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.