When planning a recital or competition team season, how does a dance studio decide on which costumes to select for its dancers?
There is a lot more to choosing the right costumes for a studio dance recital, or for use with its competition dancers, than just pouring through the numerous costume books available from various costume manufacturers.
A lot of thought has to be given when considering which costume(s) are the right choice. Some of those factors are:
Costume Fit for the Theme of the Recital or Competition Routine
Choosing the right costume (colors and styles) can enhance the appeal of the dance and the recital or help a competition dance routine stand out against the competition.
Styles
Many dance studios work hard to make sure the costumes they select are age appropriate for the various age groups that often participate in recitals or competitions.
Quality
It goes without saying that when selecting costumes for recitals and competitions, the quality of the costumes and the reputation of the costume manufacturer plays a role in the selection.
Delivery Time Frames
A studio owner needs to understand how soon a manufacturer can ship costumes and their track record on delivering on time when deciding on which costume to select. Making sure the costumes arrive on time, causes less stress for the owner, the parents, and the dancers when they are getting ready for recital or competition events.
Price
Studio owners should take their customers’ budgets into account when selecting the costumes they plan to sell for recitals or competition team use. Some families have multiple children dancing or a child who dances in multiple recital routines.
It is also important for studio owners and teachers to consider the dancers’ self confidence, self image and self esteem when making costume selections. Making sure their dancers are never put in an uncomfortable position when performing should be paramount to the decisions.
With today’s society being so image oriented, it is important that the chosen costume selections uplift the dancers in both appearance and self-perception.
