A Window on ... Dance

Get Organised

	A Beginner's Shopping List These are the things you will need: suitable clothes shoes somewhere to learn
	Suitable clothes For any dance practice you need something suitable to wear. Your clothes should be comfortable and allow you to move easily without any restriction. Many dancers wear leotards and tights for practice sessions. Leotards are favoured because they are not fussy and do not conceal the line of the body. However, the type of clothes you wear will depend on the dancing you are doing. In country dancing for example, track suit bottoms/jeans and a T-shirt might be more appropriate. Dance fashion clothes are popular at the moment and come in a range of bright colours complete with leg warmers. However, many dance teachers prefer you to wear plain, simple practice clothes. They will probably tell you what to wear for their classes. If you do wear leg warmers, take them off when you get warm. Performance clothes offer you the chance to dress up. These will vary according to the type of dancing you are involved in. Some are very showy and may be quite expensive to buy. Even if someone makes the costume for you, the cost of materials and decorations should not be underestimated. Your dance teacher will tell you what type of dance wear you should have if you are taking examinations. (Remember there are extra costs involved for entrance fees).
	Shoes Suitable footwear is necessary and comfort is important. There are usually local suppliers of dance footwear for tap, ballet and modern dance. Visit the shop and try out your shoes before you buy. Costs will depend on the type and quality of shoes you choose. Some types of footwear such as clogs, may need to be ordered from a national supplier. This can be quite expensive. If you are involved in a dance group, ask the advice of the teacher or other members of the group about purchasing footwear before you buy.
	Hair and Jewellery If you have long hair, it is useful to tie it back so that it does not distract you. Safety is just as important in dancing as any other activity and loose flying hair can cause accidents. Jewellery is also unnecessary when you are practising. Again, consider safety.
	Fitness Many people take up dancing to keep fit but it does help to have a certain level of fitness or suppleness before you start. At home you can practice some simple stretching exercises to get your body moving and make it more supple. A good dance book will give you some advice about the sort of exercises you can do at home. These exercises can also be used before a class as warm ups while you are waiting for your lesson to start. Remember, dancing is a form of physical exercise and your body needs to be ready to take part. Now that you are ready the only thing you need is somewhere to learn. There are dance classes in most areas but finding one to suit you may take some time. Consider whether you want to dance just for fun or work towards examinations. Check out your local area to see what's available. Now Dance tries to provide you with some suggestions of where to look.
Index About Dance Now Dance Information FAQs
	Copyright ©1997 - British Telecommunications plc
Last modified on: Tuesday, July 1, 1997.