Are you planning on taking ballroom dance lessons? Are you wondering what to wear to ballroom dance class? Let’s take a look at the best options!
What to Wear to Ballroom Dance Class
When you first start taking ballroom dance lessons, whether you’re taking private lessons or group classes, it can be a little overwhelming.
I know when we first started taking lessons we were wondering what we should expect.
You stress over how hard it will be, whether you will pick up the steps quickly, and of course you stress over what to wear! And before we get started I want to just say, don’t stress! It’s going to be great and you’re going to have a blast!
Now, speaking from experience women tend to stress about this more than men;) When we started taking lessons I stressed about it for both of us! I wanted to make sure we were prepared and looked the part!
First Ballroom Dance Lesson
The first thing to think about before your first dance lesson is what clothing to wear.
You want to make sure you wear something that you will be comfortable dancing in.
There really isn’t a dress code, at least for adults that are starting dance classes there isn’t.
When we took our first lesson we were instructed to wear something comfortable that would allow us to move easily.
For women that could be a dress, leggings, loose pants, etc.
For men that can be a stretchier pair of dress pants, or flexible jeans.
I will say as well that it’s probably best not to wear full length long dresses to a private lesson as it makes it harder for the dance instructors to see your feet and legs. They need to be able to tell that you are straightening and bending your legs properly as well as taking the correct dance steps.
A shorter dress is best.
Comfortable Clothing
Now the ideal outfit would be actual dance clothing.
And that might sound overwhelming at first but trust me you can find some great, inexpensive options that are casual and look great!
Lot’s of dance clothing options even work for going out for social dance.
Believe it or not you can actually find some great options on Amazon!
We have compiled a list of some great ballroom dance options to make it easier on you as well. While some of the options are fancier and great for dance competitions, there are plenty of casual options that are great to wear for classes, private lessons, or a practice party at a ballroom studio.
A lot of these options also look great to wear out to dinner! We tend to make the night we do private dance lessons a date night:) So a lot of these outfits look not only great on the dance floor but look great to wear out as well.
I personally love to wear Latin ballroom dancewear to class. Latin dresses look great, are easy to dance in, and can be worn when practicing any dance style.
You can find Latin Dance Outfits for Women here.
You can find Latin Dance Outfits for Men here.
And if you have a young dancer you can find Latin Dance Outfits for Kids here.
And the beautiful thing is that they are all available on Amazon!
There are some items on these lists that we personally love to wear to the dance studio for class!
Ballroom Shoes
The next thing to consider when trying to decide what to wear to ballroom dance class is your shoes. You want to make sure you are wearing an appropriate shoe.
You can wear a dress shoe that doesn’t stick to the floor, especially men’s dress shoes. But even a good non-stick shoe isn’t the best option.
If this is something that you plan on doing even just occasionally then you really should get a pair of actual dance shoes.
They don’t have to be expensive, you can actually find a great pair of dancing shoes for pretty cheap! The first pair of shoes I bought were very inexpensive, yet they were very comfortable and lasted forever!
I actually bought my shoes before my very first lesson. I knew that ballroom dance was something I was going to love and I wanted to be prepared! And I’m so glad that I did!
It really made turning and getting on the balls of my feet so much easier!
We have compiled a list of some of the Best Ballroom Dance Shoes for Women here. And again, the good news is that they can all be bought on amazon! These are great options for starting dance lessons!
Men’s Ballroom Dance Shoes
Now for guys, like I said before, they can wear a dress shoe. However it will make it harder to dance and will be less flexible than an actual dance shoe.
Dance shoes, for both men and women, should have a smooth sole. The bottom of a ballroom dance shoe has a suede sole which helps make the shoe more flexible, and it helps you to easily turn and move on the ballroom floor.
You can find some of the Best Ballroom Dance Shoes for Men here.
Also, for your young dancers, we have a list of the Best Ballroom Dance Shoes for Kids here.
Dancing Shoes
There are lots of different styles to choose from when choosing the best dance shoe for you.
You can choose dance sneakers, these are especially great for first time dancers that are concerned about balance.
You can wear closed-toe pumps which are perfect for a Viennese Waltz, or open-toed shoes which are perfect for Latin dances such as the Cha Cha or the Paso Doble.
Latin shoes are actually a good choice for many styles of dance.
We personally wear them for all ballroom dancing lessons no matter what style we are learning or practicing.
Women also will have to choose their heel height. Do you want to wear high heels or flat shoes?
Dance shoes range in height from almost no heel (especially in a dance sneaker) all the way up to about 3 inches.
You can choose whatever is most comfortable for you. A 1 inch or 1.5 inch heel is a great height to start with if you are worried about balance. If you are a lover of high heels and wear them regularly though you would probably be fine starting out in a higher heel.
Dance Attire
The main thing to remember when choosing your dance outfit and shoes is that you want to wear whatever will help you have the best dance experience possible!
Choose something that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful and it will reflect in your dancing!
You always want to dress the part. Dress the way you want to look as a dancer and I promise that it will help you to be that dancer! You want to dress in a way that will inspire you as well as your dance partner:)
Learning a new skill can be scary at first, but I promise that after taking that first step in your dance outfit and dance shoes you will feel like a ballroom dancer!