I had a Watercolours dress for my last program and loved it. I went to a home/paint store and picked up paint color swatches for the exact shades I wanted, sent them in, and they matched the shades exactly. If you don't want sleeves, you can get this sleeveless skating dress, with or without the "wings" at the shoulders (which are dyed to match the skirt). I found that the wings add movement, which was nice.

http://www.riversedgedancewear.com/watvelcamdre.html

The one thing I would caution is that when ordering one of these dresses with a BalTogs leotard, you MUST talk to a real person at Riversedge because the BalTogs sizing chart is off. They had to re-make my dress because I ordered according to their BalTogs size chart and the dress was too tight. I have talked to several other people who had the exact same problem.

If anyone is interested in painting their own dress, you can buy a white dress, or a leotard and fabric. You can also buy the paints and all you need, including the fabric and swimsuit (leotard) at Dharma Trading company. you can also get the paints at Michael's.
http://www.watercolourdancewear.com/colours.html
This veining is doable with these paints.
I've also had trouble with baltogs, and the velvet leotards are nowhere near the correct sizes.

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Funny you should mention the white dress idea...

I came across this the other day

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I was thinking I could remove the black sequins and replace with something else and either paint or dye (or both) the rest of the dress. Apparently this was a synchro dress and the seller has it in a lot of sizes. I'm thinking I could end up with a really cool dress.

Lwalsh

That's a pretty dress! A lot of synchro dresses that I see in pictures are far flashier (brighter, bolder colors), but this one lends itself well to "repurposing" and the price is great.

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I'm thinking of maybe doing "He's A Pirate" from the first Pirate of The Caribbean soundtrack.

I know a lot of people have done it it, but I was messing around with it today and had a -blast-. I love the movie and the music. I figured if I am going to do a programme at least do it to something I love and like.

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Flo, I have the Dharma Trading Company catalog, and it has all types of paints. Which type do you find works best? Do you use the stretch cotton lycra for the skirt or something else?

Thanks.

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Hi Moto,
I use the setacolor transparent paints. They flow very well into eachother. A good book on how to do it is Skye Dyes. For the skirt I like a silk chiffon or the silk haboti fabric, or any of the heavier wt. silks. They will send you samples if you like. The chiffon will give a more muted, less patterned look. Mika has a photo here somewhere of a dress she painted. I also have one of the costumes we wore for the Halloween trick or treat team a couple years ago.

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I'm probably going to stick with my old reliable big band (music from the movie The Glenn Miller Story) because I'm comfortable with the bones of that program and am increasing my technical content. I thought that I didn't want to have to remember a new program and freak out about harder jumps in the same year. However, I've been experimenting with something I cut out of Harry Potter. "Knights Bus". I cut a 2 minute solo, thinking of doing it for freeskate but it's turning into an interpretive because I'm fooling around with the squeezing the bus moments. I haven't shown my coach yet, so we'll see. I already have an interpretive.

Must you? I was just saying this morning that I was utterly fed up with it - two skaters from our rink use it, and for both of them it is their second year with it!

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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Thanks for the info, Flo. Maybe this will inspire me to dust off my sewing machine and get creative.

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"May the wind be at your back and the sun upon your face and may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars."

I posted earlier that I had not yet chosen music. So yesterday I started cutting music from Mendelssohn's Hebrides overture and I think I am satisfied with the cuts.

I have a request for suggestions on transition moves that would go with a four beat measure with the emphasis on the second and fourth, instead of first and third. In other words, sections of this music are kind of syncopated, but the beats are still even. I think a mohawk with an arm movement on the second step of the mohawk would emphasize the accented beat. What else is there?

My coach puts these in a few programs:
jumping chactaws.

for a right foot:
beat one - right inside edge )
beat two - jump
beat three - back L outside edge (
beat four - cross R over L
turn forward and repeat or go on.
I like to connect a few.

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Here is a clip from Amazon, to give an idea of tempo

http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-p...500302-2836701

That sounds neat - I'll have to try it. Thanks!