School is open! Students have new supplies of paper, pens, pencils and a notebook, etc. And, if you are a dancer, you have new dancewear.
Now that dancewear is a dominant fashion statement, perhaps this article will give you the correct choices, because to train correctly the right selection of your dancewear is vital to your progress. The teacher must see your body move to determine if you are using the correct muscles to achieve the demand of the movement.
DANCEWEAR for MALES
Appropriately they are wearing black tanks, black tights, a dance belt, and actually pink ballet shoes. Usually the shoes are black. Perhaps the teacher wanted pink for a reason. The view of the teacher is most important. If a teacher asks for an item to be worn that is not part of a school’s uniform, the school should not hesitate to oblige the teacher. The teacher must be able to see the students move together and a good teacher will ask permission to make changes for their class.
As a teacher myself, I can clearly see exactly the height at which each dancer is lifting their legs in the leap. A black shoe would not allow that.
DANCEWEAR for FEMALES
The cut of the leotard allows the teacher to see every dancer and correct any mistakes. With the tights a different color, the teacher can see how the leg is moving in the hip joint. Everyone has their hair off the face and neck. When wearing the hair down, the dancer will often ingrain into the muscle memory an incorrect balance of the body when turning that cannot be corrected.
REMEMBER DANCE ETIQUETTE
1. No food, gum or candy in class.
2. Bring a water bottle.
3. Go to the bathroom before class.
4. No cell phones in class.
5. Thank your parents for bringing you to class.
6. Thank your teachers for teaching you.
7. No talking during the lesson.
8. Clean up the room at the end of your lesson.
-by Martha Madison
About the Author: Martha Madison began her career as a dance educator in 1966. She studied dance at Western Kentucky University and the University of South Florida. She is certified through Dance Educators of America Teacher Training School and is currently director of Dance Arts Bowling Green.
