What Do Dancers Wear Under Leotards?

Different costumes are worn by dancers under their leotards. Even if you’re a professional or a beginner, you will definitely feel the need to wear any piece of clothing under your leotard. These costumes support your body and it helps you to remain focused on dancing to avoid distractions from having to adjust your outfit and It also helps you to facilitate your movement.

Leotards are considered to be skin fitted so it gets too challenging to wear other garments under them. However, there’s more to leotards than what we see with our eyes.

The choice of the kind of clothes dancers wear under their leotards varies which brings us to the question, what do dancers wear under leotards? dancers wear the following under leotards

  • Body liners
  • Thongs
  • Corsets
  • Tubes
  • Briefs
  • Seamless underwear

While some dancers find these outfits under their leotards comfortable, most of the dancers find them uncomfortable and old-fashioned. They are not mandatory for every dance tutorial, especially in cases where the places you take your dance lesson don’t have a rule or law governing what you wear, you could still dance with just your leotard on. 

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Why do dancers wear leotards?

The thoughts might never cross your mind on how great the importance of your leotard is until you realize the big difference it makes if you decide to stop wearing them.

Bare bodies or legs in dance may look awkward to some persons including the judge or your dance instructor. Gone are those days where people wear any kind of outfit to dance or look disordered during practice which is why the leotard has been manufactured and all over the world, it is worn by all dancers for the following reasons;

Aids locomotion

Just as I mentioned above, the leotard is skin fitted and even when you try to move your body, the leotard increases your movement as it allows and enhances movement freely, gestures, gives you full control over your body movement, and increases your stability and stamina.

Enhances aesthetics

I think we can all agree that dance is a part of art and aesthetics. The leotard increases the visual effect of your body movement which creates a big impression of beauty and lightness.

It reveals the amazing movements and lines of the figure of the dancer with the complexity of the dance technique. The leotard puts out the beauty and gestures of the human body and the art of dance. 

Prevents damage to the body

As weird as this might sound to you, the leotard helps to prevent injury. The act of dance might get pretty dangerous with time so with the help of the leotard, it helps the instructor or dance tutor to help locate injuries of any kind on the body of a dancer.

The leotard will create more awareness for the teacher to see if your hips are in alignment or your ankles are sprained.

If these injuries are not observed in time, it could lead to over-tucking, forced movements, and a very high possibility of hurting yourself and if possible, you would have to give up dancing. With the leotard, you wouldn’t have to worry about this because it would be noticed in time and you could get treated immediately.

To improve uniformity

Finally, with the leotard, the teacher can easily spot errors and mistakes such as elbow too low, hip too high or legs too fast. All these errors listed can be corrected.

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How to wear a leotard

Even if you prefer a stretchy leotard, cotton leotard, or a pastel ribbed knitted leotard, there’s a leotard made for you. If you want to have a comfortable look, you have to wear the leotard properly to avoid distractions.

Wearing a leotard is simple but however, there are certain steps you need to take to wear them in order to dance and move comfortably.

Hide visible stitches and lines

The first step to wearing a leotard is to hide visible lines and stitches. You could also wear seamless underwear to save time.

If you don’t have seamless underwear you cab choose not to wear underwear. These stitches could cause distraction and irritation especially when you’re practicing. 

After hiding the stitches, you could decide to wear a bra and thong or not. High-quality leotards have an inbuilt bra or underwire for support to improve breathing, blood circulation, motion, and movement. However you can choose not to wear any of these especially if you’re comfortable going out without them.

After doing the aforementioned above, you can bring out the leotard and open it widely. Put your right leg into the right opened hole for the leg and do the same for the left leg.

Pull it up to your shoulder level, put your hand into the sleeves (for sleeveless or no hand leotard you can pull it up to your chest level and leave it that way) and pull till you’re comfortable in it.

The steps are very easy to follow and don’t forget to choose the exact style of how you want to wear your leotards. You can try to upgrade and enhance your outfit style by wearing it with other accessories like neck pieces and leggings. You can get different leotards with designs and features too.

Do dancers wear bras under their leotards?

As mentioned above, dancers wear different outfits under their leotards. “do dancers wear bra under their leotards” people in this field tend to ask this question a lot. However, people get confused at times especially when it comes to wearing a bra under their leotards. 

Some dancers wear bra under their leotards by choice. If a dancer wants to wear any kind of bra under her leotard for coverage, I really don’t see any reason why she can’t.

You will barely find rules or laws by dancers concerning the wearing of bras. The bra worn must be light weighted and breathable so it can be comfortable for them whenever they’re dancing.

A bra is a piece of garment usually worn by fully endowed female dancers under their leotards. The younger children don’t worry about wearing it.

The bras are used to provide comfort and support to the dancers to make their outfit look stich less and to avoid any seam line of the breasts being formed when wearing the skin-fitted leotards.

These bras stay on their body freely, to help the dancers move with elegance and to allow them to perform their dance without having to go through much trouble.

Most dancers like to wear their bra under their leotards as it helps to keep them more secure while dancing. Different kinds of bras are designed specifically to be worn with the leotards.

Are there other costumes dancers wear aside from leotards?

There are other costumes dancers wear aside from leotards. Those costumes are as follows;

Singlet and tutus

Most dancers decide to opt-in for a singlet and tutu. A tutu is commonly worn to enhance performances. They are made of thin fabrics and a stiff material so the dancer wouldn’t have to worry about it falling below the waistline. Most dancers wear the singlet and tutus because it’s easy to put on it is very comfortable.

Leggings and sports bra

The leggings and sports bra are usually worn by most dancers during rehearsals. You can attend a dance class with leotards, you could also wear the leggings and sports bra for every dance class you take. With these, you can easily focus on your dancing without getting distracted because of how tightly fitted they are.

Sleeve less tops and leggings

This is also another costume worn by dancers. While this outfit is seen as outdated, it is very comfortable for all dancers especially beginners. Dancers wear this because they will comfortably dance around as it gives them the full control over their body parts.

Swimsuits

The swimsuits are a bit similar to the leotards. It acts as a cover for the body and increases flexibility. Just like the leotards, most dancers wear the swimsuits because of how skin fitted they are and it also makes the wearer look attractive and flawless.

Which leotard is more preferable for a dancer to wear?

The leotard helps you to control your movements, to focus on your dance and to avoid distractions. Being a dancer, either professional or beginner, there are other kinds of leotard you can easily get depending on the type of your body and you can use the recommended ones below;

Thin strapped leotards

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This leotard is usually common among other dancers. They are usually made with thin straps or thin lattices at the back. I’ll recommend this because it’s very easy to wear and it matches any body type. The straps are also adjustable. 

Pros

  • Comfortable
  • Durable
  • Can be worn by everyone
  •  True to size

Cons

  • No warranty

Tank leotards

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As a dancer, you could opt-in for a tank leotard. They are just like tank tops although they have a unique style and they come in different colors and designs.

Pros

  • Unique
  • Comes in different designs
  • They offer a particular style
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Not durable

Leotards with shorts

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This leotard is usually worn by beginners and children. If you don’t buy the idea of revealing your thighs whenever you’re dancing then this is for you. They are also tight fitted and they improve stability. 

Pros

  • Enhances body positivity
  •  Increases stability
  • Increases confidence

Cons

  • They are usually considered as old fashioned

Long sleeve/short sleeve leotards

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With comfort and elegance in the mind of the manufacturers of the long sleeve/short sleeve leotards, these leotards help you feel more comfortable. However, many persons see it as old-fashioned but if you don’t like your arms revealed, I’ll suggest you get these leotards. 

Pros

  • Comfortable
  • Durable
  • Leaves a long-lasting impression
  • Increases elegance during performance
  • Rehearsals are usually done in cold rooms so the long sleeve leotards can protect your skin against dryness and cold.

Cons

  • Usually considered outdated

What Do Dancers Wear Under Leotards – Conclusion

With all being said, I believe I’ve answered your question about what dancers wear under leotards. You’re free to choose whatever you feel comfortable with under your leotards just make sure to pick the right size. 

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