By Khalida Sarwari
Nothing brings down the mood at a good Halloween party than walking in as Catwoman and seeing two others prowling around in the same costume.
The solution may lie in taking an unconventional route to shopping for costumes. And it doesn’t get any more unconventional than a dance studio in Campbell.
To help raise funds for its performing company, Dance Effects is selling costumes donated by its dancers. The collection includes prom dresses and dance costumes, such as an Irish dancing outfit, an Egyptian leotard and skirt, a Western girl dress and holiday-themed dresses. The costumes come in all sizes, and prices range from $5 to $20.
They are generally worth about $70 and have been worn once or twice by the dancers, said Katie Warren, artistic director and owner of Dance Effects.
“These are really well-made costumes, and they’re a little bit easier to size,” she said.
Proceeds from the sales will help offset the cost of sets, props, costumes and entry fees for the dancers who participate in local competitions and conventions. The fee for one dancer who competes in three competitions typically is about $1,500. As of a week before Halloween, the studio had made a little more than $500 in costume sales, according to Warren.
Any costume that isn’t sold will be donated to the Hope Charity, she said.
The studio provides dance training for students of all ages and abilities, specializing in children and youth from 2 years old to high school-age.
The “Halloween Boo-tique” sale will be held daily from 3 to 9 p.m. through Oct. 31 at 58 E. Campbell Ave.
