I've talked about makeup and hair, but one part of performances that you might not know about is costumes. Costumes have a big impact on the dance and are specially designed for the routine. From the fabric to the design to the style, costumes are an important staple of a dance.
This year, my ballet costume had a long and flowy skirt. The skirt was this way because when we leaped, turned, and performed lifts, the skirt would move rhythmically. This would highlight our legs and turns.
When I was younger, I had a jazz dance to a song about animals and being in the circus. My costume had leopard print designs on the leotard and tutu.
This was to show how we were dancing "in a circus."
Plus, the costume was easy to move in since we had fast choreography.
On dance reality TV shows, such as So You Think You Can Dance, the costumes play a significant role in the routines. They go along with the narrative of the dance, while still being natural to move around in. The costumes can sometimes help to tell the story and demonstrate who the character is and where they are, the way a Halloween costume does.
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