Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
Dancewear includes any items of clothing commonly worn by dancers. The items of dancewear include pointe shoes, tap shoes and slippers; leotards and unitards; tights; tutus; and class warm-ups such as cardigans and legwarmers. Where a dance costume is designed for a particular performance and character, dancewear is the dancer's working clothing — the standardized, close-fitting kit that lets a teacher see the body's lines, lets the dancer move without restriction, and stands up to daily class and rehearsal. This page explains the main items, the fabrics they use, and how class dress codes in ballet and other forms organize them.
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dancewear). Modified by Apparel Search 8/8/05 |
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Each item of dancewear answers a specific demand. Shoes come first: pointe shoes support a ballet dancer's weight on the tips of the toes with a hardened box, tap shoes carry metal taps that make the dance audible, and soft slippers give grip and floor-feel for class work. The leotard provides the standard class uniform — a single close-fitting garment that stays in place through any movement — and the unitard extends the same idea over the legs. Tights give the leg a uniform line and a layer of warmth and protection, and the tutu, in its practice and performance forms, keeps the hips and legs visible while marking the classical ballet silhouette.
Warm-ups complete the system. Cardigans made for dance wrap and tie close to the body, and legwarmers keep the calf and ankle muscles warm between exercises without covering the foot — both are worn at the barre and removed as the body warms. Fabrics throughout are stretch knits that tolerate sweat and frequent washing, because dancewear is athletic equipment as much as clothing.
Dancewear includes any items of clothing commonly worn by dancers: pointe shoes, tap shoes and slippers; leotards and unitards; tights and tutus; and warm-up pieces such as cardigans and legwarmers.
Dancewear is the dancer's everyday working clothing for class, training and rehearsal — standardized and practical. A dance costume is designed for a specific performance, to present a character, theme or visual effect to an audience. The two wardrobes overlap in items such as the tutu, but their purpose differs.
Class clothing is close-fitting so the teacher can see the alignment of the spine, hips, knees and feet and correct it — loose fabric hides exactly the lines a lesson exists to check. Stretch fabrics give that visibility while allowing the full range of movement dance requires.