The art of dance is something that has been with mankind for so long that it’s really impossible to figure out its origins. Most experts in the field merely conclude that dancing is something that has always been with us, likely something that even pre-hominid great apes participated in. Though we can trace back certain types of this art form to their origins. One of the most popular forms of dance, for instance, ballet, was first recognized in the Italian Renaissance. Over the years, its popularity would increase across Europe, jumping to Spain, France, and landing in Russia, and really becoming revolutionized into the modern ballet we see today.
We speak of ballet here in order to speak about dancewear. Also referred to as dance gear or just dance clothing, this is a specific type of gear that dancers purchase to use in their craft, and this was very much popularized by the modern ballet scene in Russia. Though what is this gear exactly? Let’s unpack the definition a bit.
Understanding Dancewear
Dancewear is a widely recognized genre, and it even has its own dictionary entry. It is defined simply as dance clothing that is suitable for the craft, as in practicing, training, rehearsing, and performing. Though this definition doesn’t do justice for the broad genre of dance gear. In the context of dance, any sort of clothing specific to the genre used to do. Though with the wide variety of companies involved in selling the gear, and the technological advancements of fabrics, today’s dance gear is extremely high-quality.
You find nylon, lycra, poly, and other blended fabrics that are tough as nails while also being very soft, comfortable, and flexible. This means that high-quality dance gear is able to hold up to the rigors of training and dancing while remaining protective and comfortable to wear for the individual dancer. Locations like body things have a wide array of this dance gear available, no matter what type of dancing you appreciate.
Types of Popular Dance Gear Available
Shoes
For many dancers out there, the single most important dance-specific item they’re going to obtain is the dance shoe. You have jazz shoes, flamenco shoes, ballet shoes, and the most popular of them all, pointe shoes. Understand that each style of shoe here is custom crafted to help a dancer in that specific genre. So, for instance, a jazz shoe isn’t going to offer to an artful ballet dancer what a pointe shoe will. While both styles of the shoe are comfortable and durable, they have different qualities and strong points that are going to assist the dancer in a specific genre. There are dozens of types of dance shoes out there from which dancers can choose.
Bodysuits
Then you have something like bodysuits. This is another area where you have a lot of variety. The most popular type of suit in this regard is the leotard, called “leo” in the industry for short. Understand, however, that there are different leo types out there. If you’re looking for a dancing leo, you wouldn’t want to buy one that was made for gymnastics, and vice versa. Other types of bodysuits are available, like the unitard, which usually features full legs and long sleeves, and is most typically used in artful interpretation styles of dance.
Accessories
You will also find things like tights and specific tops, though apart from shoes and leos, the most popular type of dance gear is undoubtedly the many accessories associated with the genre. These accessories vary widely from things like headbands and knee pads to deluxe dance bags that are going to hold all of your clothing, water bottles, your phones, and much more. There are bags that are custom-tailored just for dancers, and a range of other accessories that dancers can take advantage of. The world of dance gear is very expansive.
If you need something for dance, whether it’s shoes, a leo, or a custom bag, you should have no trouble finding these items. Though you should always keep in mind that you should only get high-quality items from a legitimate dancer’s shop.
