This is a common question with a sort of complicated answer.
In general, it is best to buy dancewear from your local dancewear store. If you live in a large city, there is probably at least one dancewear store nearby. If you live in a small town or rural area, there is probably a dancewear store in a nearby metropolitan area. If you travel "into town" on a regular basis to go to the dentist, shop at the mall, etc., add dancewear shopping to your agenda.
Why is it best to buy at your local dancewear store? First, you can try on clothing and shoes to make sure you get items that fit well. Most dancewear stores have a trained staff that can help fit your shoes and tell you if your clothing items are fitting correctly. Second, if you dance at a studio that requires a uniform, the local dancewear store is probably aware of this and will specifically stock the items that you need for the uniform. Third, many dancewear stores offer discounts for company members, dancers at specific studios that partner with the store, frequent shoppers, teachers, college students, military, or people who drive a long way to visit the store. With these discounts, dancewear products are often the same price as online. Fourth, many dancewear stores employ young adult dancers and college students. These individuals depend on your business for their income. Fifth, many dancewear stores are willing to special order products for their customers if they are already involved with the vendor that manufactures the special order product. Some dancewear stores even offer free shipping to ship the item to you rather than making you pick it up.
You can also buy dancewear online.
When is it best to buy dancewear online? There are a few situations when this is the best way to go. 1) You buy the same products all the time and don't need to be fit to know which ones you need. When products are much cheaper online and you already know what you need, just go for the online order (beware of shipping costs making the products more expensive, though). 2) You need as specific thing and your dancewear store does not carry it and cannot order it for you. In this situation, online ordering may be your only option.
If you know that certain items are much cheaper online than in the dancewear store (any discounts and shipping costs taken into consideration), be really careful about how you act and talk while in the store. DO NOT under any circumstances say "I'm just gonna get this online." It's really rude, and it tells the store staff that you don't value their expertise. It is much more polite to say something like "I'm not ready to buy today."
Some studios and dance schools have pro shops where you can buy dancewear.
When is it best to buy dancewear at a pro shop? One of the only times when it is best to do this is if you are required to have dancewear that is personalized to you or the studio. For example, some competition teams require their dancers to have team jackets with the name of the studio on them. Often the only place to get these is at the studio pro shop. If the pro shop sells other items like leotards and tights, they are often slightly more expensive than the same items at local dancewear stores or online. However, the price markup can be considered a donation to the studio.
Some large retail chains like Walmart, Target, and Payless sell children's dancewear.
When is it best to buy dancewear from a large chain? Almost never. The only occasions when this is a good idea is if a child is dressing up like a dancer for Halloween (or some other costume), or if a child is taking a very short term, informal dance class (such as one through a preschool) where "real" dance attire is not required. Usually the dancewear sold at these large retail chains is very cheap and not very good quality. The tights and shoes are especially poor. Often the "ballet slippers" sold are actually house slippers that are not suitable for dance. Even though the products sold at Payless are "spotlights by American Ballet Theater" brand, they are pretty poor quality and are often the same price as nicer items at dancewear stores.
**Note--If you are purchasing a first pair of pointe shoes or you need to change to a brand or model of pointe shoe that you have never worn before, go to a dancewear store for a professional fitting. Purchasing online with no fitting leaves the chance that you will end up with a shoe that is completely wrong for your foot and is dangerous to dance in.
In general, it is best to buy dancewear from your local dancewear store. If you live in a large city, there is probably at least one dancewear store nearby. If you live in a small town or rural area, there is probably a dancewear store in a nearby metropolitan area. If you travel "into town" on a regular basis to go to the dentist, shop at the mall, etc., add dancewear shopping to your agenda.
Why is it best to buy at your local dancewear store? First, you can try on clothing and shoes to make sure you get items that fit well. Most dancewear stores have a trained staff that can help fit your shoes and tell you if your clothing items are fitting correctly. Second, if you dance at a studio that requires a uniform, the local dancewear store is probably aware of this and will specifically stock the items that you need for the uniform. Third, many dancewear stores offer discounts for company members, dancers at specific studios that partner with the store, frequent shoppers, teachers, college students, military, or people who drive a long way to visit the store. With these discounts, dancewear products are often the same price as online. Fourth, many dancewear stores employ young adult dancers and college students. These individuals depend on your business for their income. Fifth, many dancewear stores are willing to special order products for their customers if they are already involved with the vendor that manufactures the special order product. Some dancewear stores even offer free shipping to ship the item to you rather than making you pick it up.
You can also buy dancewear online.
When is it best to buy dancewear online? There are a few situations when this is the best way to go. 1) You buy the same products all the time and don't need to be fit to know which ones you need. When products are much cheaper online and you already know what you need, just go for the online order (beware of shipping costs making the products more expensive, though). 2) You need as specific thing and your dancewear store does not carry it and cannot order it for you. In this situation, online ordering may be your only option.
If you know that certain items are much cheaper online than in the dancewear store (any discounts and shipping costs taken into consideration), be really careful about how you act and talk while in the store. DO NOT under any circumstances say "I'm just gonna get this online." It's really rude, and it tells the store staff that you don't value their expertise. It is much more polite to say something like "I'm not ready to buy today."
Some studios and dance schools have pro shops where you can buy dancewear.
When is it best to buy dancewear at a pro shop? One of the only times when it is best to do this is if you are required to have dancewear that is personalized to you or the studio. For example, some competition teams require their dancers to have team jackets with the name of the studio on them. Often the only place to get these is at the studio pro shop. If the pro shop sells other items like leotards and tights, they are often slightly more expensive than the same items at local dancewear stores or online. However, the price markup can be considered a donation to the studio.
Some large retail chains like Walmart, Target, and Payless sell children's dancewear.
When is it best to buy dancewear from a large chain? Almost never. The only occasions when this is a good idea is if a child is dressing up like a dancer for Halloween (or some other costume), or if a child is taking a very short term, informal dance class (such as one through a preschool) where "real" dance attire is not required. Usually the dancewear sold at these large retail chains is very cheap and not very good quality. The tights and shoes are especially poor. Often the "ballet slippers" sold are actually house slippers that are not suitable for dance. Even though the products sold at Payless are "spotlights by American Ballet Theater" brand, they are pretty poor quality and are often the same price as nicer items at dancewear stores.
**Note--If you are purchasing a first pair of pointe shoes or you need to change to a brand or model of pointe shoe that you have never worn before, go to a dancewear store for a professional fitting. Purchasing online with no fitting leaves the chance that you will end up with a shoe that is completely wrong for your foot and is dangerous to dance in.
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