What Should I Wear to my Dance Lesson?

One of the most frequently asked questions at most dance studios is simply, “What should I wear to my first ballroom dance lesson?”

You’ve already been brave and taken the first step to becoming the next Fred Astaire (or Ginger!) by signing up for the lesson… but we know how it goes. The morning of your lesson, you start to wonder if you are prepared, and somewhere, anxiety begins to heighten about the little things, like what outfit to wear.

Well, we have some answers. Most importantly, we recommend wearing what you feel is most comfortable. You want to feel confident, relaxed and carefree above all else. However, there are certain articles of clothing that you may want to try to avoid.

 

For ballroom dancing, shoes are probably the most important piece to consider. The shoes you purchase can depend entirely on the amount of time you’re planning to invest in developing your skills on the dance floor.

 

If you are simply trying out ballroom dancing but are unsure of how far you’ll take it, go ahead and wear any type of low-heeled shoes (for women) to your first lesson. If you’ve got a few lessons lined up or plan to pursue dance over time to gain experience, go ahead and purchase dance shoes with a leather bottom. Rubber soles tend to mark up the floor, while leather will allow your feet to glide without sticking. Again, comfort matters, so wear something you feel good moving in!

Here are some more do’s and don’ts for your wardrobe:

 

Women 

DO

Leggings and comfortable shirt or tank top
Fitted t-shirt with sleeves
Best: Practice skirt or other type of long flowing skirt

DON’T

Tight or short miniskirt jeans (this goes for both men and women!)
Shirts with straps that fall off easily

Men

 

DO
Exercise pants and t-shirt
Business casual i.e. a t-shirt or dress shirt and dress pants

DON’T

Baggy clothing
Business suit or jacket worn to the office

 

What do you plan to wear to your first dance lesson? Or, if you’ve already been to your first class, what were you glad you wore?

And just for laughs, we’d love to hear what your biggest faux-pas was that you’ll avoid wearing in the future as you learn to ballroom dance!