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Ballet Dancewear

Adult Tutus Before you or your child enter the ballet studio it is important to know exactly what to wear and what to expect from the lessons. What the student is required to wear can vary from studio to studio. To get the exact requirements, it is advisable to call the school beforehand and find out exactly what you need.

Traditionally, the dancer will wear a black leotard, classical pink tights and Pointe shoes. If you are taking ballet for your very first time, you will not be learning to dance in the classical Pointe shoes. Instead you will be learning on flats, to learn the movements and how to balance properly. These are available from all dance supply stores. Once your progress in ballet you can transfer to the classical Pointe shoes.

When you begin lessons, it may be the request of the instructor for you to wear no skirt. This is not uncommon. This will allow the teacher to see your hip alignment and correct any mistakes with posture that could be hidden by a skirt.
The most important preparation you can do before ballet lessons is to tie your hair neatly back. If you do not do this, your hair is going to make jumping and turning very difficult and will affect your judgment.

The classic piece of dancewear that is synonymous with ballet is the tutu. There are three main styles of tutu. These are the romantic, the classical and the bell tutu. The romantic was the first style of tutu ever worn and its first appearance was in Paris in 1832. The romantic style is long and flowing and made of five layers of fine material. The classical tutu followed next and its shorter length came from the audiences demand to see more of the intricate and impressive legwork the dancers were performing.

Today, the classical style is divided into two categories. The Russian and the Balanchine. The Russian style has "hooping" which is a stiff wire inserted into one of the central pieces of fabric, giving the tutu a stiff outward shape. The Balanchine style has no hopping and is made of a softer material.

The final style of tutu is the bell. The bell tutu is the one commonly associated with ballet. It is a combination of both the romantic and classical style. The bell tutu is also the style that is worn by the public for fashion.

The style of costume a performing ballerina will wear depends on the type of ballet they are performing. If they were performing the classic Swan Lake, written by the Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the ballerina would wear the Russian classical tutu. In the ballet "A Midsummer Night's dream," the dancer will wear a chiffon dress. In abstract ballet, the dancer may just wear a leotard and Pointe shoes.

But wearing the tutu is seen as marking the peak of a ballerina's skill and grace. Nothing expresses the classical technique and years of dedication quite like the tight-fitting bodice and the short, snow-white skirt. To excel in ballet takes extreme dedication and passion for the art form. For the young, it can be a fine way to learn discipline as well as balance, grace and the pursuit for perfection.

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