Dancers work all year to bring their efforts in class to life on stage, and dance costumes are a great way to complete the experience. Costumes are meant to enhance each dancer and their movement across the stage and to help tell the story of what the dance’s theme is.
Sparkles, sequins, glitter and rhinestones! If you have even been to a dance performance, then you are familiar with these common costume embellishments. But why are dance costumes so important?
One of the most special moments for a child during the dance season is when they try on their costume for the first time. After a little anticipation and patience waiting for the orders to come in, they FALL IN LOVE. It makes them feel like a princess, a prince or a super cool hip hop dancer! This unique outfit is all their own, they get to keep it and it simply puts a smile on their face! When they put it on, they feel confident and never want to take it off!
It really is more than just an outfit. Dance costumes encapsulate a memory, a vision and sense of joy for each dance performance.
Costuming for each style of dance serves a different purpose. For example, ballet costumes should be simple enough so as to not distract from the movement and should focus on displaying the beauty of the dancer’s technique, fluidity and grace. Specifically, the classic tutu and leotard of a ballet costume embodies the history and evolution of ballet. Comparatively, for styles like jazz, tap and hip hop, costumes are typically more elaborate, similar to the style of movement, and are playful, bright and eye-catching to the audience. Costumes are meant to complement the song and create uniformity amongst the dancers, which brings the entire dance to life.
Costume costs collected from each dancer cover the wholesale cost of the costume, shipping, garment bag, hanger, tag, tights, accessories and hair piece.
Additionally, our staff invests hours measuring students, choosing age appropriate costumes, ordering, exchanging, sorting, hanging and distributing costumes each fall and spring. A visual breakdown of each of these cost components is provided below.
As the stage lights reflect on each costume’s sequin and sparkle and the dancer chasse’s in their tutu, you quickly realize that costumes are more than just another piece of clothing.
