All About Dance Tights

First thing you need to know is that dress tights you can buy at Walmart etc are NOT the same as dance tights! The material and cut is in fact very different. Dance tights are unique and specially designed for dancers in esthetics, function, and purpose. Dance tights not only create clean lines and uniformity for teachers to observe dancers technique and body positioning; they also protect muscles/prevents injury for dancers. Dance tights are thicker, more durable, stretchy, and designed to be worn comfortably under leotards.

At RMSA, Different Dance styles AND dance levels require certain types of tights. Please see attire dress code for what your dancer should get for class AND RMDT Nutcracker, Jazz Christmas, and Spring Performances needs as tights can be different.

• Once reach RMSA Ac 2b, we do enforce NO undergarments (ie bras & underwear) as this is a dance norm. Properly fitted dance attire is made to be worn without these items. For more information on this read HERE and HERE

COLORS:

For the most part, you won't find any hot pink or neon green tights in a dancewear section. You can find ballet pink, black, and basic tan/nude at RMSA’s dance store. We can also order in a whole variety of shades of tan/nude to match skin tones for performance costume needs.

DID YOU KNOW: At RMSA, body liners and nude/tan tights should ONLY be worn for performances; not during dance classes?

CARE:

To keep your tights the right colors and from pelting or snagging in the wash, use gentle cycle or hand wash in cold water with similar colors AND fabrics; ie don't wash with jeans, sweats, towels....

Hang to dry. Do not bleach

STYLES

To help navigate and understand all the different styles, see the helpful list below!

For the non-dance world footed tights is typically the standard. Similar to a regular ol’ pair of tights, “Footed” is pretty self explanatory as they cover the entire foot and leg.

ALL RMSA Early Childhood, Academy 1, 1b, 2, 2b should only get footed tights.

Once dancers start taking different styles of dance; these other types of tights below can be helpful AND/OR are needed.

Convertible tights are very similar to footed tights except they have a small hole on the bottom of each foot. These are great for dancers with back-to-back dance classes in different styles as they can be pulled over the foot to sit on the ankle (similarly to ankle tights) or pulled down around the foot.

RMSA Academy 3 and older in Ballet AND Contemporary female students should purchase these so they can easily and quickly transition between a footed class (ballet) and a bare foot class (contemporary).

Another pretty self explanatory pair, footless or ankle. These are great for those just in a contemporary class OR if dancers prefer being socked for tap and hip hop class.

PLEASE NOTE: at RMSA for tap performances only males wear socks, females wear footed nude tights. Typically the bottom of these tights has an elastic band that ensures they do not ride up the leg.

These are for older dancers and are ballet specific, generally for performances only but can be worn in ballet class. The material of seamed tights is different and do snag or tear more easily than footed or transition/convertible/adaptatoe tights.

RMSA Advance Dancers and Older Nutcracker Roles are required to wear them for certain roles/performances.

Stirrups are kind of like all of the above tights had a baby. They have a similar bottom elastic to footed except it covers the middle portion of the foot all the way around, leaving the toes and ankle exposed.

At RMSA they are appropriate in Contemporary class and sometimes required for performance attire.

Body tights are another exactly as they sound. They basically cover the entire body with the exception of the arms, neck, and face. They can be used when you want a seamless look with certain costumes or leotards so that the waistband etc isn’t visible.

These are used for costuming/performances only, and there is no functional purpose.

RMSA Advance & RMDT Spring Company Dancers are required to wear them for certain performances/costumes.