Latin Flavour

As well as my ballgown I've been sewing a Latin outfit. The joke goes about a 1/10 of the fabric and the same amount of sparkle. After much debate I went for blue (options were lumo pink, green, red or blue). You need to be bright and sparkle for Latin, not my strong suit!



I wish I had proper photos of the inbetween steps but I changed design halfway through the process so what I started with is not at all what I ended up with.

Once again I used Swarovski Crystals from Crystal Catalyst and had to Hotfix each crystal on by hand with an applicator wand. Talk about taking forever. The sense of accomplishment when you're done is awesome, the hours prior are just painful. You can vaguely see the starburst pattern on the top and then there are crystals dotted over the whole skirt.



The skirt is two full circles, so it flares nicely when it spins and because it was sewn on the diagonal it flares more on one side than the other.

Ballgown Construction

I previously wrote that I've been working on a ballroom gown for Intervarsity. Well Intervarsity has come and gone and I can breath slightly and put up my aching feet (you try dancing in 2.5 inch heels everyday!).

I stated that I had learnt a lot while doing the project but my first major learning curve was a lack on any pattern that fitted me. I went browsing online and found this wonderful blog post: Step-by-Step Gown Construction Project but you needed a pattern. Never fear, when you can cut until it looks vaguely the same shape :)

I cut the dress out of Bon Bon Spandex, something I hadn't heard about before but has a beautiful 4 way stretch. My fuchsia/purple/pink fabric was attached to the mannequin (roughly my size) and cut to fit according to the step by step process outlined above.

The basic finished "shell" ended up looking like this. Please Note the black triangles that are added. Each is a quarter circle and makes the dress flare when you turn, looks cool, not so cool to sew.


At this point you can decorate the dress however you like. I ended up cutting out the back of the dress and adding criss-cross straps for my effect (turns out its pretty cold without material on your back) and adding lots and rhinestones and crystals from Crystal Catalyst (and a few sequinned flowers). The result...


A ballgown is not finished without wings (or whatever they are called). There are many different styles, sleeves, bits etc. Given my lack of sleeves I made three bands to slide onto my arms and attached chiffon in purple and black.

Gearing up for Intervarsity 2011

Its that time of year again. I missed Intervarsity last year due to my jaunt in Europe for the YSSP but as it is my last full year as a student I'm dancing again!

Things have been a little chaotic over the last few months preparing to dance a level I've never tried before: Novice. For those non-dancers, its the first level where you can wear sparkly outfits.

Cue sewing time :)

I've been sewing frantically for the last month to create both Latin and Ballroom outfits for this Saturday. The final pieces are going to a surprise (so no final photos til then) but I've learnt a huge amount in the process. I'll post the full process when I have decent final pictures, I've been capturing the inbetween stages on my phone with its poor excuse for a camera. Sneak peek:

Intervarsity Feedback

Intervarsity is a crazy chaotic event that UCT hosted this year. With 300 dancers it is a logistical nightmare.

The numbers or couples per section are as follows:
Open Sokkie (62 couples)
Open Boogie (94 couples)
Open Viennese Waltz (41 couples)
Open Mambo (96 couples)
Open Paso Doble (29 couples)
Beginner Ballroom (54 couples)
Intermediate Ballroom (32 couples)
Advanced Ballroom (19 couples)
Pre Bronze Ballroom (6 couples)
Bronze Trophy Ballroom (5 couples)
Gold Trophy Ballroom (3 couples)
Novice Ballroom (4 couples)
Beginner Latin (49 couples)
Intermediate Latin (34 couples)
Advanced Latin (18 couples)
Pre Bronze Latin (5 couples)
Bronze Trophy (5 couples)
Gold Trophy (5 couples)
Novice Latin(5 couples)

Overall points standing:

UCT 198
MATIES 156
NMMU 92
TUKS 3
UKZN 3
Rhodes 2
WITS 0

Team Dance results:
1. NMMU
2. UCT
3. MATIES
4. Rhodes
5. TUKS

Formation results:
1. NMMU
2. UCT
3. MATIES
4. TUKS
5. Rhodes
6. WITS

Ballroom is hotting up

For those who watch the UCT Ballroom calendar Medal Tests are just around the corner. Extra lessons start on Sunday and we are set to have a truly awesome time this year. We're going Greek! The committee are also gearing up for Intervarsity and all it entails (the bane of my existence at the moment).

My thesis is slowly progressing with a multitude of stops and starts as problems arise. I am currently investigating the SMILE library for Bayesian Inference. I am not completely sold on the library and the API yet and am wondering if I should have stuck it out with PNL. I seem to have more problems than solutions currently. The nightmare continues.

Intervarsity 09 countdown begins

The ballroom committee was voted in yesterday in UCT. The new committee is

Chair - Chris Warner
Vice Chair (VC): Lara Milne
VC Intervarsity: Hayley Mc Intosh
Treasurer: Zandile Makgatho
Socials: Chris Louw
Orientation Week: James Hu
Medal Tests: Adrienne Daniels
Intervarsity: Andrew Martens
Formal: Richard Parry
IT: Jonathon Page

This means I get to organise Intervarsity 09 hosted by UCT. I will be roping friends in to help over the year, so be warned! 303 days and counting...

Intervarsity ballroom: UCT Kicks butt

UCT returns victorious from PE after winning the ballroom and latin intervarsity. I have to say the social the night before sucked and the schedule was choatic to say the least but overall NMMU did a fairly ok job. I hesitate to say good, they could have improved on a lot and charged much less. Well done to everyone who received medals and a special well done to the UCT beginners who shook their booty nicely.