Surrey Harmony’s new competition costume can now be unveiled – just in time for our bid for a record 6th gold medal at the Sweet Adelines U.K. Championships in Birmingham. The “Ladies in Red” are now ladies in red…..and hot pink!
It’s an unusual combination, but we’re confident it will wow judges and audiences alike when they see us on stage.
Work on getting a new costume began after our visit to Las Vegas. We felt our red costume had done us proud but was now time for something new. Our Choreographer Kären Lainchbury came up with the design. “I wanted something eye-catching, comfortable and washable. It also had to move well especially for the front row”.
But it’s not easy to find someone who can make more than 70 costumes and in about three months. It’s a mammoth task.
Step forward Helen Ogle of Grimsby, who usually makes costumes for competitors taking part in disco dancing competitions. She has made the entire set of costumes entirely on her own. “When Kären first approached me I was horrified by the size of the potential order. My first reaction was to say no. Then I thought how interesting it would be to make costumes for a different set of performers so I agreed to take it on. Prior to Surrey Harmony the largest order I had was for 20 costumes, so nearly 80 has meant lots and lots of sewing.
Helen worked flat out for more than three months working on the Surrey Harmony order. “The Chorus members sent me their measurements – one of them who shall remain nameless said she had arms 42 inches long! I think she was looking at the wrong end of the tape measure”.
Helen drove five hours from her home in Lincolnshire to deliver the costumes and meet Kären for the first time along with the rest of the chorus.
“It was lovely to put a face to the e-mails and phone calls and to see real people wearing the costumes for the first time. Everyone made me feel so welcome. The flowers were a lovely surprise.
I am hoping to go to Birmingham to see Surrey Harmony compete at the U.K. Championships to see the costume on stage”.
It’s cost around £9,000 to get the new “hot” Surrey Harmony look so the fund raising goes on. You’ll be seeing lots of us in our hot pink and red for a few years to come.
Helen Ogle’s website is www.dancewearbyhelen.co.uk
But it’s not easy to find someone who can make more than 70 costumes and in about three months. It’s a mammoth task.
Step forward Helen Ogle of Grimsby, who usually makes costumes for competitors taking part in disco dancing competitions. She has made the entire set of costumes entirely on her own. “When Kären first approached me I was horrified by the size of the potential order. My first reaction was to say no. Then I thought how interesting it would be to make costumes for a different set of performers so I agreed to take it on. Prior to Surrey Harmony the largest order I had was for 20 costumes, so nearly 80 has meant lots and lots of sewing.
Helen worked flat out for more than three months working on the Surrey Harmony order. “The Chorus members sent me their measurements – one of them who shall remain nameless said she had arms 42 inches long! I think she was looking at the wrong end of the tape measure”.
Helen drove five hours from her home in Lincolnshire to deliver the costumes and meet Kären for the first time along with the rest of the chorus.