Can I wear underwear under a leotard?

I get this question a lot from new dancers and parents of little ones just starting ballet.  Some people believe it's immodest to go commando under dancewear, and others think pants are necessary for proper hygiene.  The plain and simple answer to this question is no, it's not appropriate to wear underwear beneath a leo and tights.  In this post, I'll unpack why.

Note: In this post, I'm discussing mostly young girls and children's dancewear and classes.  For more on dancewear and underwear for women, see my post on dancewear for periods here and my post on leotards and bras here.

Underwear shouldn't be worn under leotards and tights for a few different reasons.  The first is that it's simply not needed.  Both leotards and dance tights have breathable hygienic linings and gussets.  In leotards, you may notice the crotch area has an extra piece of white, tan, or black fabric sewn in.  In tights, you will see an oval-shaped piece at the crotch that has a slightly different texture than the rest of the fabric.  If a leo or pair of tights do not have a hygienic lining or gusset, it's not a real piece of dancewear and is not appropriate for class.

Second, wearing underwear beneath leotards and especially beneath tights is uncomfortable.  Kids often wear pants that are slightly baggy, and they get creased and can feel lumpy when sung dance tights are pulled on over top.  When I teach children's ballet, I notice girls who wear underwear are more likely to get distracted by adjusting their clothing than girls who wear just tights and leos.

Third, it's not a good look to have underwear poking out under (or neon colors visible through) a leotard.  When dancers are in higher level classes, they must obey strict dress codes where it is prohibited to wear underwear beneath dancewear.  It's best for young students to get used to this early on.  Additionally, visible underwear draws the eye to a student's waist and hip area.  It's actually much more modest for girls to wear just their dancewear so the teachers, students, and others can focus on dancers' smiling faces.

Budget-friendly summer intensive wardrobe

Whether you're going away for a summer intensive or staying at your local dance school, you will need to think about your dance wardrobe.  Most programs require a specific color of leotard (usually black) and tights (usually pink), and different schools often have varying rules about skirts and warm ups.

When purchasing or packing for your intensive, think about the length of time you will be at your program and what will wear out in that amount of time.  Usually shoes take the most wear and tear.  You can easily go through two or three pairs of flats and five or more pairs of pointes for a month-long program.  A pair or two of tights might get torn, but you probably won't destroy too many pairs.  It's unlikely a leotard will bite the dust in a month's time, and chances are even slimmer you'll wear out your skirt, sweater, or legwarmers.

If you're on a budget or just looking to save, make purchasing shoes a priority.  If you don't have enough pointe shoes, you can't participate in your classes.  Always have at least one more pair than you think you need, just in case.  Consider tights next, and have one new back-up pair in your luggage.  The rest can be pairs you've already worn as long as they do not have holes in them.  Remember you can (and should) wash your tights during the length of the program, so you do not need a new pair for every day.  For a month-long intensive, about 5 or 6 pairs should do you just fine if you do washing once a week.  The same goes for leotards.  You will probably want variety in your wardrobe, but 5 or 6 leos are enough.  If you have funds to buy more, it doesn't hurt to have more choices.  

However, if you must choose between buying more shoes or buying a leo, always go with the shoes.  For skirts and warm ups, one or two of each is plenty, especially if you can't wear them during class.  I wouldn't purchase any new skirts or warm-ups for the intensive (unless it's something special, like a birthday or "congrats" gift).

So overall, make an effort to purchase more of the things you wear out most (shoes), and scale back on longer-lasting items like leotards.  This will ensure you are well-prepared for your program without overspending.

Behind the scenes: Costumes

Ballet costumes look beautiful from the audience.  They make the dancers look like their characters, and each costume is specially fit to the dancer who will be wearing it.  If you're not a dancer, or if you're dancing in the Nutcracker for the first time this year, you may not be familiar with the fun and tedious process that is costuming.

Except for occasional new works and re-workings, ballet companies have a stock of costumes.  If you are dancing in the Nutcracker, the company most likely has a costume for each part already made.  Because of this, costumes actually drive much of casting for child dancers.  Costume pieces are made in set sizes that can be adjusted only a little (adding or taking out tucks in the fabric), so party children and polichinelles are chosen by height as much as by ability.

After dancers have been cast, a costumer measures each dancer (usually height, girth, inseam, bust, waist, and sometimes thigh and arm circumference or sleeve length).  The costumer then usually pre-selects pieces for each dancer to try on based on their measurements.  Though many costumes look like dresses from the stage, most are actually made up of a separate skirt and top that may or may not be eventually sewn together.

Corps dancers (such as Nutcracker's snow or polichinelles) all wear the same or similar costumes, so the costumer may have dancers trade pieces or try on multiple pieces if the pre-selected costume doesn't fit well.  There is also usually a lot of effort made to ensure the costumes fit each dancer the same way even though there are differences in the dancers' bodies.  For example, the romantic tutus on snow costumes must appear the same length when the dancers are lined up even though the dancers are different heights.  This may mean one dancer's skirt hits right below her knee and another's hits her mid-shin.

For soloists and principal dancers, there may only be one costume for that part (for example, only one sugar plum fairy costume).  The dancer cast in that role must be the proper size for the costume (within the possibility of adjustment).  It's a sad truth that sometimes curvy or extra-petite dancers are passed over for these roles because the costumes just don't work for them.

For the corps, soloists, and principals, once the correct costume pieces are assigned to each dancer, the costumer will make adjustments to ensure a perfect fit.  This often entails taking or letting out tucks, adding or changing straps, and shortening or lengthening sleeves and hemlines.  Dancers must put on their costumes and stand very still as the costumer pins the costume (usually with safety pins) and writes notes about what needs adjusting.

Sometimes if there are multiple casts performing a ballet or show, multiple dancers must share the same costume.  The director will be sure to cast doubles who are similar in size, but the costumer often still needs to take special care to make the costume fit both dancers well.  The costumer may sew on two different sets of hooks and eyes in a bodice so it can fit once dancer slightly more loosely than another, or straps can be put on snaps so they can be added and removed to accommodate different arm sizes.

When dancers are wearing company-owned costumes, they must take care of them.  Wear and tear is unavoidable during any physical activity, but dancers work to protect costumes by stepping gently into tulle skirts, keeping delicate pieces away from things that could snag them (like wire and bobby pins), wearing antiperspirant, and applying bold lipstick carefully.

Can I wear a fashion bodysuit to dance class?

For the past few years, fashion bodysuits have been making a comeback.  They bear a striking resemblance to leotards, and those from stores like Forever21 are often much cheaper than leos from dance brands like Bloch and Capezio.  Teen and adult beginning dancers sometimes ask if these are appropriate for ballet class.  The answer is largely no, but it's a little more complicated.  Let's break it down.

The bodysuits sold at fashion stores are meant to be streetwear, meaning they are not specifically made to perform well during exercise.  Think about it like this:  what pants or trousers would you wear to the gym?  Probably not jeans or dress pants.  The best choice would be a stretchy legging or athletic sweatpant from a performance brand like Nike.  Cotton leggings from a fashion store could work, but the fabric and stitching strength is unknown, so it could be a disaster.  It's the same way with leos and bodysuits.

Bodysuits are often made to either be your underwear or be worn over your underwear.  Because of this, they may be see-through or cut in a way that's inappropriate without additional clothing over or under them.  Never wear a bodysuit to dance class if it's transparent, shows more than a little cleavage or hip, or has to be constantly readjusted for modesty.  Thong bodysuits are never appropriate for the dance studio unless you are wearing opaque and tight fitting leggings or shorts over top.  Additionally, bodysuits with snaps at the crotch should never be worn for dance (or any exercise) because they can come unfastened with vigorous movement.

If you find a bodysuit at a fashion store that is a subdued color or pattern, is good quality with strong seams, is not see-through, and is a snug and modest fit for you, you can wear it to dance class.  However, finds like this are pretty rare.  When in doubt, choose leotards from dance brands over bodysuits for your ballet wardrobe.