Dance Classes-What to wear, what to bring?

[rubyredlocks]

My husband is starting his evening classes this tuesday. Wish I'd thought to make plans while he was on his holiday break. Otherwise,I would have loved to meet you out.

 

[Miss Caroline]

Its really good to know that i could go on my own, I suppose going with someone you know would be less nerve wracking. I can be a bit, um shy when it comes to meeting new people. Ive done scarier things than learning to dance, like skydiving Im just going to have to go for it.

Vegan Kitty - Which classes are you looking at going to?
I went to LindyHop in Marble Arch last year, but i know there is lots of others and I REALLY want to go! I only went once and it was so much fun, although i was a bit embarrassing as because I was dressed vintage alot of people thought I could dance and then realised I couldn't at all.

 

[balgal]

Originally Posted by Vegan_Kitty
Its really good to know that i could go on my own, I suppose going with someone you know would be less nerve wracking. I can be a bit, um shy when it comes to meeting new people. Ive done scarier things than learning to dance, like skydiving Im just going to have to go for it.

Vegan kitty- Definately go for it! You'll meet new people, and possibly start friendships.

Every once in a while when I go out dancing I dress up, and now that I am going to beauty school I am trying different vintage hairstyles, and makeup to! Normally I don't dress up, I ususally wear something comfy.

 

[VintageVixie]

I personally would have preferred to learn without a regular partner. there is always someone in our class, male or female, to dance with. I learned with my husband, also a newbie, and he is too uncomfortable to dance with other people, so he only dances with me. I dance with anyone that asks (as long as they smell good!) and have learned so much from them.

All these posts about how it's okay to go alone are so nice to read. I very much want to take dance lessons, but myself as I'm single. But my mother put the fear of ick into me when she told me that all the classes she's gone to take are full of people just wanting to meet others, in a sort of meat-market atmos. That's the last thing I want to deal with! I became determined to find out if this was just her experience, and starting to think I need a nice gay manfriend to go with me as a partner!

Well. After my baby's born, this is on the top of my list of 'how to get back in shape'- thank you all for the wealth of info!

 

[balgal]

Originally posted by Miss Rose
my mother put the fear of ick into me when she told me that all the classes she's gone to take are full of people just wanting to meet others, in a sort of meat-market atmos.

Oh, no! I hate to say this, but your mom is wrong. She has good reason why you should not go out and learn to dance. She might be afraid for you! The thing you get out of learning how to dance is that you meet new people who sare similiar interest as you!!

 

[VintageVixie]

Oh, no! I hate to say this, but your mom is wrong. She has good reason why you should not go out and learn to dance. She might be afraid for you! The thing you get out of learning how to dance is that you meet new people who sare similiar interest as you!!

Oh I don't mind her being wrong here. I think she must have had a bad experience, she can be very naive (she never heard of 'friends with benefits' for instance, until last year, and was quite shocked by kids these days...).

I love the idea of meeting people with similar interests... it's not easy, I can be shy naturally (there is no logical reason, it just happens), but you gotta get out there at some point.

 

[Mary]

What shall I wear to a balboa dance?

I've started to dance balboa and tonight at the party I want to dress up. What should I wear. Have searched youtube but I don't see any good pics on clothes. Is it a long or short 30's to 40's dress I should wear?

Please help me out. I want to be the belle of the ball!

 

[chanteuseCarey]

Hey Inky! going to address your questions...

I'm going to address mostly what you wrote on your initial post. FAIR WARNING to all --I'm throwing out my own very biased opinions here being a long time social dancer, so if I step on any toes- hey it happens when dancing... deal with it. No backlash or critical railings at my post please. Civility works on and off the dance floor.

(As background, I've been dancing and taking social ballroom lessons (all types of dances) and some western too actively and regularly since 1991. Met DH in an intermediate Viennese Waltz lesson. Had ballroom music for our wedding reception. Now our almost 13yo DS and almost 15yo DD go ballroom dancing and take lessons with us. I went as a single gal on my own for some time before I was married. I go often without DH when he has bible study- just the kids and me. Never had a problem with that. I have a number of single male dance friends that go where we usually go that I dance with, I'll ask them or they ask me. Do take some lessons without him and kids- but where I know the crowd.)

Casual for me is a dress with a full or full-ish skirt, or top with skirt combo, the skirt gives me room to move in and it flares nicely when I dance. A tight skirt or pencil even if it has a back slit doesn't cut it for real dancing. Short sleeve is best or sleeveless if you got 'em cuz' you'll get warm on the dance floor once you're moving around. Maybe add a sweater that you can layer on or off to start with. Men do notice and appreciate ladies that dress like "ladies" and who make the effort to dress attractively to go dancing. Guys are very appreciated by the ladies (and even their own wives) when they make the effort to dress nicely, ie. dress shirt not a t-shirt- and nice slacks.

Grooming matters for guys and gals- that means deodorant and breath mints. Gum smacking and gum chewing is really tacky- so better to lose the gum at the door.

Suede shoes or leather shoes is best. Some rubber and crepe soles especially will grip or catch the floor and cause you grief. Plus you can move more smoothly with the suede and leather soled shoes. Don't wear too high a heel, or your feet will be miserable- trust me on this one!! Leave the sexy and fancy super high heels at home. I wear no higher heel for dancing than your basic "character" tap type shoe.

FYI, saddles shoes, unlike the real two tone ballroom/swing dance shoes- say pure COSTUME, and is often perceived as I'm not a real dancer I just wanna look cute. Even for swing dancing, if you want the two tone spectator look- get the real McCoy. Many dancers also now wear what is called the "dance sneaker" with the high arch. Again get the real deal, don't wear your colorful converse sneakers.

Gals, especially if you are learning lindy hop/swing, hello- dance TRUNKS or bike shorts for under your skirts. Let's all dress like LADIES please. If you want to flash something when your skirt moves, you aren't there to dance in the first place. And the dancers will know it- so just don't. Swing and Ballroom Dancers don't take lessons and go dancing to show off what they've got or to look hot or to hit on someone- they are there to dance. Super tight and obviously sexy style clothes are not what people that go dancing wear.Really.
Guys, if you get really sweaty bring a hand towel to mop up with and/or even a second shirt to change into later inthe evening. Your partners will apreciate you for it!f

Uh, gals a word to the wise; if you want to wear a super fancy and slinky latin dress- 1) just don't. Nobody dresses like Dancing With The Stars out there for real. 2) you better KNOW how to dance- don't try to strut your stuff (dance moves and steps on the dance floor) if you ain't got it. 3)save the dress for an amateur latin competition-when you can dance at that level of competency. Even the amateurs and professionals that don't dress like that outside of competition.

As I am still pretty new to real vintage clothing (only been wearing real vintage for like two months)- I wouldn't wear my irreplaceable vintage blouses or any close fitted sleeve vintage dresses and take a chance on tearing an armhole out. I have a lot of vintage inspired modern clothing that is very nice for dancing in- that's what I've always worn.

If you are asked to dance, be polite. Be kind. I will dance if asked by beginning dancers. I'm there to enjoy dancing and encourage the guy dancers. When with my hubby I'll usually dance with just him but sometimes not. We rotate in the lessons. Dancing with other guys makes you appreciate your own partner, and you'll become a better dancer by dancing with a variety of partners. Wives, you can always thank some man nicely and say something like, "thank you but its my date nite my husband tonite. I''m dancing all the dances after the lesson with just him."

My hubby and I are taking our first ever swing dance lessons this Saturday evening then a "open dance" session for two hours (if we make it that long) afterwards. I want to be comfy and the instructor said to dress casual and nothing special was needed. I do have suede-soled shoes, but hubby doesn't (yet).

Any tips from you veteran swing dancers for us green newbies starting out on what to wear/shoes/etc?

 

[maggiethespy]

I've started to dance balboa and tonight at the party I want to dress up. What should I wear. Have searched youtube but I don't see any good pics on clothes. Is it a long or short 30's to 40's dress I should wear?

Please help me out. I want to be the belle of the ball!

A lot of swing dancers don't actually dress vintage. If you're going for a lesson, jeans are acceptable-- actually, I took a balboa class from Delphine Laurens of the One2Swing Jitterbugs, and she wore a t-shirt, jeans, and dance heels.

If you do want to dress vintage (which I always do, because it makes me feel special and the boys ask you to dance more) you need to keep something in mind: Balboa is a VERY close dance. If you're dancing straight balboa and not bal-swing, you never break apart from your partner, and you're basically connected from the hips to the shoulders the entire time. Even with bal-swing, you'll be connected like this for a whiel.

That means you probably don't want a skirt with too much volume-- you could get tangled or it could just get in the way. That means the crinolines are out :lol: I reccomend a pencil skirt or a straight skirt without too much pouf, and mid-calf is a good length. Hal and Betty's hayday was in late thirties, so if you want to be super authentic, I'd go with something from 37-39, but chances are people there aren't going to be as in the know as we are, so you could do pretty much anything you wanted from the 30's to the 40's.

Hal and Betty Takier are the couple in the center here:

This image is from 1939, so the ladies clothing might give you some good ideas.

You'll also want to keep your top-half covered in a manner that you're comfortable with-- you don't really want to embarass anyone, yourself or your partner. I reccomend a blouse cut high enough that you can't see anything when you look straight down. Also, a good bra, and if you feel you need it, shapeware-- you're going to be in very close contact, and you want to feel comfortable and be able to relax, and for me when I'm dancing the balboa, that means a girdle.

Here's a video of Hal and Betty and some other swell kids dancing at Venice Beach in 1940 for some more clothing ideas. More bal-swing than bal going on, but still it's good reference material. If you have the volume up loud enough, you can kind of hear the music, but you can also hear pretty clearly the conversations between the dancers going on on the floor. It's pretty neat!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXgydUYfmIg

Also, when it comes to shoes you'll see a lot of girls wearing heels. I reccomend flats for the earlier lessons-- you need to build that strength in your legs and feet and learn the muscle memory of what your doing-- heels kind of cheat it for you. Of course, you still have to dance on the balls of your feet in heels, but if you start in flats, it gets a lot easier later. Just like learning to dance on point in ballet; you start in flats and build the muscle before you start dancing on yoru toes. You gotta learn to crawl before you can walk

Hope that helped!

 

[maggiethespy]

FYI, saddles shoes, unlike the real two tone ballroom/swing dance shoes- say pure COSTUME, and is often perceived as I'm not a real dancer I just wanna look cute. Even for swing dancing, if you want the two tone spectator look- get the real McCoy.

Sorry, Doll, but I don't agree with that statement at all. In the swing crowd in DFW, at least 3 or 4 "real" dancers are wearing saddle shoes, myself included. I think its all a preference of style and has to do with the enviroment you dance in. In DFW, the vintage style is becomming increasingly 1940's collegiate-inspired, hence the propensity for saddle shoes (along with letterman sweaters and overall dresses). I can see where they would be frowned upon in a more "formal" dance group, but we Texas swingers, and the ones I know from L.A. like our saddle shoes.

I also think it's all about owning what your wearing-- if you wear saddle shoes and a poodle skirt and giggle the whole time while looking completely out of place, you certainly will come across as in costume. However, if they're part of your lifestyle and your daily wear, I think people won't even notice them. It all goes to vintage as a lifestyle v. vintage as a halloween costume. The latter, looking completely out of place, will prompt looks and questions, while the former, looking completely at ease, will get only compliments on how "put together" you look.

Besides, saddle shoes are GREAT for swing-dancing! Especially the leather-soled kind.

Now, this, I have to agree with completely:

Gals, especially if you are learning lindy hop/swing, hello- dance TRUNKS or bike shorts for under your skirts. Let's all dress like LADIES please.

Nobody wants to see your panties, especially in a particularly energetic A-jump. That's just not pretty.

 

[roselily]

Yes, please wear dance trunks- they come in all sorts of colors and look best when NOT white and are matched to the color of your skirt. Wear them OVER your tights. Or, if you like, you can get a leotard and it will help keep the girls in place and doubles as a shirt.

Also, nothing beats a good pair of real dance tights. My favorites are made by Danskin in their NYCB line- they have a nude color and have a backseam, and they really provide support and help with moisture management. (no icky sweat balls running down your legs)

 

[Mary]

Thanks Maggiethespy. I'll post pictures of what I wore when I'm not at work.

I really loved dancing and I believe I got I lot better this weekend.

 

[balgal]

Originally posted by Mary
I've started to dance balboa and tonight at the party I want to dress up. What should I wear. Have searched youtube but I don't see any good pics on clothes. Is it a long or short 30's to 40's dress I should wear?

Please help me out. I want to be the belle of the ball!

Yey another person who is dancing bal!! :eusa_clap I love balboa!! A couple of options when going out dancing and dressing up wide leg pants with a fitted top, dresses with any light weight fabric and is nicely fitted and any dresses with an empire waist looks so incredibely cute!!! Pensil skirts are always good to wear when going out dancing!

Another place to see people dancing balboa is balboanation.com they have video clips and events posted.

 

[newtovintage]

Vintage Dance Clothing

Hello ladies:eusa_clap ! It's been awhile since I've been online. Hope everyone is doing well. I couldn't find what I was looking for in the search, so I started this thread. If there is a thread already in existence, feel free to move this thread there. I am beginning to take dance lessons to help treat the asthma the doctors' have diagnosed me with. I would like to make some vintage reproductions to wear, but I couldn't find what I was looking for. Any and all photos would be most helpful. Thank you all and I hope you have a great summer.

 

[Paisley]

Before you start making clothes, take some dance lessons for a month or two and see whether you like it. As for what to wear until then, look for a thread called "Learning to Dance" in the Golden Era section. There are other threads with dance wear advice as well--a Google search should turn them up.

 

[PrairieSunrise]

Ok, I have a heel height question.

Would 2.5" be to tall for swing dancing? I have a nice pair of mary jane style shoes I attached leather to a while ago (I prefer leather soles) and I would love to wear them to my first swing dance if they sound like a manageable height? I've never done swing dancing before, and my ECD dancing is always done in flats.

 

[roselily]

Ok, I have a heel height question.

Would 2.5" be to tall for swing dancing? I have a nice pair of mary jane style shoes I attached leather to a while ago (I prefer leather soles) and I would love to wear them to my first swing dance if they sound like a manageable height? I've never done swing dancing before, and my ECD dancing is always done in flats.

I would do someithing lower for your first class. I do have character shoes that high, but it requires alot of ankle strength to be able to land jumps safely. You can always wear your high ones later!

 

[PrairieSunrise]

Ok, thanks.

How do these look?

http://www.pagelinx.com/cgi-shopper...&database=dbase1.exm&template=viewdetails.htm

 

[Paisley]

I started out with dance shoes like that, and the heel height was fine. However, I had to switch to something with more padding.

 

[roselily]

Capezio's a good brand. I prefer leather: I've got the 2 inch T-straps and the 1.5 inch latin shoes (LOVE but require a stronger foot, since the sole is more flexible) Alot of dancers I know like the Bloch ones, but bloch doesn't fit me well. I also like Sansha's character shoes (like these http://www.dancex.com/item.jsp?mid=295) , but they have much less (zero) padding compared to Capezio. You can always add some thin insoles if you need more padding.

You can get the Capezios cheaper here:
http://www.discountdance.com/frame_set.php3?mf=/dancewear/shoes/page1