This is a common question that I
hear pretty often, especially from newly-minted dance dads. A leotard is a bodywear garment that
resembles a one-piece swimsuit. Leotards
cover the body from the crotch to the shoulders (at least, some cover the arms
as well) and are distinguished from other bodywear garments by their “brief” or
“underwear-like” cut on the bottom. No
matter what a leotard’s sleeves or straps look like, a leotard is a leotard if
it looks like underwear on the bottom.
A unitard is a bodywear garment
that is not brief cut at the bottom, but extends into shorts or pants. Sometimes shorts-cut unitards are called
biketards or bootietards, but I prefer the term “shorts unitard” because it
more accurately describes the garment.
Unitards that extend into ankle-length leggings are more universally
recognized as unitards. Unitards can
have many different styles of sleeves and straps, ranging from camisole
spaghetti straps to full sleeves (and sometimes even full sleeves ending in
gloves for “full body” unitards).
Usually leotards are worn for
ballet. Leotards and shorts unitards are
common for gymnastics, jazz, tap, and modern dance. Unitards with pant-length legs are usually
only worn as costumes for classical dance, but are common practice-wear for
contortionists and aerial dancers.
If you are shopping for dancewear
for a child, it is uncommon for the child to need a unitard with pant-length
legs. Shorts unitards are acceptable for
gymnastics, jazz, tap, and modern if they are allowed under the studio’s dress
code. For ballet, young children are
usually only allowed to wear leotards.
In any situation, if you are unsure of what the dancer needs, it is
safest to purchase a leotard and add shorts or leggings over top if a unitard
look is desired.
