- Make sure your shoes are comfortable; if you opt for high heels, make sure you aren’t wobbly in them. Aside from making it harder to learn, if you’re constantly thinking about how smooshed your pinky toe is or worrying if you’re ankles are going to buckle, you could actually injure yourself or at the least give yourself some unpleasant blisters. Now, sneakers may also be a little hard to dance in since they grip the floor too much to allow for super-easy rotation, but for the first few lessons you should be fine. I’ll post later on what shoes to invest in if you plan on dancing for a while.
- Make sure you’re covered. Ladies, there is a good chance you’ll do a few turns and maybe even be dipped. Super fun, but also potentially super revealing! If you’re wearing a skirt or dress, I recommend some shorts underneath for modesty’s sake. My personal favorites are by Capezio (link at the bottom of the post). I’ve had a few pairs for several years now and they still have their shape and stretch. They come in a variety of lengths and colors, so you can choose some that are long enough for you to feel comfortable and match your dress (not necessary unless you’re doing a performance, but certainly fun).
- If you’re self-conscious about your legs, you can always wear tights or stockings. If you plan on dancing for a while, and maybe even performing or competing, I recommend investing in some fishnets. I don’t mean your normal fishnets from Macy’s, or even the more risqué burlesque-ish fishnets you may be picturing (that was my first mental image when I was told to get some fishnets). I’m referring to dance fishnets. I personally love my fishnets from Capezio (I promise they’re not paying me to write this; they just make really good dance clothing). They’re made for dance, so they’re both super stretchy and durable. I’ve had mine for 3 years, and despite quite a few snags during quick changes, they’ve never ripped. I got mine in Caramel, which is a slightly darker tone than my natural skin color—to better match my legs when I tan for competitions.
As I thought about all the things I want to write about, and tried to figure out where I should start, I remembered the very first question I had when I started dancing: what the heck do I wear? When I first walked into the dance studio on July 22nd 2009 (yes, I’m crazy enough that I remember the date), I was a bit apprehensive and had no idea what to expect. I was greeted by Richard, the friendly receptionist at the time, and he asked me what brought me in. After chitchatting a bit, he asked me if I wanted to get started—since they had an instructor available in about 15 minutes. PANIC! I had not mentally prepared myself for dancing right away, and I looked for any excuse to schedule my first lesson at a later time. “Oh, I’m not dressed to dance” is what I blurted out. I had come right from work and was wearing some khakis, a tank top with a pink cardigan over it, and some ballet flats (again, I’m kind of a crazy details person). Thankfully, Richard accepted that excuse (maybe he saw the fear in my eyes) and scheduled my lesson for the next day. When I got home that night, I realized I had absolutely no idea what to wear—even though I had given my outfit as a reason not to dance. Flash forward to now and I can give you some advice that I wish I had received before my first lesson. Simply wear something that you’re comfortable in! I’ve seen people take lessons in jeans, skirts, dresses, work clothes, workout clothes, casual wear, and (my personal favorite) leggings with a flowy top. I’ve seen girls in crazy-high stilettos and guys in running sneakers. As long as you’re comfortable, and not self-conscious about the outfit, you should wear what you’d like. Now as you start progressing, and depending on your goals, I might recommend switching over to practice wear or more athletic clothing—but more on that in a later post. Now, there are a few recommendations I have for your first lesson no matter what your clothes:
2 Comments
Aunt Roe
8/14/2016 09:13:54 pm
And can this gal dance!!
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hanks for sharing the article, and more importantly, your personal experience of mindfully using our emotions as data about our inner state and knowing when it’s better to de-escalate by taking a time out are great tools. Appreciate you reading and sharing your story since I can certainly relate and I think others can to
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AuthorHi, I'm Ann Marie! I'm a rhinestone-loving, Disney-obsessing, husky-owning, amateur ballroom dancer. I started this blog to share the knowledge I've gained and the experiences I've had ballroom dancing. I hope this blog helps you navigate the sparkly world of ballroom dancing. Happy reading and happy dancing! |