First worn: San Diego Comic-Con 2005
Danse was one of my favorite dolls when I was a kid, because of the rainbow hair! Also, I love dancing, and her theme song “When It’s Only Me and the Music” is my favorite Jem and the Holograms song. This outfit is so fabulously, hideously 80’s. I did the cartoon version but took a few cues from the doll version in terms of fabric choices (metallic spandex for the jacket, a pink knit with rainbow metallic threads for the leggings, and gold lame for the sash). I teased a plain blond wig and then colored streaks with markers (Sharpies, Copics, whatever I could find in the right colors). The wig was a big hit, especially with little kids. π
My friends later put together a Jem and the Holograms skit for SDCC, so I joined them as Danse. I made an Aja costume for the skit as well. We had so much fun teasing all the wigs to ridiculous proportions. Our group was a childhood dream come true!
Even later we were invited to perform at Jem Con as Samantha Newark’s (the voice of Jem’s) opening act! I made another Aja and a Stormer outfit for the group, but wore Danse again as usual. I missed meeting the voice of Danse though, because she left early! π When the show started, I can’t remember if we were stalling for time or what, but someone put on “When It’s Only Me and the Music” and I had an impromptu dance solo, which was terrible and embarrassing and consisted mostly of awkward twirling, but we were all dorky Jem fans so people loved it. XD;;