For our series Ask A Dance Teacher, we asked ballet teacher Johanna Hadley some common questions about ballet training.
Our question was, “Which leotards are best for ballet?”
Watch our video and find out which leotards are best for ballet.
Johanna says:
Leotards are an important part of a ballet dancer’s training. Wearing a leotard allows the dancer to move freely and safely without any material restricting the movement. It also allows the teacher to see the positions of the dancer clearly and to check their alignment and posture is held correctly to ensure the dancer is training safely.
With so many different styles available, choosing a leotard can be confusing. I’ll explain the styles and different materials used.
Which leotards are best for pre-school dancers?
There’s a wide range of dancewear available for pre-school dancers and young children. For pre-school classes, dance teachers usually allow the parent to choose which leotard the young dancer wears. As children get to around five or six years old and begin working towards their first ballet exams (usually Pre-Primary and Primary), it is normal for the teacher to specify a set uniform, however.
Ballet tutu
The tutu is a classic outfit for any budding ballet dancer. Tutus for pre-school age dancers differ quite drastically to those used by competitive ballet students or professional ballet dancers – however, they give the feel of a pretty tutu and look adorable! Tutus are available in a wide range of styles, including single/spaghetti strap, short sleeves, mesh panels, floral designs and diamantés. They normally have an attached tutu skirt with several layers of soft tulle.
Ballet leotard with attached skirt
The training of young dancers usually involves the use of a skirt to encourage correct use of the arms and abdominals, which makes skirted leotards a practical piece of uniform. Parents don’t have to worry about losing skirts or skirts becoming untied in a lesson because they are securely attached to the leotard.
Skirted leotards can be used by dancers of all ages, from pre-school to adults. They are a particularly popular choice for dance-school uniforms.
Ballet leotard
Ballet leotards can be purchased in a wide range of styles and colours. Students who are around five or six years old will normally wear a ballet leotard if they are working towards a ballet exam. Ballet leotards are a requirement by all of the main ballet examination boards. Ballet leotards can be in a single-strap, short-sleeve, cap-sleeve or long-sleeve style and sometimes come with a waist belt.
Ballet leotard with separate skirt
It is normal for younger children to use a skirt in their early training and also for students who take ballet examinations to require a skirt. The uniform specification for examinations is usually set by the exam board, however, with the final details (colour and style) decided by each teacher. Ballet examination skirts are normally in a chiffon or soft polyester material, but separate skirts can be in a pull-on skirt, self-tie skirt or tutu style in a wide range of materials.
Which leotards are best for ballet dancers?
For children who are approximately age seven upwards, it is less common for them to wear styles like frilly tutus for ballet classes. From this age to adult ballet dancers, ballet leotards are used for classes.
Camisole leotards
Camisole leotards (sometimes known as spaghetti strap) are a single-strap leotard and are one of the most popular leotard styles used by dancers. They’re popular for examinations (especially vocational examinations), auditions and competitions. Camisole leotards give a simple, pure and elegant line to the dancer without distracting embellishments.
If you wish to wear a camisole leotard, you need to be confident that you don’t want to wear a bra underneath because the bra straps will show. You can purchase a leotard with a shelf bra lining or bra-like design feature. Alternatively, you can purchase dance bras, which are supportive like a sports bra but have clear straps that won’t look as obvious underneath a camisole leotard.
Variations on the camisole leotard
Camisole leotard designs are available that give the illusion of a single strap from the front but a double strap or decorative pattern on the back. These styles are less likely to be used in a ballet exam class but can look beautiful for non-syllabus classes, masterclasses or for standing out in an audition.
Tank leotard
Tank leotards are popular for dancers of all ages, and especially for dancers who are studying towards ballet examination grades.
They look like a single, wide strap from the front and typically have a higher back than a camisole leotard. This makes them ideal for hiding bra straps.
Capped-sleeve leotard
Capped-sleeve leotards give a flattering shape to the dancer and highlight the dancer’s neckline. They provide a little more coverage over the shoulder and armpit area (which is ideal for any self-conscious teens or adults).
Short-sleeve leotard
As the name suggests, short-sleeve leotards feature a short sleeve. It is typically longer than a capped sleeve and is worn by both male and female dancers of all ages.
This style is particularly common with children for exam wear. Adult dancers sometimes like short-sleeve leotards because they cover the tops of their arms. Short-sleeve leotards are also useful for colder dance studios as they provide a little extra warmth on the upper arms.
Long-sleeve leotard
Long-sleeve leotards can feature a full-length sleeve or a 3/4 sleeve. The material can be the same as that of the leotard body or can include beautiful lace or mesh features. As with a short-sleeve leotard, students who are in a colder climate or colder dancer studio can use long-sleeve leotards for extra warmth.
Dancers who may feel conscious about sweat patches should be aware that long- and short-sleeve leotards can more easily show sweat patches. If this is a concern, darker colours hide sweat patches much better.
Halterneck
The neckline on a halterneck typically runs higher than that of other leotards, which enables dancers with larger busts to feel more secure when dancing. As in high-street fashion, a halter neck loops in a strap that fastens at the neck, showing off the upper back and shoulders.
Students who may be conscious of poor posture should be aware that halternecks can emphasise any postural problems. A halterneck is nevertheless a stylish leotard to wear.
Boat neckline
A boat neckline is the same as the style found in high-street fashions. It can emphasise the dancer’s classical neckline with its wide, dramatic cut.
Which material is best for ballet leotards?
Ballet leotards are available in a wide variety of materials. Over time, dancers begin to find their preference for leotard materials because each offers its own benefits in freedom of movement, warmth, ease of washing etc.
Unlike leotards of the past, which were uncomfortable and difficult to move in, leotards now usually have a certain degree of elastane content. Elastane is sometimes known as Spandex or Lycra® and allows for extra movement in the garment in different directions. It is commonly found in sports garments, swimwear and dancewear.
Cotton leotards
Cotton is one of the most common leotard materials. It is a warmer material with a matte look and ideal for more sensitive skin because of its soft touch.
Cotton is an absorbent material, so be careful for sweat patches showing more easily. This can be mitigated by choosing a leotard in a darker colour, which hides sweat better.
Nylon Lycra®
Nylon with an elastane content creates a highly stretchy material that is great for retaining its shape. It is a tough material that can be scrunched up, stuffed into ballet bags, stretched in different directions and yet not particularly show any signs of wear from this.
Nylon Lycra® leotards typically have a slight shine to them, which also makes them a popular choice of leotard for tap and jazz classes.
Microfibre
Microfibre leotards are soft, stretchy and have excellent colour retention after washing (if washing instructions are followed correctly). Microfibre leotards are perhaps one of the most common leotard materials, especially for fashion leotards.
Microfibre leotards have similar properties to a nylon Lycra® leotard – they are highly resilient to wear and handling. They differ in their appearance, having more of a matte look and a softer feel when compared with nylon Lycra®.
Econyl®
Econyl® leotards are perfect for the environmentally conscious dancer. Econyl® is made with nylon waste from items such as discarded carpets, old clothing and fishing nets. It is collected from landfills and oceans and given a new life as Econyl®.
The material has a near-identical look and feel to microfibre – it would be difficult to tell the two materials apart without looking at the label.
What are the features of ballet leotards?
There are also little extra features that some ballet leotards have. Some are there for practical reasons, others to enhance the look of the leotard. Ballet leotards can have beautiful features such as mesh panels, cut-out panels, zips and lace, but I’ll explain some of the more practical features on some leotards.
Full-front linings
Full-front linings are an extra piece of material in the front of the leotard, making the front panel double thickness. It is sometimes called a modesty lining and is especially useful in paler-coloured leotards.
Shelf bra
A shelf-bra lining is a common feature in adult-size leotards. It is an integrated lining fixed across the chest with elastic underneath. It resembles the front half of a sports bra fixed inside a leotard.
Shelf bras are useful for modesty and support – they are designed to be used in place of a bra. For larger busts, however, dancers may still prefer to use a leotard with a more supportive bra built in or to buy a specific dance bra for additional support.
Bra-like technologies
Some brands of leotards incorporate a moulded bra into their adult-sized leotards. This is a soft cup without any wiring (like a t-shirt bra). Also available are specific bra technologies that imitate a high-street bra with, for example, adjustable clasps at the back and adjustable straps.
Princess seams
Princess seams are panels on a leotard to give a more flattering cut to the leotard. They divide the front panel into three sections and give shaping and a closer fit to the dancer.
Ruche
A ruche on a leotard can be either a fixed ruche (especially common in leotards for younger children) or an adjustable ruche (common in leotards for teens and adults). Having this flexibility for an adjustable ruche means that dancers with larger busts can adjust their leotard to a height that feels more secure. Leotards can also have a ruche on the back, allowing the dancer to adjust the height of the back, or a ruche on the hip, allowing the dancer to give the leotard a higher leg line if they wish.
Waist belts
Some leotards, especially for younger students and exam leotards (all ages), feature a waist belt. A waist belt is a useful learning tool for students (it can help them to place their arms correctly) and can also be used by the teacher to check if the student is dancing with their hips out of alignment.
When waist belts arrive with a leotard, they are a generic size and will need to be adjusted to fit correctly. If the belt is too large, it will need to have a tuck put into it (make sure you use cotton that is the same colour as the elastic belt). If it needs to be made larger, you can sew two elastic belts together.
Don’t worry if you lose your waist belt – you can always purchase a replacement. A little tip, though, is to tie the waist belt around the shoulder strap whenever you’re not wearing it.
Ballet skirts
Ballet skirts are a great addition to leotards for dancers of all ages. Skirts can be purchased in a long, medium or short length in a self-wrap or pull-on style. Sometimes, fashion leotards have a specific matching skirt that looks stylish when they are paired together.