| The term dancewear refers to any specialist | | | | experience, they may well advance to pointe |
| items worn by the dancer. Ballet is a very popular | | | | shoes which enable the dancer to stand on their |
| style of dance to learn particularly amongst young | | | | toes - or en pointe. This is the most mesmerising |
| girls. If your child is considering taking up ballet, | | | | element of the ballet dancer's performance as it |
| then here is a quick guide to the different types | | | | creates the impression that they are moving |
| of dancewear and dance costume available for | | | | weightlessly around the stage. As every dancer |
| the ballet dancer. | | | | has a slightly different shaped foot, pointe shoe |
| The most widely used item of dancewear for the | | | | manufacturers produce more than one style of |
| ballet dancer is the leotard. This is a skin-tight | | | | pointe shoe to offer several different fits. |
| garment which covers the torso but leaves the | | | | The most widely recognised form of dance |
| legs free. Its skin tight element allows the leotard | | | | costume for the ballet dancer is undoubtedly the |
| to be formfitting so as to allow the teacher and | | | | ballet tutu. This is a skirt worn as a dance |
| audience to clearly see the movement and | | | | costume in a ballet performance which often has |
| positioning of the dancer's body. There are | | | | an attached bodice. The skirt sometimes consists |
| different cuts of leotard known as tank, short | | | | of a single layer which hangs down but the most |
| sleeve, camisole, polo neck and long sleeve though | | | | recognised dance tutu consists of multiple layers |
| within each of these cuts there are many | | | | of starched netting which jut out from the ballet |
| variations to make each leotard unique. Other | | | | dancer's hips. Types of ballet tutu include the |
| variations on the leotard include unitards and | | | | Romantic Tutu and Classical Tutu. |
| catsuits. Unitards cover part of the legs, and | | | | Most of the above dancewear items will be |
| catsuits cover the entire legs and sometimes the | | | | accompanied by ballet tights or ballet socks. Which |
| arms too. | | | | of these the dancer chooses is largely down to |
| Another important piece of dancewear for the | | | | personal preference but can also be dictated by |
| ballet dancer is the ballet shoe. This is a light shoe | | | | the uniform of a dance school or dance academy, |
| designed specifically for ballet and is manufactured | | | | or the costume required for a particular |
| in leather, satin or canvas. The sole of the ballet | | | | performance. Ballet socks, however, tend to be |
| shoe is usually made from suede and will either be | | | | preferred by young children who choose to |
| a split sole or full sole. The full sole is usually | | | | switch to ballet tights when they get a little older. |
| preferred by beginners because of the extra | | | | One of the most popular suppliers of ballet |
| support it provides and is usually preferred by | | | | dancewear is Roch Valley which is a popular dance |
| beginners who will advance to the split sole which | | | | brand based in the UK and recognised throughout |
| enables more flexibility of the foot as they gain | | | | the world. They produce comfortable dancewear |
| more experience. | | | | for dancers of all abilities and disciplines and in |
| Once the ballet dancer has gained significant | | | | particular choose a wide range of dance leotards. |