Dance Teacher Blog: Costumes for Your Piece

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Dance Teacher Blog: Costumes for Your Piece
By Brandy Curry

I taught a costume design class at a performing arts high school in Los Angeles and I still had trouble deciding on the right costumes for my piece.  I sketch, and doodle, and sew, and still have trouble choosing the right costume that will compliment my choreography.  I love flipping through catalogs and surfing online, I recently used Discount Dance for basic tutus and leotards and jazzed up the look with silk flowers, and rhinestones.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT COSTUME

• Ask your dancers about the piece; my students responses often inspire the "look"
• Does the music convey mood, emotion? Do certain colors convey those moods?
• Tight budget may mean you take an old tutu and add rhinestones.  Or just have dancers wear their class leotards and purchase dance pants, skirts, or tutus.  Add a hairpiece and voila!   
• The style of dance should be conveyed in the costume...i.e., tutus for ballet!
• If your K-12 school has purchased the costumes 

Costumes can be expensive but I have used these Dance Costumers for years and haven't gone over budget.

AFFORDABLE COSTUME COMPANIES 

• Discount Dance
• Art Stone Costumes
• A Wish Come True
• Revolution Dancewear
• Marcea

I recently had one of my classes wear their class leotard, and I purchased new hairpieces and had snowflakes sewn on the tutus.  Total cost was less than $50.