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Leotards and tights are the work uniform of a dancer
If you have just enrolled in a tap
dancing class, ballet class or jazz class, ask your teacher—or perhaps she will instruct you in advance—what
is the preferred or required class wear. Some teachers may want you to wear a
specific type of dance leotard and tights; some may be lax about what her students
wear, whereas others may want you to wear dance pants or skirts.
Dance leotards and tights come in such a
wide variety of colors and styles that, if the rules are unrestricted at your
dance studio, you are going to have a field day picking out the ones that you
want to shuffle ball change in or plie in or do your jazz maneuvers in.
Leotards can have long sleeves, short sleeves, three-quarter length sleeves or no
sleeves. There are halter leotards and tank leotards. Leotards can be off-the
shoulder, one-shouldered, turtle neck, boat neck, mock neck or zippered.
There are ballet cut legs or French
cut legs, which are higher cut and show off more leg and, in my opinion, make
the leg look longer, leaner and generally more attractive.
Leotards come in various fabrics including spandex, cotton, lycra blends, velvet, foil velvet, iridescent velvet, sparkly velvet and nylons.
If you have never worn a leotard,
this is going to involve some trial and error on your part. You want to be
comfortable and look good. Some dancers prefer cotton over lycra or spandex. It
simply boils down to what feels and looks best to you and which leotard allows
you to move, lift your arms freely, and doesn’t cut you in the crotch or ride
up too high on your butt.
If you are big-busted you will need
to wear a bra under your leotard so pick a style that accommodates and conceals
your bra straps. Some leotards are equipped with shelf bras but they do not
provide adequate support for large breasted women. Some leotards come with
cups, which will give you more support than the shelf bra.
The leotard that you select should
not be too loose, too tight, too baggy or uncomfortable. Leotard size and fit
varies tremendously by brand so you should probably try on your leotard before
purchasing. Once you get an idea of which brand fits and flatters you the best,
you can start purchasing your leotards online.
If you have a long torso or are
especially tall, try to find leotards that accommodate this body type. If the
leotard is too short in the torso, it is going to ride up on you, cut your
crotch, and pull down on your shoulders. This is not comfortable and certainly
is not conducive to dancing. The straps on your leotard should not be
uncomfortable, nor should they pinch, squeeze or tug.
Tights are what a dancer wears on
her legs. They provide support for your legs as well as flatter the heck out of
your gams.
Tights can be footed, footless,
ankle length, calf length or above the knee, much like biker shorts. They come
in various colors and designs. Some are opaque, some are shiny, some have seams
up the back, while others do not.
Tights that have small hole under
the foot, which enables the dancer to wear the tights as footed or she can roll
her tights up and around her ankle. This is called a convertible tight. Stirrup
tights have a hole cut out in the heel and footless tights stop at the ankle.
There are full body tights that cover your entire body from the neck down. Full
body tights can have long sleeves or feature cami straps.
Some tights are more stretchy than
others, depending on the material, and some simply feel and perform better.
Once again, this is going to be a matter of trial and error. Try various styles
and see which fits you the best, which is most comfortable and, of course,
which is the most flattering.
Even when you are not dancing,
dance leotards and tights are wonderful to wear. In the winter, they provide you a
comfortable and warm extra layer. Leotards look great with skirts and pants as
well as under jackets. Tights can be worn anytime, any place.
Resources:
Dance.net: The informative guide to choosing dancewear