texture and finish. We used bead droppers for Nataliya’s and Natacha’s white Ballroom dresses and they truly dazzled on the dance floor creating such a rich look.
What couture stood out for you the most on the dancefloor?
Monica stood out amazingly well in the finals with her shaded Cappuccino and White gown, it was stunning. The shading teamed with the beautiful design pattern of the crystallization was perfection on the dancefloor.
Natascha’s White dress was also stunning in the final with the beautiful texture of the bead droppers. Layers of beads created such a rich look teamed perfectly with the textured pleating of the satin chiffon floats and skirts.
Nataliya also looked absolutely radiant in her White and Gold Ballroom dress. The gold crystallization teamed with the stunning metallic lycra 3d petals really caught the light on the dancefloor.
Sara’s Sugar Pink Ballroom dress also stood out on the dance floor really well with the luxurious feather flowing perfectly with her quick sharp action in the Tango.
What styles will we see on the dance floor at the Albert Hall in October and Bournemouth in January 2019 going forward after Blackpool?
3 dimensional detailing such as flowers and petals adorning the bodice is a big look with fashion designers, that is following through perfectly into Ballroom and Latin couture in our dance fashion world. Bead droppers will be a continuing trend in both Ballroom and Latin Couture, they add the perfect finishing touch teaming beautifully with crystal embellishment.
In terms of fabric shading will be a massive look that will carry through even bigger for 2019.
