“The Dress Code is intended to allow dancers
to work free of distracting or inhibiting clothing...to help teachers see and
correct the students' bodies, and to train students in how to present
themselves in dance in a professional-level manner.” – Peabody Institute
As the dance school year begins in the United
States, dancers and their parents descend upon dance supply stores to purchase
shoes and appropriate dance attire. Many
schools have specific dress code requirements, and often parents and dancers
question if this is a necessary part of dance training.
Healthy
dancing relies on the correct alignment and placement of the body and the
ability to engage specific muscle groups for specific exercises. Fitted
leotards, tights and dance pants allow teachers the see students’ bodies and
properly evaluate their technique.
Wearing
proper dance attire also encourages dancers to work harder and stand
taller. Without baggy clothing to hide
behind, dancers begin to take more pride in how they present themselves and
work at optimal levels. Bad alignment
habits cannot be hidden, and it is obvious if certain muscles are not engaged.
Dance
is a field steeped in discipline, and a dress code adds to this discipline that
each dancer must develop if he or she is going to improve and grow in the dance
world. Leotards and tights are expected
attire in classes, rehearsals and auditions around the world, and dancers are
recognized by their attire.
Some
schools also require specific colors of tights or leotards that should be worn
to class. This requirement creates a
uniform look in class that reinforces the idea of unity that dancers will need
when performing together, and it is helpful to the dance educator. Without the distraction of differently
colored or styled leotards, it is easier to determine which dancer in a group
may be performing the exercise incorrectly.
Dress
codes discourage students concerns or pressure about what to wear to
class. They allow those from higher
socio-economic groups and those from lower socioeconomic groups to dance
together equally. A dress code
eliminates the need to purchase a new trendy leotard and reminds everyone that
the important element is the art of dance and not how the dancer is dressed.
Additionally,
when differently colored leotards correspond to different class levels, a
teacher or choreographer can easily determine the skill level of a dancer with
a quick glance, and the colors begin to create a hierarchy within a
school. As dancers strive to reach the
next level, they will eventually be rewarded with the opportunity to wear the
coveted leotard color of the next level and have their achievements easily
recognized by others.
The
goal of a dress code is not to discourage self-expression or imply strict
training. Dress codes promote hard work,
healthy training, required discipline, a sense of unity, classroom focus,
psychological health and a sense of pride.
A dance educator that requires specific classroom attire is not trying
to be overly strict or elitist, but is simply doing his or her job.
