Ballet Shoes/Slippers:

The minute you start ballet, you immediately start thinking that it will only be a matter of time before you are en pointe, and dancing in Swan Lake. Wait! Hold up! To get to pointe takes a LOT of time (read: years) and work. You most likely will not be dancing en pointe any time soon if you are a new dancer. So put away those pointe shoes dreams for at least a year or two. The only shoe that you’ll be dancing in will be a ballet slipper. Which is perfectly fine….as a beginner you’ll learn that ballet slippers are really all you need to learn and then hone your technique.

Once again the best way to find the perfect ballet slipper for you is to go to a store, get fitted, and try them on. When trying them on, do some releves and tendus...point your foot, move about in them...basically you want to get a feel for them on your foot. 

The ballet slipper should fit your foot like a glove...not too tight or small, and not too loose or big. When standing up with your feet flat on the ground, you want your feet and toes to lay flat in the shoe. Don’t buy a ballet slipper if your toes are crunched up in them, or can’t lay flat at all. Ballet slippers stretch, but not that much. Also, do not buy ballet slippers with the intent to “grow into” them. This is a bad idea, since you don’t want to be tripping over the toes of your ballet slippers. Just buy them to fit your foot, it will be a better move in the long run. 

Type of Slipper:
Ballet slippers come in different types and materials. There are also a whole bunch of different brands to choose from. Basically there are two different types of ballet slippers: full-sole and split-sole. 

The “traditional” slipper was a full-sole, so called because the leather sole ran the length of the foot. Split-sole shoes are newer shoes, so called because there is half a sole under the heel of the foot, and half a sole under the ball of the foot. And there isn’t a leather sole under the arch of the foot. Full soles are considered “better” because they make the dancer really work the foot (ie: make it stronger) to see the arch of the foot. Split-soles allow the dancer to see the arch of the foot a lot easier. But what kind of shoe you want is really up to you. 

Materials: 
Slippers also come in three different materials: Leather, Canvas, and Satin.

Leather and Canvas are the most popular; Satin is rarely used for class work…maybe more for recitals. What kind of material you want is also up to you. 
Leather: 
Leather is more a classic shoe material…it doesn’t stretch that much, and has a more smooth appearance. 
Canvas:
Canvas is well, cloth, so it does stretch. You can wash canvas shoes, which you can’t do with leather. A note about canvas shoes: they may pinch for the first week or two of classes, but they do stretch out. 

Elastics: 
Elastics keep your shoes on. Most slippers come with elastics so you can attach them yourself, or they have pre-attached elastics. Normally, you’ll have to do some sewing to attach the elastics. Get someone who either knows how to sew or learn to do it yourself, because sewing actually goes hand-in-hand with ballet dancing. Ballerinas are always sewing elastics or ribbons on their shoes, so it’s a handy thing to learn to do now. Anyway, back to the elastics. There are a few different ways to position the elastics on your feet. 

One strap elastics: One strap, from one side of the shoe to the other, straight across. 

Criss-crossed elastics: Form a cross over the instep of the foot, holding the shoe on better. 

Tights
Most ballet classes require you to wear tights…they allow the teacher to see the person’s legs and muscles clearly, and they also give the legs an unbroken, seamless line. 
There are different kinds of tights out there, as well as different colors. Pink is by far the most popular color for tights. Ask your teacher what color tights you should get for class…some teachers don’t care, but some are strict about what color they like to see on students. 

Types of tights: 
Convertible: Has a small hole under the foot that allows the dancer to either make into a footed-tight, or roll-up around their ankles. 
Footed: Rather obvious, they cover every inch of the legs, ankles, and feet. Like stockings, only made of a more durable fabric.
Footless: Tights cut off at the ankle.
Seamed: Has a back seam.
Stirrup Tights: Has a hole cut out under the heel. 
Body Tights: Full body tights. Covers everything from the neck down. Can be long-sleeved or have cami straps. 

Fabric:
There are also different kinds of fabric used to make tights. Tights can be made with Nylon, Supplex and Lycra, Supplex and Nylon, Microfiber, etc. It’s really a personal choice about what kind of tights you want to get. 
-Nylon tights are more “traditional” but they supposedly bag at the knees. 
-Supplex with Lycra are soft and nice, and don’t bag at the knees. 
-Microfiber tights are like the Supplex with Lycra ones, nice and soft.

Since you can’t try them on in the store, it’s really just a pick a kind and see if you like it thing. Oh, and if you hand wash your tights, then they are more likely to last longer, without runs and stuff. And *don’t* put them in the dryer. 

Leotards

Leotards come in many different types, sizes, cuts, brands, fabrics and colors. There is a whole world of wonderful leotards for you to choose from out there! Different types of leotards include camisole leotards, tank leotards, halter leotards, short-sleeved leotards, and long-sleeved leotards. Other kinds include boat-neck, off-the-shoulder, one-shoulder and turtle-neck leotards. 

Brands:
Brands include Capezio, Mirella, Bal-togs, Eurotard, Prima Soft, Gilda Marx, Gaynor Minden, Danskin, Harmonie, Natalie etc. 


Choosing a leotard: 
For the first time dancer, it is highly recommended that you Go To A Store In Person to try on leotards and choose your first leotard. Why? Because your leotard should fit you just right…not too tight, or baggy, or uncomfortable. And the sizing of leotards is a bit different than Real World sizes. Sizing, Type, Style, Cut….every leotard fits differently! And most brands are cut and sized differently than other brands. Going to a store allows you to try on different sizes, different brands, different types of leotards and different styles. Yes, ordering online looks nice and easy, but choosing a leotard is not easy. Trust me on this…I went to a store and tried on about 40 different leotards (and these were only the black ones!) before I found the perfect one for me. What type of leotard you get is completely up to you, but it has to fit your body. Also, check with your studio to see if they are preferential to one particular type or color of leotard. Once you get the general idea of what fits your body and what you like, then ordering online will be just fine. 


Trying on a Leotard Part 1- Fitting and Comfort: 
Ok, so you finally made it to the dance store near you…and you have allll these leotards to try on! Yay!! So you grab your first 10, and head to the dressing room. But what should you look for in a good leotard? And what are the signs of a bad leotard? And what are some things you should do while trying on leotards? 

Fit: Does the leotard fit you right? Is it too tight or loose across your butt, stomach, shoulders or breasts? Is it long enough or short enough for your body, length-wise? Is it too tight over all, or too loose? 

Ok here’s the real deal….Some people wear a size small in the Real World, and in the Ballet world, they wear a size small too. And some people wear a size small in the Real World, but in the Ballet World, they actually wear a size medium. And that’s perfectly normal. There is nothing wrong or shameful about going up (or down) a size or two when trying on leotards. Your leotard has to fit YOU just right, without being constrictive or baggy. 

The leotard should fit you right all over. Look out for a leotard that is too tight in the crotch area…a leotard that is too short is not a good idea. Likewise, a leotard that is baggy is also not a good idea. A leotard should fit kinda like a glove…close to your body, but not too tight or too loose. A leotard that is too tight, or that doesn’t let you move, or one that doesn’t cover all your areas right, is NOT going to be a good leotard to dance in. Basically, you don’t want to be constantly adjusting your leotard while in class or have a leotard so small that its ready to pop seams every time you move. 

Tall Dancers or Girls with Long Torsos: A few different brands make leotards in X-Long…to help fit the long torso that many girls have. 

Bigger-Chested Dancers: Looking for a leotard that will give you ample support in class? Most leotards have some sort of lining on the front of the leotard, but they don’t offer much in the way of support. A few different kinds of “bra” leotards exist. Mirella makes two leotards that are good for girls who want more support: Mirella Leotard with Cups, and Mirella Square-Necked Leotard with Underwire. Gilda Marx also makes a few leotards that are good for bigger-chested dancers. If you wish, you can also wear a comfortable bra or sports bra under your leotard, but check with your teacher first to see if this is allowed. Some studios or classes are more lenient about this, and some are stricter and don’t allow straps to hang out of the leotard. 

Comfort: Is the leotard comfortable? Does the leotard pinch or not stretch right across certain parts of your body? Does it ride up in the behind? Does it hurt your neck or shoulders? Are the straps in a good place for you? 
Comfort in a leotard is something that is also important. Leotards shouldn’t pinch your back or shoulders, or ride up in the back. Straps that hurt your shoulders or neck aren’t such a hot idea either…who wants to deal with neck and shoulder pain from a leo that isn’t comfy?? A leotard that makes you uncomfortable or hurts while in class will not a happy dancer make. And you want to be as comfortable in your leotard as you can be…Especially if you plan on taking more than one class a week, or even more than one class a day. Who wants to spend lots of time in something that is not comfortable at all? Yeah, not me either. So make sure your leotard is comfortable. And to do that, you can try some of the things below to ensure good comfort and fit. 

Trying on a Leotard Part 2- Moving About:
Another thing to keep in mind when trying out leotards is to practice moving in them while you are wearing it in the dressing room. Do a bend forward and a back bend…See if the straps and front of your leotard stay generally in place. Does the leotard pull away from your chest or do the straps dig in or move around? Beware the leotard that you can fall out of! So make sure that your leotard stays on for all the different moves that you would do. Also do leg lifts, and see what the leotard does when you are moving your legs about. Does it give you wedgies? Does it pull uncomfortably? This is the sign of a bad leotard for you, and you should probably put this leotard back on the rack. A good leotard should have some give, and stretch nicely when you move your body and legs about. 

If everything is fitting right, everything is comfortable, and everything stays in place while you move about…then this could be the right leotard for you! Don’t worry if you go through most of the store’s leotards and only find one or two that you like…that’s perfectly ok. And if you find a leotard that you like, but it’s not in a color that you need for class, no worries! Get the brand, size, and make of that leotard and order it online in the color you need. 
A great online store: 
www.discountdance.com