You’ve done it! You’ve taken a leap and enrolled into the world of dance! Welcome to the land of fairy runs, tutu skirts, and ‘mum watch this’. Enrolling your child into dance allows them to embark upon a journey of creativity, partnered with new friendships, discipline, and memory and coordination skills that will make you feel like you have two left feet and the memory of a goldfish. Entering the dance world can seem overwhelming if you’ve never had experience in the realm of performing arts. But don’t be alarmed. With time you’ll understand how things go and before you know it you’ll be putting tights on without making holes and doing hair buns with your eyes closed (well maybe one eye closed). When it comes to preparing your child for their first dance class (and year of dance) we have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Let us share with you the best ways to ensure your year ahead runs as smoothly as possible.

Upon enrolment, most schools will provide a uniform list of what’s required to be worn. Knowing what to wear to class not only allows your child to be prepared for what they will be doing, but it also corresponds with the schools policies and procedures. Having the appropriate attire will enable teachers to see if they have correct alignment and will prevent the risk of injuries caused by inappropriate wear. Depending on the school or class, the length of what may be required will vary. If your little one is starting with a ballet class, they will most likely need to wear a leotard, skirt, tights, and shoes. Our ProForm leotards start from a child XXXS, equivalent to a child AU size 1-2, allowing for the smallest of derrières to be covered. The ProForm material is also anti-pill and moisture absorbent, ensuring long term durability and wear. The dance skirts also start from an XXXS, completing the perfect little outfit!

For the little gentlemen that are about to start their dance journeys, there’s a range of boys leotards and bottoms starting from an XXS so everyone is ready to skip their way to class. If wearing a leotard is proving to be a bit more difficult than anticipated and there’s less skipping and more stomping, a T-shirt is another great option that can be worn instead.

More and more children are starting dance from a younger age but that doesn’t mean that you need to compromise on the size, fit, and quality of the garments and products that you purchase. Having a form fitting dance shoe will prevent the risk of tripping and allow the child to feel the floor properly when they are first learning to point their toes. But just because they are form fitting, doesn’t mean that there can’t be a bit of growing room. Our dancewear consultants are all trained in shoe fittings and are able to fit dance shoes with adequate growing room without having to compromise on the integrity and aesthetic of how the shoe should be worn. The new Annabelle Ballet Shoe starts from a children’s size 5 and comes in a range of widths to ensure the perfect fit is met for your mini dancer. It also comes with the elastic strap pre-attached so you don’t need to worry about sewing anything on (win!).

If ballet isn’t your little ones forte and they prefer the hip shaking of jazz or the rhythm of tap, we have a range of jazz and tap shoes to fit all foot shapes and sizes. Our tap shoes also have a debut option which are made from a PVC material with the same pro-tone plates and sound boards as our premium tap shoes, offering maximum percussive quality at a lower price option.

Going to and from class, it’s advised to not wear your dance shoes outside. Not only will it keep them clean, it will prolong their wear as they are designed to be worn indoors. Placing them in a dance bag is a great way to ensure they are kept together and prevents them from getting lost. The Spencer Drawstring Bag can be worn as a backpack and can fit all the essentials a young one would need. If pink or purple are favourite colours, the Everleigh Bag with its shoulder strap or the fun Glitter Bags which come in a range of sizes and shapes are your go-tos. A drink bottle is highly encouraged, especially in the warmer months to ensure they stay hydrated. When it gets cooler, the school may or may not specify warm-up attire. We have a range of warm-up items that can be worn in class ranging from the Australian Merino Wool collection to the crossovers in the ProForm material.

To further complete the look (and not serve as a distraction) hair often needs to be tied back or kept off the face. If you find that putting their fine hair in a bun and keeping it up is proving to be a bit more of a challenge than anticipated, there’s a range of hair accessories to help tame those fly aways. Ranging from scrunchies to headbands, pins to bun nets, you can find all your hair needs in store or online. Watching tutorials on youtube is a great way to gain a visual understanding of what needs to be performed or you could read our blog piece on getting the perfect bun to further enhance your skills.

Before they start their first class there may be a few nerves or feelings of apprehension (or you may have a child who was born to perform and can’t wait to leave the house!). Regardless of how they may be feeling, it can be helpful to talk about what’s going to happen in the class so there won’t be any unwanted surprises upon arrival. Discussing who their teacher will be, what they are going to do, and who will be there can provide comfort and reassurance. If there are any friends who dance, organising a catch up so stories can be shared can provide further encouragement, or purchasing a book about ballet or starting dance can be an easy way to start to make things feel more familiar. Arriving a little earlier to class will also allow them to settle in before the class commences without the added stress (for both you and them) of running late.

As the year progresses, the dance school will keep you informed with what is happening through all channels of communication. These updates will contain important information on what is occurring throughout the year, dates of performances and showcases, and any other notes that are integral to the events at the school. Keeping an eye out will allow you to plan ahead, preventing you from missing out on that first performance!

With the advice mentioned above, a bit of preparation, and a learn as you go mentality, your first year of dance should run without a hiccup. Our retail dancewear consultants are always happy to provide further guidance about the fit of garments, ensuring your budding performer blooms into a beautiful dancer.

Article by Sheree Ronai-Horvath
Photography by Elly Ford

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