There is a huge variety of women’s dance class clothing to choose from. As a result, dressing as a woman for dance class can be quite tricky at times. This article seeks to provide complete guidance for women’s clothing for every dance class available.
What to wear as a woman to a dance class will greatly depend on which dance class you choose. Timeless items include a slim-fit shirt, a loose-fit shirt, leggings, booty shorts, slim-fit jeans, ballet flats, heels, fashionable runners, and white minimalist sneakers.
Our principal author Jake has 20 years of dancing experience. He has danced competitively, socially, and casually. He has broad experience in just about every dance style including the dance styles covered in this article. His mother was also accepted into the Queensland Ballet Company here in Australia. In this article, he draws on his vast experience, attention to detail, and practical fashion intelligence. He is here to share his observations on what women can wear to dance classes.
What to wear to ballet class as a woman:
Ballet. The traditional, difficult, and classic dance style. Dressing for this type of class is relatively straightforward as there aren’t that many options. Leggings and leotards are standard in a ballet class.
However, there are some nuances particularly if you want to tone down the severity of the look. We will cover these options below.
A good general tip is to check with the school what clothing colors they allow for leggings and tops. The reason for this is that ballet is more of a classic dance style. As a result, clothing colors tend to be limited to tan, pink, black, or white.
We have written a detailed article on dance school dress codes and what is a fair dress code. This article can be found here: Dance dress codes: Should you trust studio rules?
A note here is that Danskin, Bloc, and Capezio are good ballet clothing brands.
Ballet tops for women:
The go-to in ballet tops for women is the leotard. There are however some differences to leotards. Some have low backs which can look chique but strict studios may not approve. Others might have laced patterns across the back or front.
Some leotards are more of a singlet style. Others have short sleeves or even long sleeves.
Another option for a ballet top is the crop top or even a slim-fit shirt. These can be a good choice if you are not comfortable with a full leotard.
If you are warming up, a light tracksuit jacket or jumper can work well too. If so try and aim for a short jumper/jacket. The reason is that your hips and legs can still be visible for teacher analysis.
Ballet bottoms for women:
The classic ballet bottom is a pair of leggings. Pink leggings are pretty standard, but make sure they aren’t hot pink. Leggings with seams down the back of each leg can also assist teachers’ alignment view.
Alternatives to leggings are high-waisted short shorts. These can be either loose or tight.
Another alternative, particularly for warmups, is to wear some form-fitting trackpants.
There is an option if you wanted to tone down the severity of a tight and leotard outfit. What you can do is use what is called a Wrap Skirt. These are light and short skirts that add a nice layer to your midsection.
Ballet footwear for women:
Ballet footwear for women comes in two main forms. These are ballet flats and pointe shoes.
The main difference is that ballet flats are supple and flexible and are almost more like thick socks.
Pointe shoes have a hardened supportive toe compartment with a shank running through the forefoot. This enables female ballet dancers to place their body weight on their toes to create graceful body lines.
Leather is great for beginners as you won’t need to replace shoes as often. You also won’t need the flexibility of a non-leather shoe as a beginner.
However, if you are intermediate or advanced, you will generally need a canvas shoe for flexibility.
Danca is a great ballet shoe brand.
Real examples of women’s ballet class clothes:
Take a look below to see the Royal Ballet based in London UK doing their morning class. Take notes of what the women are wearing. This can give you confidence in a certain outfit or styling.
What to wear to contemporary/lyrical dance class as a woman:
Many people know what contemporary dance is, however, lyrical can be harder to describe. This is important as understanding what a dance style is, makes dressing for it easier. Think of lyrical as somewhere in between ballet and jazz and is done to music with lyrics.
Contemporary/lyrical tops for women:
Tops for women in contemporary/lyrical dance class are generally loose-fitting shirts.
However, crop tops, singlets, or even sports bras can be sufficient.
Contemporary/lyrical dance tends to be less formal than ballet, so the clothing reflects this. Loose tops can also add a certain dramatic effect during emotional scenes.
Contemporary/lyrical bottoms for women:
The most common bottom clothes for women are leggings.
However, women can also wear trackpants or booty shorts.
If trackpants or leggings are worn, a common style is to roll the pants up to shin level. This is so ankle and foot placement can be seen.
Contemporary/lyrical footwear for women:
In general, women usually wear ballet flats to contemporary/lyrical classes. The other common alternative is barefoot.
If you do wear barefoot you can also wear what is called a ‘foot thong’. These are small pads that provide some protection for the ball of the foot. They attach similar to a regular flip flop/thong.
Real examples of women’s contemporary/lyrical class clothes:
Take a look at a rehearsal of the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theatre company below.
As you can see, there is a variety of outfits that can be worn. However, there are also similarities such as feet and ankle visibility or barefoot and ballet flat footwear.
What to wear to ballroom class as a woman:
Ballroom tops for women:
Women’s tops in ballroom can include blouses, shirts, leotards, and singlets. If you want to be able to check your posture then a leotard or tight singlet can help.
That being said, most of the wardrobe pressure is on the lower half of the dancer.
Ballroom bottoms for women:
A good go-to for women in ballroom class is leggings or tight jeans.
You can wear dresses or skirts however keep in mind that long dresses will hamper your legs. This is particularly true for some of the faster dances such as the jive.
Ballroom footwear for women:
This is the real machine of the ballroom wardrobe. The footwear.
For women, a good pair of ballroom heels can work wonders on the outfit. Not to mention the functionality that such shoes provide.
If you do purchase ballroom heels, try and get them professionally fitted by a reputable ballroom store. An example of such a store would be Capezio.
The reason for this is that ballroom footwear fits a bit differently from regular footwear. For example, most ballroom shoes need to fit quite snug to enable athletic movements.
But what if you don’t wish to use ballroom heels? In this case, a pair of white flat-soled sneakers with minimal logos can work well.
Real examples of women’s ballroom class clothes:
On the left below, see leading Australian professional ballroom dancers, Jonathan & Talysa. Note how Talysa wears ballroom heels with a leotard and pants.
On the right see ballroom world champions Oleksander Kravchuk (him) & Olessia Getsko (her) of Ukraine. Note how Olessia wears leggings, ballroom heels, and a loose shirt.
What to wear to hip-hop dance class as a woman:
Hip-hop clothes for women tend to be more unisex clothes. We have written a comprehensive guide to hip-hop clothes. This article can be viewed here: What To Wear To A Hip Hop Class: Guided by celebrity dancers.
However, we will cover some of the nuances in women’s hip-hop clothes below.
Hip-hop tops for women:
The go-to in hip-hop tops is a baggy shirt.
However, other female-specific tops can include a crop top, tank top, or even a sports bra.
If you do wear a sports bra then it can look chique if you pair it with some baggy trackpants.
Hip-hop bottoms for women:
The go-to for hip-hop bottoms is a pair of baggy trackpants.
However, leggings or booty shorts can also work well.
Note that trackpants and shorts can come in baggy or tight variations.
A neat styling technique is to wrap a light jumper or flannel around your waist to create a casual look.
A good rule of thumb is to pair a loose item of clothing with a tight item. For example, pair a tight tank top with baggy trackpants. Or pair a baggy shirt with a set of leggings.
Hip-hop footwear for women:
Hip-hop footwear can make or break an outfit. You might be surprised at how much of an impact your footwear choice can make.
We mention footwear choice in the article linked above. However, a good rule of thumb is to go for a colorful, branded sneaker. For example, classic hip-hop shoes include the Nike Air Max, Nike Tuned, and Nike Jordans.
Real examples of women’s hip-hop class clothes:
Below we have two professional female hip-hop dancers. Ashley Everett in the black outfit is Beyonce’s dance captain (as of April 2022). Note how she wears a pair of tight trackpants with a loose top.
Ashley Seldon, in the white top, has performed with artists including Flo Rida, Kelly Rowland, and Usher. Note how she wears a set of leggings with a crop top and wraps a jumper around her waist.
What to wear to jazz dance class as a woman:
Jazz class can be difficult to dress for sometimes. The reason for this is that jazz as a dance style is not understood.
A good starting point is to think of jazz as somewhere in between ballet and contemporary. The clothing reflects this.
A general tip is to avoid loose or baggy items as this can hinder teacher analysis.
Jazz tops for women:
Because of the relationship between ballet and jazz, the leotard is often a staple of jazz.
However, a crop top, singlet, or even a form-fitting shirt can work well too.
Jazz bottoms for women:
The go-to in jazz bottoms for women is leggings. A good tip here is to avoid leggings that are see-through.
Trackpants rolled to the shin can be acceptable, depending on the teacher. However, trackpants can sometimes hinder form checks.
A good place to check for quality yet cheap trackpants is Forever 21.
Jazz footwear for women:
Because of the relationship with ballet, the go-to footwear for jazz is the ballet flat.
However, depending on the type of jazz you do, you may be asked to wear specific jazz shoes. These jazz shoes can be often seen in something such as acro dancing. Acro often comes under the jazz umbrella.
Jazz shoes have a reputation for ugliness. Color options are generally tan or black. However, despite that, they are relatively comfortable.
Bloc and Capezio are good brands for jazz shoes.
A note here is that the benefit of a canvas shoe is you can wash them in the washing machine. Whereas leather you cant.
If the jazz class is relatively casual, sometimes comfortable running shoes are acceptable.
Real examples of women’s jazz class clothes:
Have a look at the below video of a jazz rehearsal at the West Texas A&M University. Notice the general trend is leggings with a singlet and jazz shoes.
What to wear to Latin social dance class as a woman:
Latin social dancing is a relatively casual affair. As such the clothing choice is also relatively casual. However, there are some good rules of thumb to follow in this clothing choice. These are outlined below.
Latin social tops for women:
The two main tops for women in Latin social dance are a form-fitting shirt or singlet.
Posture has some importance in Latin social dance. So, a baggy top can hinder form checks.
Other options for women include a crop top, blouse, or even dress.
Latin social bottoms for women:
The two main bottom choices are slim-fit jeans and leggings.
Another choice is denim booty shorts.
Gym shorts or actual booty shorts tend to not fit the social environment.
Latin social footwear for women:
As we have mentioned for other dances above, the footwear here is key.
The go-to footwear for women in Latin social dance is a pair of dancing heels. These heels are similar to the heels found in ballroom. When paired with leggings it’s a stylish yet athletic outfit.
However, another good choice is a pair of flat-soled sneakers. All-white sneakers with minimal logos are a stylish choice that goes with anything.
Real examples of women’s Latin social class clothes:
A good example of women’s Latin social class clothes can be seen below. This video features renowned Latin dancers Kiko and Christina dancing Bachata. Note how Christina wears a pair of leggings with heels and a crop top.
What to wear to tap dance class for women:
In tap class, most of the movement occurs in the ankle and feet. As a result, there is less pressure on the flexibility of your clothes.
Tap class tops for women:
Top choice for women in tap class is quite varied. Common choices include a slim-fit shirt or singlet.
Other options include crop tops or blouses. Flannels are also an option.
Tap class bottoms for women:
The common choice for tap class for women is leggings or slim-fit jeans. If you can find jeans that have some stretch to them then that can definitely help with easy movement.
Another option is a skirt. However, be mindful that tap involves some jumping. So, if the skirt is too short then it can be uncomfortable. A workaround is to wear a pair of booty shorts underneath your skirt.
Shorts are not often seen in tap. However, if you have the legs for it then a high-waisted denim pair can work well.
Tap class footwear for women:
This is the key item of clothing for tap class. Tap shoes are a must for tap class for obvious reasons.
For women, think about your heel height. If the heel is quite high this will take more calf strength to remain stable. However, you will have a graceful leg line as a result.
For beginners, shop around for a shoe that feels right for you. Tap shoes vary in their heel height, weight, design, and dimensions. Given the nature of tap dance, having the right shoe will be invaluable.
Real examples of women’s tap class clothes:
Take a look at Chloe Arnold’s company called ‘Syncopated Ladies’ below. Arnold is an Emmy-nominated choreographer, actress, director, and producer. She is famous for her tap dancing and contributions to the tap-dancing world. Highlights of her career include being a director in videos for Lloyd Banks and Kylie Minogue.
What to wear to reggaeton/afro/zumba dance class for women:
These classes tend to be more athletic focussed than other classes. As such athletic wear is common. Keep in mind that these classes often have a sensual/relaxed element to them. The clothing choice generally reflects this.
Reggaeton/afro/zumba tops for women:
Loose shirts and singlets are the common choices for women in these classes.
Branded shirts such as Adidas or Nike are a stylish choice.
Other options include crops tops or even sports bras.
Reggaeton/afro/zumba bottoms for women:
Leggings or booty shorts are the go-to for these classes for women. However, a short pair of gym shorts can also work well.
Alternatively, a loose pair of trackpants can be good in the winter months.
Try and avoid stiff fabrics such as denim/cotton in these classes. Denim/cotton tends to be too inflexible for the required hip movements.
A winning combination is booty shorts or leggings with a loose branded shirt.
Reggaeton/afro/zumba footwear for women:
Footwear is often running shoes in these classes.
A good tip is to try and choose branded and colorful running shoes. This can take your outfit from a gym outfit to a more fun and relaxed outfit.
Look for flexible running shoes such as the Nike Freerun or Addidas Ultraboost.
Real examples of women’s reggaeton/afro/zumba class clothes:
Take a look at Millennium Dance Complex choreographer Brinn Nicole below as she dances zumba. Note how she wears a white tank top with leggings and white and black sneakers. Nicole has danced with artists such as Snoop Dogg, Jay Sean, and Lil Wayne.
What to wear to heels dance class as a woman:
Heels tops for women:
Tops women can wear in heels are relatively flexible. The reason for this is that most of the heel look is created on the bottom half.
Common tops include crop tops and slim-fit or loose shirts.
The benefit of a crop top is that it doesn’t hide your buttocks. This can aid in creating the sensual lines that heels class aims for.
That being said a loose shirt can create more of a boyfriend shirt vibe. This is also sensual.
Heels bottoms for women:
Good choices for women here are leggings or booty shorts.
Given the dynamic movement of heels class, avoid inflexible fabrics such as denim. The exception is if you have a pair of high-waisted loose denim shorts. The play in the looseness can allow flexibility.
Heels footwear for women:
This is where the money is as they say. The heels themselves.
Heels for heels class can be more difficult to shop for than something such as ballroom or Latin social class. The reason is there are many more options.
Try and aim for a ‘booty heel’. A booty heel’s design stops above the ankle giving you ankle support.
We also advise you get a heel with a 3.5-inch lift. Any lower than this and you won’t get the proper leg extension. Any higher and you place too much strain on your feet.
For a full breakdown of what sort of heel to buy, have a look at the video in the next section. Kiira Harper is the presenter, and she has danced for people like Beyonce and Drake.
Real examples of women’s heels class clothes:
Below are two videos. On the left we have Kirra Harper who has danced with artists such as Beyonce and Drake. She discusses how to choose the best heels for dancing.
On the right, we have Yanis Marshall. Whilst he is a man, he has excellent heels fashion style. Note how he wears loose denim shorts with a loose shirt and booty heels.
What to wear to burlesque/diva/cabaret dance class as a woman:
Burlesque/diva/cabaret tops for women:
The go-to for women in these classes is a slim-fit shirt or singlet. Given the sensual nature of these classes, an outfit that highlights your curves can be beneficial.
A note here is that these dances are often performance-based. As such, often costumes and props are involved. It can be useful to check with the studio what clothing will be worn.
For example, early in a class season, you might wear a shirt with leggings. But as a performance date gets closer you might shift to wearing a performance outfit. This could include a long dress or skirt with perhaps top hats or neck attire involved.
Burlesque/diva/cabaret bottoms for women:
The common choice for women is leggings for these classes.
Alternatively, short shorts or booty shorts can be worn.
Burlesque/diva/cabaret footwear for women:
Heels can be worn to make the outfit more sensual.
Sometimes ballet flats are worn as well.
Other times boots can be worn to create a bolder outfit.
There can be a variety of footwear choices. It can be useful to phone the studio and discuss what sort of footwear should be worn.
It can be useful to view the heels class section of this article as well. The reason is that heels class and burlesque/diva/cabaret class share similarities.
Real examples of women’s burlesque/diva/cabaret class clothes:
Have a look at the below video of footage from rehearsals for ‘Moulin Rouge The Musical’. This musical has won 10 Tony awards (a significant award for excellence in Broadway Theatre). Note how the women wear their different costumes and class clothes.
General accessories for women’s dance classes:
There are several accessories that can definitely make your dance classes easier. We have outlined these below.
Bag:
Get a small/medium-sized bag to hold all of your dance things.
Waterbottle:
Get a 1-liter water bottle to make sure you never run out of water in a dance class. Hydration is super important in hot and sweaty places such as a dance class.
Intra-workout supplement:
If you want to add an edge to your hydration, shop around for an Intra-workout supplement. ‘Intra’ refers to during a workout. So this is a great type of supplement to add to your water. A good choice would be Endura Max Magnesium. This reduces cramps and eases muscles.
Good quality deodorant:
A handy bit of deodorant can be a lifesaver in times of need. It will give you less reason to skip a class if you find yourself smelling.
Kneepads:
Depending on what class you do, kneepads can be very useful for floor routines.
Lacrosse ball:
A lacrosse ball is a tennis-sized ball of dense material made for massaging your foot muscles. This is particularly useful in foot pressure dances such as ballet or heels.
TheraBand:
A TheraBand is a 10-15cm wide piece of elastic plastic that can be around 1m long. This can be useful for stretching and warming up body parts such as ankles.
Foam roller:
A foam roller is a dense piece of cylindrical foam. It is great for massaging your hip, back, and leg muscles. This aids in both warming up and recovery.
Bun builder:
This is a donut-shaped device that aids in building a bun easily. This is great for more formal dances such as ballet or ballroom.
Tracksuit:
A light tracksuit can take the thinking out of dressing for dance. Tracksuits are great for warmups, particularly for dances which have few clothes such as ballet.