In order to dance with the White Marsh Rec. Dance Program, students must follow the program's dress code and hair requirements, and must also wear the proper form of shoes.
Class Attire
Dress Code
The proper dance attire not only allows students to move freely, but also allows the instructors to observe the movements of each participant. Additionally, wearing appropriate dance attire allows teachers to better instruct students in proper posture, techniques, and arm and foot placement. Therefore, all students are required to dress in appropriate practice attire. The appropriate forms of class attire include:
- leotards (any color or style)
- tights or socks (any color or style)
- NOTE: For the recital, female students must wear footed tights in the "theatrical pink" or "ballet pink" color.
- NOTE: For the recital, female students must wear footed tights in the "theatrical pink" or "ballet pink" color.
- spandex leggings, capris, or shorts
- fitted t-shirts or tank tops
- athletic shorts
- dance pants
- leg warmers
Clothing items such as oversized t-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants may not be worn during class. Additionally, jeans, regardless of fabric or style, are not appropriate to wear during class. Finally, most jewelry should be removed before class begins (stud earrings are acceptable to wear to class).
Shoe Requirements
Specific shoes are required to participate in each dance style.
- Ballet: Female students participating in ballet must wear pink leather ballet slippers, while male students must wear black leather ballet slippers. Leather ballet shoes are required for the recital. It is recommended that students get split sole ballet shoes if possible
- Tap: All students who participate in a tap class must wear black tap shoes. It is recommended that younger students get the patent leather tap shoes that have buckle straps or velcro straps instead of laces. It is recommended that students ages 10 and above wear Oxford-style tap shoes, rather than patent leather tap shoes.
- Jazz: All students participating in a jazz class must wear black jazz shoes. It is recommended that students get split sole jazz shoes if possible.
- Pointe: Students who participate in pointe must wear pink pointe shoes. Students should be measured for their pointe shoes at a dance shoe retailer, such as Artistic Costumes and Dance Fashions or County Ballet: The Dance Shop.
Hair Requirements
For class, all students should pull their hair away from the face. For the recital, all students are required to wear their hair in a ballet bun (please remember that if the hair is long enough to go into a ponytail, it can go into a bun). If a student's hair is too short to be pulled into a bun, it must be pulled away from the face as much as possible.