| If you are looking to buy a leotard for a dance class, | | | | costumier to provide their show outfits for them. It |
| for fashion or for a dance show, there are a few | | | | is then up to the teacher, individual dancer or parents |
| things you have to know. Depending on the class you | | | | of the children in the class to provide the outfits. |
| attend, you may have specific types of outfits that | | | | Some dancers are also excellent costume designers |
| are more appropriate. In ballet, it is a good rule of | | | | and may even make their own clothing. This is a |
| thumb to always wear black leotards and tights - at | | | | matter best left to those with some tuition or with |
| least until you know the policy of you dance school. | | | | experience as dance wear must be well designed and |
| Luckily, most tutors and schools will provide a uniform | | | | put together. One thing to remember if you are |
| list well in advance of your first lesson. | | | | making your own costumes is that if you sew |
| Jazz classes may be less set in terms of uniform, | | | | something on a leotard (like sequins or leaves or |
| however always be sure to wear appropriate and | | | | anything stiff) it will make the leotard rigid and unable |
| specially designed dance wear. A strenuous class may | | | | to stretch as well as it might. Keep in mind that if |
| require leotards and tights with shorts over them. | | | | you sew much of something stiff, like sequins, on a |
| The reason for this is that the clothing will keep your | | | | leotard, it will be difficult to get on and get off |
| muscles warm but allow the teacher to see your | | | | anyway. Try to keep decorations like that to a |
| best lines without the barrier of bulky workout pants | | | | minimum, just for the ease of the dancer. He or she |
| or baggy T-shirts. Leotards are common dance attire | | | | will also not be able to move as freely if their outfit is |
| because it is the only way you can really learn if you | | | | plastered all over with a stiff material. It may |
| are arching your back, lifting your torso enough, or | | | | decrease his or her dancing ability. |
| turning out your hips correctly. | | | | If you choose to purchase some plain leotards to |
| In certain other styles such as swing, ballroom or | | | | decorate for a performance remember to take into |
| Latin dancing, leotards are not always particularly | | | | account the flexibility the garment will need, the |
| appropriate. Some of these lessons tend to be more | | | | dancer's comfort and general practicality. For anyone |
| casual, beginner classes and people wear comfortable | | | | new to dancing lessons, purchasing basic leotards is |
| clothes that do not show much of their body. It is, | | | | probably the wisest option. This usually proves most |
| however, appropriate to wear a leotard if it is a | | | | cost effective and allows a dancer to concentrate on |
| more intensive lesson where you will be doing lots of | | | | mastering their own moves, which in dance is the |
| original choreography, flips, spins or splits. | | | | best way to success! |
| Many local dance studios do not have a professional | | | | |