Required Class Attire & Hair Treatment

All Dance Classes

• No jewelry allowed that can fly up and chip teeth, hit eyes or simply distract a child’s attention. No dangling or clinking, noisy bracelets.
• Please don’t bring toys to class. Caveat: Instructors will sometimes invite stuffy friends to watch class.
• Students may wear colored leotards if that’s what they *already* have. But when it comes time to purchase a new leotard, please purchase a black one… So eventually, everyone is “in uniform.”
• Students are welcome to bring an unbreakable, straw-style water bottle to class.

Ballet

• Any style black leotard (short or long sleeved) and pink or skin-colored footed tights.
• You can be creative with variations on black leotards. For example, a leotard with some rhinestone decoration or a short attached crepe skirt is just fine.
• For ages 10+, it’s advisable to purchase “convertible” tights — i.e., tights that have a hole underneath the foot. These convertible tights can be rolled up to the ankle for stretching barefoot or attending to toes prior to Pointe work.
• Optional: solid-color, short (mid-thigh), black or pink ballet skirt. The Motionwear Pull-on Wrap Crepe Skirt (Style #1011) is a great, easy-to-use option.
• Please no tutus.
• Optional if cold: close-fitting pink made-for-Ballet sweater. Both wrap-style and pull-on are acceptable. Close-fitting because instructors need to be able to see alignment.
• Leather or canvas pink Ballet shoes (drawstring-less preferred, but often don’t work for wide feet). Please do *not* purchase Ballet slippers at a big box store, such as Target. The models sold there are quite stiff, which makes it difficult to point your toes.
• For Ballet shoes with drawstrings: The teacher will help students trim strings and double knot them. Then the remaining short strings (about an inch), are tucked into the the ballet shoes. Please, no little bows on shoes that can come untied during class and be distracting.
• Hair in a bun. There are many useful ballet bun-making tutorials on YouTube. Hair buns are part of the etiquette of Ballet and help dancers to feel prepared and in the right mindset, the same way a lab coat makes a doctor feel ready for work. For class, it’s usually not necessary to use hairspray, gel, etc.—we can reserve that for performances. It can be quite helpful to have a sturdy “snood” or bun cover. No ponytails – they whip the face and injure eyes during turns.
• If short, hair must be off the face.

Tap

• Black leotards or unitards
• Footed tights or leggings with white cotton socks
• Black tap shoes, ribbon tie or Mary Jane strap-style with Velcro, patent leather or matte
• Hair away from face

• Close-fitting plain white t-shirt
• Black shorts (preferably no pockets)
• White/black ballet shoes with or without white socks
• Black oxford tap shoes with white socks

• • Wearing Ballet attire (leotards and tights) for Tap class is completely acceptable.
  • Many students like to make minor *style* changes between classes such as sliding off a Ballet skirt and sliding on some black stretch pants. But this is not required.
  • For young children’s combined Ballet/Tap classes, there is only time to change shoes.

  Tips

  • NEVER WEAR TAP OR BALLET SHOES AS STREET SHOES; doing so tracks grit and street grease onto the dance floor.
  • Dancers are expected to carry dance shoes in a special dance class bag that also contains extra headbands, bobby pins, brush, tissues and other items necessary for class.
  • Please clearly label all dance shoes with permanent marker.
  • Please do not play at the park in your dance tights, which easily snag.

  Purchasing Dance Shoes and Clothing

  • There are many online retailers, such as Discount Dance and Dancewear Solutions, but choosing the correct size remotely can be very challenging and return shipping can be costly.  Two ballet slippers we recommend:
  • Bloch Women’s Performa Dance Shoe: on Amazon
  • Bloch Dance Girls’ Performa Stretch Canvas Split Sole Ballet Shoe/Slipper: on Amazon
  • To be sure of sizing (particularly for shoes), we recommend visiting one of the following local businesses:
    • Liesl Dancewear (Woodbridge, VA), a store that exclusively sells dance- and gymnastics-wear.
    • The Cinnamon Tree (2 locations: Herndon and Manassas, VA), a store that exclusively sells dance-wear.
    • Footlights (Frederick, MD), a store that exclusively sells dance- and theater-wear.
  • Staff at both stores are very knowledgeable about the different styles of dance shoes and correct sizing. Students can try on shoes and make sure that the fit is correct. They also carry dance apparel. If you visit their store and benefit from their expertise, please *do* purchase the shoes from their store.
  • For correct pointe shoe fitting, you *must* visit Liesl, Footlights, or The Cinnamon Tree. Do *not* sew ribbons on pointe shoes until your pointe teacher has approved the fit and explained exactly how to do it.

  Drop-off & Pick-up

  • We are located in a residential neighborhood that already faces parking and traffic challenges. Given the additional traffic we bring to the immediate neighborhood, we have worked hard to build goodwill with our neighbors and want to maintain that goodwill moving forward.
  • Neighbors have asked us repeatedly to not allow drop-offs in the crosswalk or any double-parking. Please be courteous and respectful of neighbors at all times.
  • Please drop-off and pick-up students on Wilkes Street ONLY — never on busy Fairfax Street and never in the crosswalk on the corner, please!

  Snow Days, Absences, & Make-up Classes

  • Snow days are announced by 1pm on the day of class. Classes on snow days are held on Zoom. A link for each class will be sent when the snow day is announced. Students who would like to attend a make-up class in person may attend the next highest level class in person.
  • Personal absences may be made up by attending a make-up class at the next highest level.
  • Please encourage your child to regard each class as a building block with new steps and details being added each week. Each absence creates a gap, especially in the second semester as the recital approaches. Please help us impart the idea of getting to class on time and commitment to a group, of “being there” for a partner and being someone we can depend on, all of which is essential in the discipline of dance.
  • More than 3 absences in the second semester may disqualify a child for the recital unless absences have been made up.
  • If a child is ill or contagious and has to be absent, please send an email in advance to let us know.

  Questions?

  We are happy to answer any questions. Please email, call, or text:

  Laura Machanic
  Phone: (703) 338-1330
  Email: [email protected]

  School for Swans, LLC
  430 S. Fairfax St. (lower level)
  Alexandria, VA 22314