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Dress Code

Dance Institute’s Dress Code is designed to facilitate visibility of body alignment, ease in movement, and a neat appearance. We want to ensure all dancers feel comfortable, confident, and able to dance safely.  Should you or your dancer require any accommodations related to Dress Code, please contact the D.I. Office to discuss how we can support you / your dancer:  330-972-7949 or danceinstitute@uakron.edu


Pre-Ballet + Combo Classes

  • Solid black leotard, pink or flesh tone tights, pink or flesh tone ballet shoes
  • Solid white fitted t-shirt, black dance tights or leggings, black or flesh tone ballet shoes
  • Ballet / Jazz Combo does not need additional jazz shoes, just ballet shoes
  • Ballet / Tap Combo will need black tap shoes in addition to ballet shoes
  • Hair secured in a bun or pulled up and away from the face

Beginning – Advanced Ballet + Pointe

  • Solid black leotard, pink or flesh tone tights, pink or flesh tone ballet / pointe shoes
  • Advanced dancers may wear any color leotard
  • Ballet skirts any color – Intermediate II + Advanced only
  • Solid white fitted t-shirt, black dance tights or leggings, black or flesh tone ballet shoes
  • Hair secured in a bun or pulled up and away from the face

Jazz, Tap + Musical Theatre

  • Any color leotard, black or flesh tone tights, black split-sole jazz shoes
  • Any color fitted t-shirt or tank top, black dance tights, bike shorts, or leggings, black split-sole jazz shoes
  • Tap classes require black tap shoes
  • Hair secured away from the face

Hip Hop

  • Any color athletic wear: Sweatpants, joggers, leggings, bike shorts, tank tops, t-shirts
  • Clean sneakers or dance sneakers

General Notes

  • No excessive jewelry. Faculty / Teaching Assistants may ask students to remove jewelry that is dangly, distracting, or a safety hazard
  • Appropriate support garments
  • Warm-ups are at the discretion of Faculty / Teaching Assistants
  • Dance bags are recommended for all dancers to keep track of belongings
  • Dance shoes should not be worn outdoors
  • Please write dancer’s name inside dance shoes


Note to parents


It is very important for the safety and health of your dancer that he/she wear shoes that fit properly. Allowing too much room for growth may increase the potential for accidents (tripping) and ankle/knee problems from increased torque on the joints while changing directions or turning. Jazz and Ballet shoes will stretch as they are worn, and the foot shortens when a dancer points their toes, so please take this into consideration when purchasing your dance shoes. A good rule of thumb is to fit your child’s dance shoes like socks, rather than athletic shoes. For the health and safety of your child, your teacher’s decision is final regarding the fit of your child’s dance shoes.


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