Dancewear is a crucial part of being a ballet dancer, at any stage. Without the right shoes and outfits, you don’t look or feel the part and you can increase your chances of small injury when dancing.
But how do you know what is the right fit for ballet wear for your child? Let’s look at some simple tips to help you ensure your children’s ballet wear is just right.
Fitting Ballet Shoes
Ballet shoes are one of the more complex areas to get just right because each brand will be a little different, each style has its own quirks. Plus, different people will grow their own preferences about how the shoe feels and if it is ‘right’ for them.
However, there are some general tips that will help you decide if the shoe is the right fit. Combine these with checking with your child’s dance teacher for their advice and you can get the perfect fit.
A shoe is too small if the big toe joint is bent. But a shoe that is too big will have excess material. Or you will need to pull the drawstring excessively tight to get the right foot. Extra material around the toe is a classic sign of a too-big shoe.
Don’t assume that the shoe size for normal or school shoes will be the same as the material in ballet shoes means that sizes are often different. Shoes that are too small are unhealthy for the feet and make dancing difficult. Shoes that are too large increase the risk of a trip or fall because the extra material gets in the way.
Fitting Ballet Leotards
The perfect fit for a leotard is one that fits like a second skin and doesn’t have any extra material hanging around. They are made with stretch materials such as Lycra that allow them to accommodate the movement of the body during dance so don’t think that a skin-tight fit is a bad thing.
Poorly fitting leotards can also hide bad posture, and this means a teacher cannot realise it needs correctly. Left alone, this can lead to problems in later times so everything needs to be done to watch this in early dance years. A leotard that is too small will often dig in at the shoulders, feeling uncomfortable and restricting movement. It might also pull up at the hips.
Fitting Ballet Cardigans
Cardigans for dance are a little different from ones for normal wear – one top tip is to read the washing instructions carefully, follow them and usually avoid tumble drying as this pulls them out of shape. Sleeves are designed to be ¾ in length so don’t think this means it is too short. Ensure it is a tight fit without restructuring movement. Too much excess material will get in the way when dancing and spoils the dancer’s shape.
The Perfect Fit
Getting the perfect fit might seem a little complex but the dance teachers at Jade Harrison School of Dance in North Tyneside will always help by checking items or offering tips. That way you can get the perfect fit for your child and their ballet wear will help them in their dance, not get in the way.