Welcome to dancewearaustralia.com.au, your source of free information related to dancewear in Australia. I do need to mention up-front that dancewearaustralia.com.au is affiliated with danceweardirect.com.au, so I’m going to begin with a shameless endorsement...

Dancewear Direct (www.danceweardirect.com.au) is quite possibly Australia’s leading dancewear discounter and online distributor - with a reputation for providing some of the industry’s highest quality dancewear and dance shoes (which have been designed by industry experts specifically for Australian dancers) at massively discounted prices, and for fantastic service and quick, easy and secure online shopping. Tens of thousands of Australian dancers shop in confidence at www.danceweardirect.com.au, where you can choose from a wide range of girls’ and ladies’:

• Dance leotards, tops and pants, crossovers and skirts;
• Dance tights and socks;
• Ballet shoes, jazz shoes and dance sneakers;
• Dance accessories and more.

OK... now to my main topic, which is…

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DRESSING FOR BALLET CLASS

Firstly, bear in mind that your dance studio most likely has a written dress code, and your teachers will almost certainly have particular requirements for styles and colours. These will probably vary by age and ballet grade. So please get your studio’s dress code and follow it!

Secondly, you will notice that this guide is for girls’/ ladies, not for boys or men. The reason is for this is that the requirements for male dancers are highly variable, and will almost certainly be prescribed by your teachers. Yes, you will require specialty dance shoes, but, beyond these, your studio’s dress code might have you dancing in T-shirt and shorts, tights, or a full-blown unitard! Rather than confuse the issue, I’ll point male dancers directly to their teachers for the relevant advice, and limit this brief introductory guide to female dancers.

Female ballet dancers will typically wear a leotard, which may be one of several styles – tank, camisole, short-sleeved or even long-sleeved, for example. Pink is a popular ballet colour for littlies (less so for older dancers). Again, the style and colour will generally be prescribed by your teacher. Most younger dancers (and quite a few older dancers as well) will also wear a matching skirt and a wrap, or crossover.

Some popular skirt styles are tie-wrap skirts (which feature a tie-fastening waistband) and elastic waisted pull-up skirts (such as the “mock wrap” skirt, which looks a lot like a traditional wrap skirt but without the ties). Most ballet skirts are made of a sheer fabric, such as chiffon or georgette.

You will also need tights or socks, and correctly fitting ballet shoes. Footed tights or ballet socks are most common for young dancers. Older dancers sometimes prefer convertible tights (which are designed so that they can be worn in either footed or footless configuration), particularly if they are dancing in multiple genres which involve dancing bare-foot. Ballet tights are generally a particular shade of pink (which range from a very neutral flesh-tone to a quite pale pink).

Ballet shoes are generally made of leather, although canvas ballet shoes are also available and some specialty ballet shoes are satin. Most are sold with elastic straps that span the instep; although ribbons are sometimes required (these are generally sold separately). Full sole and split sole ballet flats are available, and preference generally comes down to personal taste (although your teachers and examining bodies may have particular requirements). Beyond a particular age and level of development, students may, in addition to their ballet flats, progress firstly to demi-pointe, and then to pointe, shoes. These are specialist shoes and a dancer’s transition to pointe work needs to be carefully guided by their teacher. Similarly, pointe shoe fittings should be carried out in person by suitably trained teachers and/ or product specialists.

Ballet is a technically precise activity and your teacher will need to assess body alignment and positioning very closely. This is one reason why correct ballet attire is a must. There are others, including safety (there really is no substitute for correct ballet shoes), comfort and psychology (if you are going to dance like a ballerina – and as part of a group – then it helps to dress the part).

Please remember also to cover up to and from ballet class, and that ballet shoes should not be worn outside of the studio (as they are designed to be worn on dance flooring and will generally not hold up well if worn on rough surfaces – or if they get wet).

>>Part 2... Dressing For Jazz Class

Written by Jacqueline Hoole. Jacqueline is a qualified ballet teacher with almost 30 years teaching experience. She is also product development manager with Maestro Arts Pty. Ltd., owner of Dancewear Direct and of the SHOWSTOPPER® and Betty Bunhead & Friends® dancewear labels.

The information presented on this website is general in nature and is provided without any warranty as to it's accuracy or suitability to your particular circumstances. You should not rely upon the information hereby presented, but should consult with your dance teachers and/ or qualified professionals in relation to your specific needs. The author and publisher expressly disclaim any liability associated with your use of this website or the information presented upon it.

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