Jazz Dancewear: What You Should Wear in Jazz Class

The appropriate jazz dancewear for jazz class is extremely variable, especially compared to required ballet dancewear. In ballet, you are usually safe wearing a black leotard and pink tights with your hair slicked back in a bun-this is the unspoken universal dance dress code of ballet class. Yes, some ballet classes will allow for different colored tights and leotards, or even will let you wear bike shorts over the top of the leotard and tights. But in general, if you take a ballet class, you probably already have a pretty clear idea as to what type of dancewear you can expect to wear.

Jazz class has a completely different set of requirements for dance dress code. Although it is expected that your jazz clothes won't consist of baggy jeans and an oversized t-shirt, there is no one dance dress code for jazz dancewear that applies to every single jazz class. Required jazz dancewear depends on many variables, including the style of jazz class, since, as all experienced dancers know, there are dozens of sub-genres within the basic style of jazz. You'll probably wear different jazz clothes for a Latin jazz class than the jazz dancewear meant for musical theater or a more contemporary style of jazz class. Other factors that will play into your choice of jazz dancewear are the difficulty level of the class, the average age of the other dancers and the dance instructors themselves. Some jazz class instructors have a strict dance dress code in which the only jazz dancewear females can wear to jazz class are short biker shorts (also known as booty shorts) and a sports bra. Other dance studios may consider themselves more "family friendly" and they will have a dance dress code that requires dancers to cover themselves a bit more and wear more modest jazz dancewear.

Although every dance dress code differs in every jazz class, there are a few universal rules that almost every jazz class instructor will abide by.

The most important rule for jazz dancewear is to not wear loose or baggy clothes to jazz class unless you're stretching or warming up. Once the jazz class warm up is over, the sweats should disappear. Most of the time, jazz clothes will consist of biker shorts or their shorter cousin, booty shorts, paired with a tight but stretchy tank top. Sometimes dancers in the jazz class will wear looser running shorts as well, but I recommend you wear bike shorts and a tank top and have a pair of loose shorts handy. This way, you will be prepared for a stricter dance dress code, but won't feel underdressed in a jazz class with a more modest dance dress code.

It helps to purchase jazz clothes in brands that are geared specifically for jazz class. There are certain brands of jazz dancewear that everyone seems to wear, no matter which school or studio you attend. These include Katrina dancewear, Capezio, Bloch, Mirella Dancewear, Body Wrappers, Danskin and Harmonie. These brands of jazz dancewear can be purchased in most dance studios and schools as well as online at sites such as www.discountdance.com. Danskin's jazz dancewear is even sold at several Target Stores in the fitness clothing area.

There are a few others thing to keep in mind for jazz class. Your hair should be pulled back for jazz class-just like in ballet, this is part of the unspoken dance dress code, and is even included on many dance dress code policies at dance studios. It doesn't have to be in a bun like in ballet, but you should at least take the time to slick your hair out of your face and into a ponytail. If you have shorter hair, use a few bobby pins or a headband to keep it out of your face during jazz class.

Another thing: don't wear a ton of accessories. They are distracting for you, other dancers and the jazz class instructor. And dangly jewelry can get caught in your hair or your jazz dancewear.

As far as jazz shoes go, each teacher will have his or her own preferences. You will find that most dancers don't wear jazz shoes. Instead, they choose to go barefoot or wear socks in the typical studio jazz class, especially for competition lines. Sometimes you'll see dancers in studio jazz class wearing foot thongs, but rarely will they have other jazz shoes such as jazz booties or dance sneakers. But if you take a jazz class elsewhere, you may find that everyone wears high quality jazz shoes to class. When in doubt, I suggest coming to jazz class prepared: bring a set of foot thongs, socks, and a sturdier pair of jazz shoes.

The safest route for following a dance dress code in jazz class is to check the policy of the studio or dance school. If there is no dance dress code, ask the instructor for suggestions regarding jazz dancewear. You can also ask a student who has already taken the jazz class for advice on which jazz clothes to wear to jazz class. Although it is rare for a jazz class to have a strict dance dress code, with jazz dancewear, you're better safe than sorry.