Everything you will ever need for your day to day ballet lives
One of my friends (who is not a dancer but i am slowly corrupting her mind) saw my closet, with a section donated to everything dance that i will ever use in a lifetime. She asked my why I needed all this stuff, and why i would waste my money on things that i go through so quickly. Explaning the importance of my shrine to all things pink and frilly would have taken too long, so i said "because i do" and closed the door in her face. (the closet door, i didn't actually kick her out of my house) But this brought up an interesting point. Even the munchkins at dance class (i assist a few classes on flat and beginner pointe) don't know half the things that are made to make your life easier as a dancer. So today i decided to tell you guys, thouh you probably already know this (i hope)
Class Basics
Whether you go to the Vaganova Academy or the recreational center down the road, dress code is always the same.
Tights, Leotard, and the shoes that you need for that class (flat, pointe, character, etc.) If you want to get extra spiced up, add a chiffon wrap skirt over your leotard, in matching colours of course! (just kidding....black) Most studios will have their choice of coulour they want you to wear, or will even provide their own for you to buy.
Warmies and other stuff
Gotta love your warm up clothes, almost as much as you love to dance. But don't get caught in your comfy clothes after the first few barre exercises.....trust me, it's not pretty. It's kinda like that scene in Black Swan where the director walks in on the class and they all shed their clothes....good times
The chiffon wrap skirt, a classic, which you don't even need to take off cuz it's super thin....that girl's leg though GARBAGE PANTS!!!!!! I absolutely adore my pair and you will too if you get some/ have some. So what if they were big when your mum started dancing? They are making there way back (albeit slowly....) You can also get half body warmies (just the legs) or leg and arm warmers (which are a little less common nowadays. I swear by the new bloch warmup boots (i got mine in purple) The are soooooo amazing and i highly recommend them, if not anything else. Too expensive? Try a big pair of thick knit or fuzzy socks over your shoes while you warm up your feet, cuz they need attention too. | The full body warmies....super comfy and great to warm up in (duhh) but only really on your own time, cuz they can restrict you when in class Sweatpants and shirts, a great top layer to start off your day. (They key to warmups is layering....tights, leo, leggings or shorts, legwarmers or warmies (tight fitting ish), baggy sweatpants or a onesie warmie and of course a sweater or wrap for your top half) At my school we all look like strippers to people passing by the windows cuz literally all we do is take of our clothes ;-) The best part is, because there are so many things you can buy, absolutely no one will be wearing the same thing as you. |
Pointe Shoe Necessities
Are you new to the pointe world? Are your teachers torturing you by not letting you use all the fancy things created to make pointe hurt less? (trust me, my private coaching lessons were killer...but yes, amazingly helpful)
The art of prepping your shoes and how you wear them in class is a very personal and intimate relationship between the dancer and her shoes....you really just gotta do what works for you
Hope you have a sparkly rest of your weekend! (and here's some Sam and Dean to curb you until season 10 starts) :-D