Dress

REQUIRED DRESS

Ballet:

Girls: black leotard, pink tights, pink ballet slippers. Leotards may have any style sleeve, but should not have graphics or skirts attached. Tights should be free of obvious runs and tears. Hair must be neatly secured in a bun when possible. Girls with shorter hairstyles must secure hair off the face as much as possible. Girls en pointe should consider convertible tights for access to the toes. No baggy warm-up clothing is permitted. Ballet skirts may be permitted at the teacher’s discretion; please check with your child’s teacher before purchasing one.

Boys: solid, well-fitting t-shirt, solid dance pants or sweatpants, and black or white ballet slippers. No graphics. No baggy warm-up clothing is permitted.

Jazz:

Girls: solid colored leotards or unitards and tights or jazz pants. Jazz shoes are recommended.

Boys: well-fitting t-shirt, solid dance pants or sweatpants. Jazz shoes are recommended.

School Calendar
Dress and Pointe Class Guidelines
Etiquette
Teachers

POINTE

Pointe Class Guidelines:

As you begin dancing en pointe you have begun a very specialized training in dance. This must be done correctly as to prevent injury. Please read the pointe article written by Kathi Ferguson. Here are some of the important concepts. A dancer should:

be at least ten years of age
have correct posture and alignment
be approved by her teacher
be taking at least three technique classes per week

Kathi stands firmly behind the Freed Classic Point shoe or the Gamba. These shoes help the student develop the correct muscles for dancing. Other shoes, although stronger and long lasting, allow the dancer to rely on the shoe for the stability needed and further growth in these muscles is stalled. Fuzi is an alternate shoe in the case that Freed's or Gamba's are unavailable.

Sewing of the suggested wide ribbons should be at the center of the dancers arch and the elastics should be approximately 1 inch from the point of the heel and fit snugly. It is not recommended for the dancer to dance without ribbons for support. Safety pins are not safe and should not be considered at any time. Once tied the ribbons must be tucked in from the top down, at the ankle just short of the lateral bone for the ankle on either side.

Pointe shoes should be bought in pairs and when one is drying, the other pair is worn. This will help the last of the shoe. Pointe shoes are interchangeable as to left or right. This must be done consistently from the beginning to help maintain the shoe.

Please purchase your pointe shoes one/two weeks prior to the first class. Check with the individual store on their return policy. If the fit is incorrect, they may be to be returned. These shoes must be approved by your teacher before you sew and wear them. Bring your shoes the first pointe class in the fall and your teacher can approve them. Be sure not to wear and make the shoes dirty or worn before they are approved!

Mail Order Websites:

Discount Dance Supply - www.discountdance.com

Local Retail Stores:

Leg-Up Dancewear
8940 J Rt. 108
Columbia, MD
410.715.9060

Premier Dance Gear
Located in Gateway Plaza
7185 Columbia Gateway Dr.
Columbia, MD 21046
410.418.8804
www.premierdancegear.com

Columbia Dance Fashions
Located in Snowden Center
6935 Oakland Mills Rd, Ste. J
Columbia, MD
410.381.2767

Dance Supplies, Etc., Inc.
537 C Baltimore Annapolis Blvd.
Severna Park, MD
410.647.8727
www.dancesupply.com

Footlights
306 East Church St.
Frederick, MD
301.696.1558
www.dancefootlights.com

Other Maryland Dance Stores: www.grishko.com/maryland.htm