mimi66 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Thank you legseleven, I must have been having a senior moment - totally missed those posts . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Happens to us all, mimi66! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle_Richer Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Red is definitely for Christmas, that's when I wear red. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Personally I don't think anything should be banned from being worn especially in an adult recreational class unless its interfering with the person being able to do the movements properly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi66 Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 There are, however, in an adult recreational open class, some sort of unspoken rules - or just snobbery?- aren't there. Probably not for everywhere, but in my experience, more advanced classes people tend to frown upon anything too "costumy" in the class. As if to say, this is a class, this is the place to practice your art and not where one plays with costume... Particularly when you haven't got to that standard yet. Actually, I guess it is just a practicality. Costumes can, and often aim to, hide one's physical shortcomings and used to create illusion. In class, one needs to see the line of the body clearly. There is a reason why in serious classes (as in ballet school ) you only wear pink tights and a leotard only. Nothing to hide yourself from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancer Sugar Plum Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I read the advice about red leotards being off-putting in a ballet book aimed at adults. I don’t remember the name of it at the top of my head, but it must have been published at least 10 years ago. It's possible trends and opinions have changed since the book was published, and may just have been the writer's opinion. It’s the only place I’ve ever heard of this advice and I don’t mean to discredit it by asking the question about wearing red leotards. I was just curious that’s all in case it was a ballet tradition/etiquette I had missed. If there really was a colour (or leotard style) that teachers would find off-putting I probably wouldn’t realise it since I am not a teacher. The book overall was very useful. It’s aimed at adults who are new to ballet or who would like more advice about starting class and class etiquette. There’s also a chapter on starting pointe work as an adult as well. There are, however, in an adult recreational open class, some sort of unspoken rules - or just snobbery?- aren't there. Probably not for everywhere, but in my experience, more advanced classes people tend to frown upon anything too "costumy" in the class. As if to say, this is a class, this is the place to practice your art and not where one plays with costume... Particularly when you haven't got to that standard yet. Actually, I guess it is just a practicality. Costumes can, and often aim to, hide one's physical shortcomings and used to create illusion. In class, one needs to see the line of the body clearly. There is a reason why in serious classes (as in ballet school ) you only wear pink tights and a leotard only. Nothing to hide yourself from. I’ve not seen anything ‘costumy’ in class before. In adult recreational class the only rules I have ever come across was for beginners’ classes. There was a teacher who did not like people wearing socks only in case they slipped. Another teacher didn’t like long loose trousers that hid your ankles because they hide your feet rolling in (if you were rolling in) or if you had to roll up your trousers your feet could get caught in the trousers and make you fall over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi66 Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 I guess the red leotard issue is that it is distracting to teachers' eyes. i have also read before somewhere, that in children's class uniforms are essential, and where possible everyone should wear their hair in the same way, so that everyone can concentrate on the line of their body. I also think I have read somewhere that children learn and develope thier eyes for the line better that way, again, as litte distraction as possible. Then there is the issue of "overs". I know I should take them all off before the class in theory, but I can't always have 30min before the class to propperly warm up. Also as I get older, some bits just need that extra layer - I wear flees socks over my shoes at the barre for instance - to warm bits in order to avoid injury. Make up was an interesting point. Once we had this 2 french girls (ex french ballet school) came into the class fully made up and everything neat and tidy. As we know that across the channel, we tend to turn up something a bit more scruffy (reverse snobbery?) and beaten up, and with very little make-up. Turned out that in French ballet school children (probably teens' thought) are told to wear make-up (not stage make-up, though) and generally dress very neatly in class. One has to make an effort to look beautiful in France, they told me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 How interesting re. red leotards! Dd has two; one crimson one with a darker crimson velvet top, and one that is more of a dark pinky-red. Both suit her as she has extremely pale creamy skin and no teacher has ever commented - except to admire the colour on her. :-) I can imagine bright scarlet - the colour of the ROH programmes - might be off-putting for a teacher though, to keep seeing such vivid scarlet flashing past. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I have a chili powder red one which my class liked but it not the least bit comfortable to dance in. I have only worn it once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi66 Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) Spannerandpony, having read your comment I just remembered my childhood ballet class! Was I 8 or 9? It was an absolutely beginner's kids class, and... the entire class wore red (Kenzo's red) leotards with a little skirt, pink tights, and...wait for it...red leather ballet slippers! I have totally forgotten about it until now - it sounds coompletely bonkers now. I wonder if that had a lot to do with our mothers very much that film "red shoes" generation, and may be that's what they thought aspiring ballet dancers should wear. Not sure how it looked to our poor teacher... Edited February 7, 2014 by mimi66 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 When I went back to ballet I started off wearing my baggy yoga pants but they soon started to annoy me flapping around the ankles!! So then I progressed to track suit bottoms elasticated around the ankles before eventually progressing to black tights. I haven't ventured to pink ones yet but may do in the summer. In some dance schools for the younger kids it has to be pink because its the colour which allows the teacher to see the most what the leg is doing etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moomin Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 To a certain extent I think it's also sticking to the syllabus uniform for the children so us poor parents only need buy one outfit! My rad school used to allow 2 or 3 different leotard colours so not everyone was the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I am now violently allergic to burgundy leotards as both daughters used three a week for nearly ten years! The colour drained my pale skinned, dark haired dds, looked awful on redheads and made blondes look red faced. Ugh! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle_Richer Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Just get over it girls, for me its easy, If its a working outfit its black leo pink tights and black chiffon skirt, for anything else it fits that characters roll, if it be leo or tutu I really don't have a problem, it goes with the territory. My ballet wardrobe consists of over 20 leos of various colours and styles with a similar number of tutu's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chinafish Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I don't know if this has yet been posted, but I came across this the other day. http://rachelneville.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/rachel-neville-leotard-buying-guide-2013-is-here/ You'll have to provide an email to Rachel to receive a password for this. I found the relationship between body shape and cut off clothes interesting. I've always wondered how come I look good in one of my leotards from the front but look like I'm twice as big from the back! Any thoughts? Fish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I can't explain it but it is interesting, ChinaFish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle_Richer Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Awww forget about the leo, I'd love to have those 6 O'clock legs, love to know where I could get some of those from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi66 Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I don't know if this has yet been posted, but I came across this the other day. http://rachelneville.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/rachel-neville-leotard-buying-guide-2013-is-here/ You'll have to provide an email to Rachel to receive a password for this. I found the relationship between body shape and cut off clothes interesting. I've always wondered how come I look good in one of my leotards from the front but look like I'm twice as big from the back! Any thoughts? Fish The cut is very important, I guess. I forgot where I have read it but there are some sort of general rules for which shape upper body suits which type of cut. May be it was about the bathing suits, but I think that's equally valid for leotards. Edited February 9, 2014 by mimi66 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I have emailed her as I am interested in what she might suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Not that impressed by it, to be honest. Ah well, nothing lost! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Moomin I think schools often do have a uniform to make if more affordable for the parents. At our RAD school, the younger ones all wear the same style and colour and the school keeps spares. Seniors have to stick to black but have a choice of a couple of styles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TabbyCool Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I wear black or dark coloured leotards most often, usually with pink tights but sometimes I go for black, just depends how I feel. I rarely wear shorts over my leotard as I have big hips so they just make me look wider, I tend to wear a chiffon wrap skirt, I have a plain black one and 2 patterned ones from Capezio that look nice with a range of different coloured leotards. I do have some bright leotards too though, Bloch have done some lovely ones in turquoise, raspberry, purple... I do like red too, my teacher told me I suit red, although some reds do feel just a little too bright! As for fabrics not showing sweat, I recently bought a navy blue leotard from Roch Valley that is nylon lycra (a fabric I usually avoid!) with a velvet section across the bust and sleeves. The velvet comes a bit below the bottom of my bra where I usually get sweat marks and hides all of my sweaty sins! I love it so much I'm going to order the black version as soon as I get paid. This is the one... http://www.danceandleisurewear.co.uk/roch-valley-teresa-leotard.html I seem to be a bit of a rarity in my classes, the studio I go to is really informal so a lot of people turn up to class in leggings and t-shirts, leotards with leggings on top, socks rather than ballet shoes etc, only a few of us actually dress for ballet! I always wear my hair in a bun, usually on the back of my head, I have a lot of hair so a low bun gets in the way if I want to put my head back and is more difficult to hold in place with hair pins. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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