HI there Elite Families!

Happy Easter! The holidays are now among us and then we will be back in the studio!

Today’s blog is a super important one! As we return to the studio, expectations around uniform will change, students will be required to be back in our regulation uniform for classes! Which can present some issues!

Wearing a leotard and tights can be a daunting task but today we are going to break down the importance of the outfit and why it is important to not to focus on that!

Leotards and tights are used within dance and have been for most of dance history. The importance of the style is to allow the dancers body to be visible and clear, not hidden by t-shirts and baggy joggers. Teachers and choreographers need to be able to check the alignment and positioning of the dancers body to help avoid injury and ensure that dancers are exciting the movements quickly. To learn more about the history of the leotard check out Bloch’s blog page here – https://us.blochworld.com/blogs/beyond-the-barre/history-of-the-dance-leotard

It is important to encourage your child to work off how they feel internally, not how they look in the mirrors at the studio. The mirrors are merely a tool to help dancers alignment and placement. If the dancer them self feels strong, energetic and agile within their class then how they feel about their appearance at that point can become a passing thought, as we want them to try and focus on how they are feeling physically.

It is important to remind our students/children how incredible our bodies are. Our bodies are our home, they help us to be able to dance, walk, complete every daily activity and take us through each and every day. A healthy relationship with your body and treating it with kindness and compassion is of huge importance and should be worked towards and encouraged wherever possible. Our bodies are truly incredible and individual to us, we should be kind to them!

If you feel your child is struggling with some minor body issues, try and encourage them with a goal of a skill. So for instance a child may want to achieve their splits. If they then can shift the focus onto achieving that goal/skill the focus on the negative connotations they attach to their body will shift into a focus on how their body is adapting and responding to their hard work.

Every body is incredible, and hold unmeasurable value and worth. Try to have positive conversations with your children about body positivity, and encourage them to feel confident and happy in their uniform. There are always things like shorts and jackets available on our website to provide some extra comfort in the lessons if needed!

Best wishes Elite Families,

The Elite Dance Team x