Dress Code 2026-27

At The Ballet Dance Center we ask our dancers to follow the dress code outlined below, there are several reasons for this:

It allows teachers to easily check for proper alignment, body positioning and technique. It also allows both the teachers and the students to better understand how their bodies move and to identify what muscle groups are involved in their movements.
For younger dancers especially, it greatly helps reduce distraction in class. There are many dancewear options available, but they can also be elaborately decorated or possibly inappropriate, following dress code helps to eliminate these options.
When we prepare costume choices for our performance(s), we often use our dress code items as the base of that costume. For example, a skirt and other accessories are added to a dress code leotard.
A dress code also helps create a sense of cimmunity moung our dancer.

Please also notice that the dress code below has very specific request for hair. Please visit Why Do Dancers Wear Buns? for more information, and watch our Bun Tutorial.

Additionally, it is very important that students have clothing on over their dance attire when they come and go from the studio. Although we strive for our dancers to feel comfortable and confident in their dance attire, it is still attire that is appropriate only for class not the world outside. In the warm months, throwing on a simple dress or a t-shirt with shorts/a skirt is advised. During the colder months, sweats are a great option. Keeping feet warm and dry should also be a priority. The safety of our dancers is our top priority and we feel strongly that being properly covered is one way to help keep them safe and healthy.

Dress Code by Level

Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Levels I-IV Female Identifying Dancers:

Creative Movement
Leotard - pink short sleeved
Tights - pink footed
Shoes - pink full sole leather ballet slippers

For our littllest dancers we do not require a bun, as we know that can be difficult for all involved. However, for safety, we ask that a dancer's hair be pulled away from their face into a ponytail, or if too short for a ponytail, please use bobby pins, hair clips or a headband to hold hair back. When our students are turning, leaping and enjoying their movements in class it is best for them to clealry see what is around them, we don't want their hair to cover their eyes.

Pre-Ballet
Leotard - black short sleeved
Tights - pink footed
Shoes - pink full sole leather ballet slippers

Hair in a bun for longer hairstyles and neatly pulled back away from face for short hairstyles.

Level I & II
Leotard - black short sleeved
Tights - pink footed
Shoes - pink full sole leather ballet slippers
- patent leather black ribbon tie over elastic tap shoes
- black split sole slip-on boot jazz shoes

Hair in a bun for longer hairstyles and neatly pulled back away from face for short hairstyles.

Level III & IV
Leotard - black short sleeved
Tights - pink transition/convertible style
Shoes - pink full sole leather ballet slippers
- patent leather black ribbon tie over elastic tap shoes
- black split sole slip-on jazz shoes

Hair in a bun for longer hairstyles and neatly pulled back away from face for short hairstyles.

*We have some gently used tap and jazz shoes in youth sizes that can be borrowed. On the 1st day of class families can check to see if we have any that fit their dancer(s).

Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet Levels I-IV Male Identifying Dancers:

Ballet - plain white or black fitted t-shirt and black shorts or straight fitted to the ankle dance pants, leggings or tights

Tap & Jazz - any color plain fitted t-shirt and black shorts or dance pants

Shoes
- black full sole leather ballet slippers
- black full sole oxford tap shoes
- black split sole slip-on jazz shoes

Hair neat and pulled back away from face.

Level A-D Female Identifing Dancers:

Ballet - Black camisole style leotard. Also needed is a skin toned camisole style undergarment leotard to wear under costumes during performances. Transition/convertible tights in a color that best matches the dancer's natural skin tone or a color in which they feel the most comfortable. Tights and shoes should match in color.

Tap, Jazz, Modern - Core level dancers are required to wear a leotard, however it can be any color (including black) and black pants/leggings are encouraged.

Shoes
- split sole canvas ballet shoes in a color that best matches the dancer's natural skin tone or in a color in which they feel the most comfortable. Tights and shoes should match in color.
- black full sole oxford tap shoes
- black split sole slip-on jazz shoes
- barefeet (bring socks) for modern

Hair in a bun for longer hairstyles and neatly pulled back away from face for short hairstyles.

Dancers in our core levels are often attending class several days a week, therefore we recommend they have more than one set of dance clothes. In an effort to promote individuality, dancers are welcome to wear a black leotard other than the dress code camisole style leotard in class, we just ask that it not be too complicated, distracting or inappropriate.

Level A-D Male Identifing Dancers:

Ballet - Plain white fitted t-shirt and black straight to the ankle dance pants, leggings or tights. Hair neat and if long, pulled back away from the face.

Tap, Jazz & Modern - Any color plain fitted t-shirt and plain black dance pants. Hair neat and if long, pulled back away from the face.

Shoes
- black split-sole canvas ballet shoes
- black full sole oxford tap shoes
- black split sole slip-on boot jazz shoes
- barefeet (bring socks) for modern

Hair in a bun for longer hairstyles and neatly pulled back away from face for short hairstyles.

Hip Hop - Youth, Teen Adult:

Black or grey sweatpants, athletic pants, joggers, shorts, leggings or dance pants and any color plain long or short sleeved t-shirt and sneakers (if it is possible to dedicate a pair of sneakers to dance that would be great).

Please pull hair back into a ponytail. If hair is too short for a ponytail please use bobby pins, hair clips or a headband to hold hair back.

Adult Levels:

Adults are welcome to attend class in traditional dancewear, which is any color leotard and tights. Adults are also welcome to wear what you would for a yoga, Pilates or other workout class. Please NO shorts.

Shoes:
- split sole canvas ballet slippers in a color that best matches the dancer's natural skin tone or in a color in which they feel the most comfortable.
- black full sole oxford tap shoes
- black split sole slip-on jazz shoes
- bare feet (bring socks) for modern

Please pull hair back into a ponytail. If hair is too short for a ponytail use bobby pins, hair clips or a headband to hold hair back.

Suggested Brands by Style

Short Sleeve Leotard
(Creative Movment, Pre-Ballet, Level I-IV)

- Cotton child sizes: Capezio CC400C
- Cotton adult sizes: Capezio CC400
- Nylon child sizes: Capezio TB132C
- Nylon adult sizes: Capezio TB133

Camisole Style Leotard
(Level A, B, C & D)

- Cotton child sizes: Capezio CC100C
- Cotton adult sizes: Capezio CC100

Undergarment Style Leotard
Level A, B, C & D)

- Cotton child sizes: Capezio TB1420C or 3532C
- Adult sizes: Capezio TB1420, 3532, 3680
- Adult sizes with built in suport: Capezio 3565

*For best selection of skin tones visit capezio.com

Footed Tights
(Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Levels I & II)

- Child sizes: Capezio 1915C
- Adult sizes: Capezio 1915

Transition/Convertible Tights
(Levels II, III, IV, A, B, C & D)

- Child sizes: Capezio 1916C
- Adult sizes: Capezio 1916

*For best selection of skin tones visit capezio.com

Full Sole Ballet Shoes
(Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Levels I, II, III & IV)

- Child sizes: Capezio Luna V100C
- Adult sizes: Capezio Luna V100W

Split Sole Ballet Shoes
(Levels A,B, C, D)

- Child sizes: Capezio Hanami 2037C
- Adult sizes: Capezio Hanami 2037W

Ribbon Tie Over Elastic Tap Shoes
(Levels I, II, III, IV)

- Child sizes: Capezio Jr. Tyette N625C
- Adult sizes: Capezio Jr. Tyette N625

Full Sole Oxford Style Tap Shoes
(Levels A, B, C, D)

- Child sizes: Capezio Downtowm 473C or Fluid CG17C
- Adult sizes: Capezio Downtown 473 or Fluid CG17

Split Sole Slip-on Style Jazz Shoes
(All Levels)

- Child sizes: Capezio E-Series EJ2C
- Adult sizes: Capezio E-Series EJ2

Items can be puchased online at capezio.com. Please carefully review all the sizing suggestions in the descriptions for each item, they are all different!

Additonally, we have some slightly used children's size dance shoes at the studio and you can check there to see if there is a pair that fits your dancer. Curently we have very few jazz and ballet shoes, but we do have a pretty good selection of tap shoes.