Rhinestone Rumble

When we first joined our studio’s competitive team eight years ago, one new aspect of competitive dance life for us was the rhinestoning. Sure, I knew that some stones were added to the catalog costumes that the director ordered. But I figured that the sequins that already came on my girls’ Wizard of Oz-inspired Dorothy dresses would already satisfy the “bling” factor that first year. 

I could not have been more wrong. Even those sparkly blue frocks needed more pizzazz, I was told, and I received an invoice for the cost of the added stones. The bill wasn’t too shocking, but that would change in the next few years.

As the girls grew older, they (naturally) competed in more numbers. And, as expected, the rhinestone bill grew more substantial. I learned that stones could be added nearly everywhere – on straps, across the waist, within appliqués, along skirt edges, around any cut-out, and more. But I did notice that our studio’s costumes did stand out more than most other school’s because of the added bling.

The Rhinestone Crew

I had already known that a team of moms from our studio was in charge of adding the rhinestones. The school’s staff said that alterations to the costumes needed to be done within strict timelines because the “rhinestone crew” needed time to apply the stones well before dress rehearsals started. 

A few years into our competitive dance journey, I thought it might be fun to be a member of the rhinestone group. I’m not particularly crafty, so I figured that stoning costumes was a way I could help out without having to be incredibly artistic. I volunteered for the crew a few years ago, and started last year.

Before I began, I did some digging in a few dance mom Facebook groups I belong to. I wanted to get an idea of what to expect so I could shorten my learning curve. What I found was interesting. From what I could tell, there were two distinct “camps” when it came to rhinestoning. And the members of both groups were firmly committed to their chosen method.

Glue Vs. Hotfix

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Dance moms that belonged to the glue group utilized a liquid adhesive to affix the rhinestones to the costumes. They primarily chose E6000, Gem-Tac, or some other brand. Predictably, you just make a small dot with the glue, place the stone on the dot, and press gently. Then, you just allow it time to dry. If you make a mistake, you can peel the stone off with little effort.

Hotfix mamas cite the increased strength of the bond between the rhinestone and the glue with this method. Special stones are required; the glue (in dried form) is already on the back of the stone, and you use a special tool (it resembles a wand) to heat the glue. Just place the stone in position, and press the hot barrel of the wand onto the top of the stone. Hold it for a number of seconds (it depends on the size of the rhinestone), lift the wand, and you’re done. Hotfixed stones are less likely to fall off than glued stones, so they’ll need to be replaced less often. 

What I Learned as a ‘Stoner Mom

Up until last year, we used the glue method for our costumes. My role last year could be summarized as such: “I pick stones up, and put them down.” Another mom would dot the Gem-Tac, and I would use my picker tool to lay and press the stone onto the adhesive. 

Fairly quickly, I realized that this method has its shortcomings. After a dress rehearsal, a number of dancers would send their costumes back to us to get re-stoned because a noticeable amount had fallen off. When the dancers took some costumes off, the waistbands rolled up and propelled a spray of stones onto the floor (the sound reminded me of a Native American rainstick). Plus, the drying times dictated that we needed to re-stone as far in advance as possible, which was tough to accommodate at times.

For these reasons, we have switched mostly to Hotfix this year. I’ll be honest, I had been a bit nervous because of how permanent the stones’ bonds are (I second-guess myself constantly). But after a couple of sessions, I feel much more comfortable. There are times that we still use glue (for example, the hot tool and plastic mesh do not play nicely together). But overall, we’re finding that the Hotfix stones are a better fit for us.

Hot Debate

When I did my research last year, I was a bit taken aback by how hot (no pun intended) the debate became between the moms in the two groups. In one example, an innocent poster simply asked which method was better, gluing or hotfixing. A number of moms began attacking commenters from the other “camp,” to the point where I needed to stop reading to save my own sanity. I pictured two rival gangs getting ready to rumble over it, and that’s how this meme was born. 

Here’s hoping any future clash between the two groups is less violent than this scene from West Side Story.

For more costuming needs, go to Competition Essentials – Costuming!