Finding the right dancewear can be a daunting task. It is essential to choose not only a nice but also a comfortable outfit. There are a huge variety of dance styles worldwide, each of which has its own requirements for how artists should look. However, there are a few basic guidelines for choosing suitable clothing. Together with livethedance.com, we have compiled a short guide where we have collected all the professional tips.
Dancewear Features
At first glance, it may seem that dancers perform in almost casual clothes or make do with regular yoga leggings (depending on the style). However, it’s not entirely true. The clothes in which you dance should meet several basic requirements:
- Comfort. It is the most critical point, without which no practice can do. Your clothes should be comfortable, well breathable, not hinder movement, and wick away sweat. Choose models from elastic fabrics, and be careful with the size.
- Durability. Dance lessons can be, on average, about four times a week, so clothes should withstand regular use and frequent washing. It should not lose color, stretch, or tear.
- Overall look. Although convenience is in the first place, you should not completely forget about beauty. Properly picked clothes will make you feel more confident on the dance floor.
Special Attention to Fabric
What your dancewear is made of determines how it looks and lasts. Many apparels are produced from a variety of elastane-blended knitted fabrics that stretch well and retain their shape for a long time. Velvet, tulle, and mesh fabrics are used for decoration only. Many products are made using modern sportswear technologies; they perfectly remove moisture and, at the same time, do not block airflow.
Kids and beginning dancers can choose cotton T-shirts and pants. This material does not accentuate the silhouette and is usually not as colorful, but it is pleasant to the body and provides the usual comfort during the lessons. However, exercising in casual clothes is not always convenient. In most cases, they are not well-stretched and do not allow you to perform movements with full force. Besides, they are usually quite baggy. If you want your clothes to fit perfectly, then wear Lycra products. This fabric will emphasize the movements of your body and, at the same time, will not constrain them.
Clothing for Different Styles
The recommendations described above are quite general and suitable for any dance style. However, each direction still has several clothing and footwear requirements that you need to follow during lessons and performances. Now there are a lot of types of dances, so we will cover only a few of them:
- Ballet: a leotard with tights or just good yoga clothing, plus ballet shoes or specialized socks.
- Latin dances: a knee-length dress or skirt with low-heeled shoes. Your top can be any of your choices.
- Jazz and swing dancing: a wide skirt, shorts, or a medium-length dress, and soft shoes without heels.
- Ballroom dances: any comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely and does not interfere with your partner. Shoes should have heels of the right height.
- Contemporary dance: loose but not baggy pants and a T-shirt. As a rule, artists practice barefoot or in half-sole socks.
- Street dancing: baggy clothes and comfortable dancing shoes.
Final Rules for Beginners
Always put your comfort first. During long workouts, clothes should not squeeze or rub your body, fall off, or in any other way distract you from dancing. However, do not forget that you should like how you look in the chosen clothes. This way, you will feel more confident and move more freely. The choice of apparel for dance classes is now very extensive, so you should not blindly follow ads and brands. You can find suitable items in the inexpensive segment as well.
WCOforever allows you to stream free cartoons and anime, and does not require any form of payment.