The Dance Belt Ultimate Guide: Definition + best belts + fitting guide!

Dance belts can be a bit of a mystery to many, and it is perhaps no wonder as dance belts are unique tool for men in a specific dancing niche. However, its lack of fame is not reflective of its usefulness for men. In this article we dive into the nitty gritty of dance belts. With years of dancing experience as a man including ballet (not to mention my athletic endeavors in the world of gymnastics and track and field), I give genuine insights into the matter to leave you with no doubts in your mind concerning dance belts by the time you finish reading this article.

What is a dance belt?

Traditionally used in ballet but also used in gymnastics and yoga, a dance belt is a male undergarment that supports, protects and hides the contours of male genitalia. A dance belt replaces underwear and is worn under a male dancer’s tights. The front of a dance belt is a thin yet robust pad of material which holds the genitals firmly in place whilst also presenting a smooth curved appearance of the region. The back of the dance belt is often a thong to avoid unsightly lines of underpants under the dancer’s tights, however dance belts do come in ‘full back’ which is your traditional underwear line.

What are the best dance belts?

If you are after the best dance belts, the biggest and best four dance belt brands are outlined below:

Dance Jox: The Wonderbra of dance belts, this dance belt is a go to for many men who need a dance belt. Designed by Tom Kilps in 2013, who was the first soloist at Texas Ballet Theatre. Tom  understands the struggles of male anatomy and Dance Jox is a reflection and product of Kilps vast experience.

Capezio: Capezio is the older kid on the block in the dance belt game as they were founded in 1887 in the United States by Salvatore Capezio. Capezio’s formal beginnings of business was making a set of handmade shoes for Polish tenor Jean de Reszke, this handmade element of Capezio continues today. Given the age/quality reputation of the business, Capezio dance belts have been a long time standard for male dancers. 

WearMoi: WearMoi was created in 1992 by a couple who were both former European professional dancers. Frequent feedback is that this dance brand is of high quality, has a large range of styles/sizes and the padding is thicker than other brands. However there have been some comments that the T-seam which joins multiple pieces of fabric sits at the perineum which can be uncomfortable. A work around is to pull the pouch forward so the seam is out of the sensitive area.

BodyWrappers: BodyWrappers was founded in 1981 by Marie West who continues to manage the business today. It is this strong business leadership continuity which sets BodyWrappers apart and you can be sure you are buying a well designed, tested and crafted dance belt. Frequent reviews are that BodyWrappers is a class leader in performance support.

What is the purpose of a dance belt?

The purpose of a dance belt is 3 fold. It is designed to:

1. Support the genitals whilst doing athletic movements such as jumps, runs, pirouettes etc.
2. Protect the genitals from potential squeezing/snapping movements from the male dancers legs. This is of particular concern for professional male ballet dancers given their ‘straight leg and hip strength’ (imagine a pair of chopsticks snapping together).
3. Hide the contours/bumps of the male genitalia. This is particularly relevant in a dance such as ballet where the tights are quite thin and leave little to the imagination. This level of detail could be potentially distracting to the audience. The dance belt solves this by covering the genitals in a smooth, subtly curved, triangular shaped pad which prevents anatomical revelations.

Are dance belts necessary/what age should you start wearing a dance belt??

Dance belts are highly recommended for male dancers during or after puberty. The reason for this is that this time is when male genitalia begins to develop size and detail (including hair). 

The other recommendation is that a male dancer should be wearing a dance belt if they are taking their training more seriously or in pre-professional school. This is the norm and is generally expected by teachers.

A dance belt for a man is both for his peace of mind but also to reduce distraction for his peers, teacher, and the audience. Think of it like the men’s equivalent of a womens bra, but obviously for the crotch region.

Are there alternatives to dance belts?

The main alternative to a dance belt is a martial art/cricket cup. These cups are not ideal as they are made from hard plastic which tends to dig into the skin when moving. They are also inflexible which means leg movement can be restricted when performing more dynamic movements such as jumps or when the legs cross each other.

How to wear a dance belt?

A dance belt is worn instead of regular underwear, however the key difference is to make sure your genitals are facing upwards towards the belly button once the dance belt is in place. This ensures the genitalia is out of harm’s way and allows full movement from the legs. If you have a thong version of a dance belt, make sure the thong is tucked securely between the cheeks to present a flush appearance.

Is a dance belt uncomfortable?

Dance belts can be slightly uncomfortable depending on these three factors:

1. Too small: If the dance belt is too small then friction will occur between the skin and dance belt leading to an uncomfortable burning sensation.
2. Sweat rash: If you are sweating more than usual then a sweat rash can occur in your crotch region. Depending on the rash severity this can be a mild irritation or in rarer cases a more serious skin rash.
3. Types of wash detergent used: In some cases irritation can be from the wash products you use. Make sure to follow the garments wash instructions or experiment with different wash detergents. Also make sure to use a fabric softener to preserve the softness of the dance belt.

What is the difference between a dance belt vs jockstrap vs gaff vs cup:

There are numerous terms in this area of underwear, many of which can be confusing. Let’s discuss the differences between a dance belt, jockstrap, gaff and cup.

Dance belt:

As we mentioned above, a dance belt is a male undergarment that supports, protects and hides the contours of male genitalia. It comprises a thin pad of material on the front, a thin to thick band for the waist, and often a thong at the rear. It is traditionally used in ballet and emphasizes a sleek appearance to complement tight wearing.

Jock strap:

The jockstrap was invented in 1874 by CF Bennet to provide support for bicycle delivery men who rode on rough cobblestones in cities. A jockstrap has a more regular underwear pouch instead of the dance belts pad, a pocket within the pouch to hold a cup (more on this later), instead of a thong there are two loops which wrap around the buttocks and are anchored from the left and right sides of the waistband and attach to the base of the pouch. These loops hold the pad securely in place as the loops have opposing forces. The uncovered back area is designed to allow sweat to evaporate more freely. Jock straps can have a fashion element particularly in the LGBYQ scene with several brands producing colorful and eye-catching designs.

Gaff:

A gaff is synonymous with ‘tucking’ usually used by trans women. Tucking involves pulling the genitals down and back between the legs to present a smooth front surface of the crotch region. The gaff itself can range from a more traditional Y front design with a doublelined front for extra support, to a thong design with compression mesh to firmly fold the genitals back and down. The emphasis with gaff design is compression as wearers generally desire a flush front to present a more feminine appearance.

Cup:

A cup is a protective piece of plastic usually used in high impact sports such as cricket or martial arts generally to protect against a stray ball or kick. It has a curved shape which is intended to fit and cover genitalia. The sides are often covered in a cloth or leather covering to protect the skin from the harder plastic of the cup. Some cups come with straps to keep the cup firmly in place. Generally the cup is placed under the underwear and the underwear itself holds the cup in place.

Why is a thong often used in dance belts and what is a full seat?

A thong is often used in dance belts because the thong minimizes a visible panty line for the audience when used with ballet tights. A thong also has less material which means a more breathable arrangement and sweat can evaporate more easily.

A ‘full seat’ or ‘full back’ is a term used to describe a dance belt that has a traditional underwear back which covers the buttocks.

The choice between a thong or full seat is up to the individual’s personal preference and comfort, however the thong does have the added benefit of cleaner lines.

How to choose a dance belt?

In this section we discuss what to look for in a dance belt, how to choose the correct size dance belt and what color dance belt you should buy.

What to look for in a dance belt?

There are several factors to consider when identifying what dance belt might suit you.

Band size: There are different waistband widths available on dance belts. This means the waistband thickness (not the size of your waist). Dance belts will be available in thick to thin bands. The thickness of the band is more to do with comfort than utility. So if you prefer a high waisted feel then look to a thick band, and vice versa. Keep in mind that a thick band is roughly double the size of the medium to thin band.

Lining/pad shape: There are different lining styles in dance belts. Some have a straight edged band to the pad, in others the pad curves upwards into the band to provide more pad area but less band. Also be aware that there are different widths/lengths of pad available. This is due to anatomy size/shape differences (but more on this later). These style/shape differences impact where the pressure and support is felt and is highly up to the individual and their anatomy.

Thong design: If buying a thong design, check the width of the thong as some are wider and others are narrower. This is again anatomy dependent and what is preferred for the wearer.

Sometimes all of the above can be impacted by costumes. So if you have a pair of tights that ride low on your waist, you may need to select a dance belt which has a thin band width to accommodate the appearance of the costume.

How to choose the correct size dance belt?

Most dance belt brands will offer the following sizing increments which generally reflects your waist size with a medium generally reflecting a 30-34 inch waist:

• Extra small= 22-24 inches waist
• Small= 26-28 inches waist
• Medium= 30-34 inches waist
• Large= 36-38 inches waist
• Extra large= 38-42 inches waist

Keep in mind that different brands will size slightly differently, and it’s best to check with those brands if they fit true to size. 

The biggest giveaway if a dance belt is too small or too large is if:

1. The waistband is too tight or too loose. 
2. If you get irritation/chafing around your groin/buttocks. 
3. If you don’t feel supported/too much support for your genitals.

What about the size of your manhood?

Keep in mind that there are different cuts/styles of dance belt pad/pouch to suit different anatomy sizes/shapes. So if your manhood is large then you can get dance belts which have a wider/longer pad, and vice versa if yours is smaller. 

Unfortunately dance belts do not have size ratings for manhood size at this point (unlike say, womens bra size). However if you visually inspect the dance belt it will be relatively clear as to the size of the pad/pouch.

What color dance belt to choose?

The general rule of thumb for dane belt color is to choose a dance belt which matches your skin tone.

However in a costume scenario, it is best to choose a dance belt which reflects the costume color.

Often it is useful to have several color dance belts to suit different scenarios as the need arises.

Is a leotard with an inbuilt dance belt a good option?

You can purchase leotards with built in dance belts which can do away with having to have a separate dance belt and having two items to put on/clean. An example is this one from Boysdancetoo.com.au.

However, the dance belts within these leotards are a ‘one size fits all’ product rather than a standalone dance belt (which as we have discussed earlier are multifaceted and widely customizable).

As such, leotards with inbuilt dance belts can be an option for a beginner, however beyond the beginner dance stages standalone dance belts offer greater variety, style, size, quality and comfort for the wearer.

How do I clean a dance belt?

The big four brands of Capezio, Dance Jox, BodyWrappers, and WearMoi all advise that a gentle washing machine cycle can be used for their dance belts. However, their washing machine temperature advice does range from cold to 30 degrees celsius, so if in doubt use the cold gentle setting on your machine. 

All big four brands advise line drying in shade. You should also refrain from using ironing or bleach on their dance belts.

One other item to note is that you should be washing your dance belt after every wear, much like underwear.

When do I need to replace a dance belt?

There a two signs to look out for as to when it is time to replace your dance belt, these include:

1. The waistband elasticity: The waistband of the dance belt is no longer elastic and tight.
2. The fabric integrity: The fabric itself starts to degrade and stitching begins to come undone, particularly around the buttocks where there is a good deal of stretching and force.

Further Reading

If you found this article useful you will likely find our article on What To Wear To Each Dance Class: Inspired by professional dancers beneficial, where we identify real professional examples of what to wear and how to style clothing for different dance classes.