DETAILS

Attire

For gymnastics you may wear any stretchy clothing that is easy to move in, such as bodysuit and leggings, or shorts and a tight t-shirt. Please no jeans or skirts. Loose shirts are not ideal as they ride up and expose the chest when going upside down. Hair should be tied up off the face. Feet: Bare feet or socks, although bare feet is safer on slippery surfaces such as balance beam or tumble track. Gymnastics shoes welcome as well. We sell some sizes for $10. Company bodysuits are available for purchase as well.

 

For ballet we prefer the girls to be wearing a bodysuit/leotard and leggings or tights. If you already have a bodysuit for your dancer, it is fine. If you are purchasing, then we suggest a pink bodysuit such as this one for younger girls and black for older girls (approximately 10 and up). A black bodysuit we have found to be great is this one by Capezio. Several of our teens and adults already own one, so if you want to match others, giving you a chance to save a bit of money at costume time, we recommend it. They fit a bit small. Or purchase a company bodysuit at the office.

Please no elaborate skirts. Small tutus or ballet skirts are fine but not required. Ballet shoes on the feet. 

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For Highland Dancing any clothing that is comfortable to move in is fine, although bodysuit and leggings or tights is great for girls. Shoes should be either jazz shoes or clean running shoes, and certainly not bare feet or just socks.

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For Hip Hop and Break dancing any clothing that is comfortable to move in is fine, such as shorts and t-shirt. Special hip hop shoes are available in stores, but clean running shoes are great. Break dancers may wish to bring a toque for floor work.

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For acro a bodysuit, unitard, biketard, or bodysuit and leggings or shorts is perfect. No shoes or socks. 

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For Music & Movement kids may wear shorts and t-shirt, dancewear, dresses, tutus, sweatpants, or whatever they like, as long as it is easy to move in. Please no jeans. Shoes should be clean and easy to dance in: running shoes are fine, but ballet shoes or jazz shoes or gymnastics slippers are best.

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Baton classes should wear snug dancewear and ballet or jazz shoes. Loose-fitting clothing will be in the way. You will need to purchase a baton. We can supply. 

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Tap classes: dancewear and tap shoes.

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Jazz and Stage classes: dancewear and jazz or ballet shoes.

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Long skirts are not dance attire. They make it difficult to do the steps properly, and impossible for the teacher to see what the legs are doing to make corrections. Please talk to us about options if this is an issue. We really do wish to be inclusive, so let's talk.

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For all classes hair should be tied up out of the face.

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Where to buy dance or gymnastics attire

Bodysuits are available in various locations around town. Sometimes you can find them at Walmart or Superstore or Once Upon A Child or thrift stores, but you can always find them at Teddy Bear Dreams on Wellington Ave near 5 corners in downtown Chilliwack. They are also available through a number of online retailers. Chilliwack Dance School may be able to supply the black adult sizes of Capezio bodysuits mentioned under "Attire" on this page. And we  have all sizes company bodysuits available at the office.

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Tights are available at Teddy Bear Dreams, as well as other clothing retailers. 

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A good place to find leggings is Ardene or Urban Kids at Cottonwood Mall, or at Walmart. We can also supply black Sweetlegs leggings.

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Dance shoes in all sizes are available at Teddy Bear Dreams.  Jazzmatazz on Essendene Ave in Abbotsford sells used shoes as well as new ones. 

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We have found some dancewear swap sites on social media. Try your luck there or on other resale sites online for used dancewear and shoes.