I remember when I was about eight years old the dance shop attached to my studio got in VELVET topped leotards. Tied in a little knot to give the illusion of a velvet shrug over a leo, it was the height of fashion to be able to get one in your class color. That was when dancewear consisted of what you could get from the select big dancewear companies (namely Capezio, Bloch, and maybe Sansha) or athleticwear brands (Lululemon, Athleta, Nike, and Adidas.) Limited design, colors, and sizing often made dancewear shopping frustrating. I remember feeling awful for years in tank tops - I have a long torso and standard tanks would usually hit me too high, either exposing skin I didn’t want to show, or hitting me in such a way as to make the space from my ribs to my hips into an indiscernible block. I was tiny but tall and so leotards were either too short or completely gapey. There were definitely periods where I dreaded going to ballet class because I felt like I looked awful. But I was fortunate. I’m a slender, cis woman. Nonbinary dancers or those who didn’t fit into traditional sizing had it WAY worse.

But in recent years, the face of dancewear started changing. With our communities expanding across the world it’s now possible to access independently made dancewear around the globe – meaning that in recent years some of the most popular dancewear companies are run by individuals who were tired of experiencing the same frustrations I was. Now we’re not limited to the few items in our local dance shop (and even those options are expanding…) we can customize, design, and discover dancewear that’s not only a perfect fit but through which we can express ourselves and support independent craftsmen (for the same price.)

I made this breakthrough into the fantastic future of dancewear when I was watching a behind-the-scenes video of a rehearsal at the Royal Ballet. I saw a stunning leotard, unlike anything I’d ever seen. I commented on the video asking if anyone knew where the leo was from and to my delight I got an answer! I discovered Baretto Dancewear from Royal Ballet principals Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb, Eléve from former Royal Ballet soloist Beatriz Stix-Brunell, DellaLo’ Milano from Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures principal Ashley Shaw, Just a Corpse from new Royal Ballet principal Fumi Kaneko, and Zidans from rising star Mariinski Ballet soloist Maria Khoreva (opening up the, until recently, closed world of Russian dancewear which we had all been dying to learn about since obsessively watching “Children of Theater Street” and “Ballerina.”) They have now become staples of my day to day wardrobe and have been an utter joy to wear in the studio and rehearsal room.

I had the pleasure of speaking with all these fantastic companies and am so excited to share them with you. We should all feel as comfortable, beautiful, and utterly ourselves in rehearsal and class as we do in any other situation.

And as a special treat, feel free to use teacher code 131287 at www.discountdance.com for a discount on your first order.

(https://www.barretodancewear.com)

Etsy Shop: (https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarretoDancewear?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=562245837)

The Overview: Founded by Ballet Idaho Principal dancer Elizabeth Barreto, Barreto Dancewear is a small, hand-crafted company (if you e-mail them, Elizabeth will likely respond to your message directly.) Known for their signature Ombre fabrics, custom apparel, and unisex options, Barreto is a favorite of Royal Ballet stars like Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae.

Location: Boise, Idaho

History: Elizabeth Barreto says: “I started sewing and designing clothes when I was a little girl, never using pre-made patterns because I preferred the excitement of altering clothes as the project progressed. When I was training with the Anaheim Ballet in SoCal, I worked part-time at Discount Dance Supply as the assistant to the VP of product development. That's where I first fell in love with the dancewear design process and could see a future for myself in that field.” A few years later, while in the corps at Ballet Idaho, Barreto’s sister passed away. Realizing that; “If I wanted to leave behind a legacy, I needed to start right away,” Barreto started creating her own patterns and sewing in the evening, carrying her through a dark time in her life. Encouraged by the response from her coworkers she decided to start selling her designs and her business took off. Hiring her first employee after a year or two, Barreto had to move production out of her spare bedroom and into a beautiful space in downtown Boise.

“Everything we made was custom in the beginning and it was really fun to see the fabric combinations that our customers came up with, but after learning which styles and fabrics were most popular, we expanded to include small batches of ready-to-wear leotards and men's tights. Skirts came after that, primarily because I wanted more options to wear in my rehearsals at Ballet Idaho.”

Her schedule was (and is) insane. Sewing in the morning, followed by company class and rehearsal, then back to sewing on breaks, then back to rehearsal, then back to sewing in the evening is the norm. Because of this, Barreto has had to limit the number of orders that can be placed each week. Barreto adds: “I just gave birth to my first baby girl and now it's even more of a challenge to navigate both my dance career and the business, but I'm figuring it out day by day. For the time being, I'm just focusing on ready-to-wear lines since they're more efficient, but custom will be back eventually. My business has to stay small to be manageable right now and I'm in it for the long haul. Once my dance career is over, expanding Barreto Dancewear will become my top priority.” Though Barreto Dancewear has a beautiful website, they principally take orders via Etsy (see above for both links.)

Philosophy: Says Barreto: “A leotard really can change how you dance. When you look in the mirror and feel beautiful, supported, and fierce, it shows up in your dancing. I want to give that confidence to dancers across the globe. It's not about super complicated designs, just simple, flattering lines and a fantastic fit.”

What Sets Them Apart: Says Barreto: “Giving everyone the perfect fit….(That piece) that seems to hug you and create the best line. The one that you always reach for in your locker. Old faithful, you can count on it to always fit like a glove. When I started, I was on a mission to make myself a whole wardrobe (of them.) After I had cracked the code, my business took off.”

Most Well Known For: From Barreto: “Quality and fit. It's a very small operation, so I don't send anything out with my name on it unless it's up to my standards. I'm a perfectionist in the dance studio and it translates to the sewing workshop.” In terms of style and design, Barreto Dancewear is instantly recognizable for its signature, custom ombre fabrics, clean, elegant designs, custom design, and fit options.

How the Dancewear World/Barreto Changed During Covid: From Barreto: “My two best employees moved out of the state during COVID and they were extremely difficult to replace because of the years of expertise they brought to the table. It forced me to look at what was most efficient and stick with that until production could get back up to the regular capacity. Finding reliable, capable, perfectionistic people to join my team has been a struggle since the pandemic started.”

How They Feel Dancewear and Dance Fashion Has Changed in the Past Several Years: From Barreto: “Trends come and go in waves. Everyone was SO obsessed with bold and bright printed/patterned fabrics when I first started. It was all I looked for while fabric shopping. My tastes have mellowed out over the years, so now I search for muted colors, different textures, subtle prints. The one popular trend that has never changed (for my business) is ombre/gradient fabrics. My customers have always been obsessed with anything ombre and I don't know if that will ever fade. After a few years of using pre-made ombre fabrics that other companies could get, I found a supplier who could make customized ombre color combinations, so now we have an exclusive partnership.”

Where They Ship: Worldwide.

Additional Thoughts: From Barreto: “Running a business on top of a professional ballet career isn't impossible, but it requires a tremendous amount of commitment to make it work. My personal life took a toll for several years while I gave every spare minute of the day to serving my customers. I now see how important it is to find balance, to take a day off every now and then, and not to commit to more than I am capable of producing in a certain time frame. A lot of people look at this business and think I have a factory of people making these for me to sell, but that isn't the case (yet). Aside from delegating someone to cut out the fabric and do a few finishing seams, I still make every leotard.”

(https://elevedancewear.com)

*Photo by Darian Volkova* @darianvolkova *Makeup/Hair: Daria Malahova* @dariamalahova *Model: Stasya Mironova*

The Overview: When you see a dancer wearing a piece that’s completely unique – it’s probably an Eléve. While other brands might have a “signature” fabric or look, Eléve offers a huge variety of items that are completely customizable (in addition to their “ready to wear” line.) With probably the most extensive fabric and style options Eléve brings your personal style to the forefront while fulfilling all your sizing needs and maintaining high quality and comfort.

Location: Kansas City, MO

History: Eléve was founded by dancer Lisa Choules who began her career at Ballet West and whose other affiliations include Utah Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and more. She has designed and executed costumes for William Whitener, Quixotic Fusion, and Owen/Cox dance group. She started Eléve when she retired in 2009 and continues designing costumes for dance companies all over the world.

Says Choules: My quest for great fitting dancewear began after the birth of my second child. Yes, somehow I was lucky enough to bear two children in the middle of my 16-year dancing career. I was back in shape, rehearsing hard, and was ready for something new to wear. I’m on the tall side for a dancer (5’8”), with a long torso, and finding a leotard that fit well was challenging. After a very unsuccessful trip to the local dance shop, I decided to try making my own. I was already making coverups and skirts so why not leotards? Ha, success! A leotard that fit, didn’t bubble out in the back and stayed where I needed it to stay. The best part is that I could add patterns and colors that weren’t typically available in the stores. Of course, I couldn’t walk into the studio with one of my new creations without all of my friends wanting a leotard of their own. As my busy schedule allowed, I would make leotards and skirts for other dancers. My transformation to costume designer soon followed…

I was very fortunate to have a long dancing career and to work with many amazing people. I had wonderful teachers that believed in me and pushed me to dance my best. I was given opportunities beyond what I ever thought imaginable and I am grateful for that. It's easy to feel uncertain in such a demanding career.”

Philosophy: Designing dancewear that is supportive and fashionable. Giving dancers options with fun interesting prints, textures, and styles so they feel confident and comfortable. Says Choules: “Here at Elevé we believe that every dancer is unique and what they wear should be a representation of their personality. As dancers, we spend all day in front of the mirror perfecting our line, rehearsing choreography, and trying to stand out. When we step into the studio, we want to look our best, we want to be individuals… Our rehearsal clothing shouldn't add to those insecurities. My goal with my dancewear line is not to only give dancers clothing that is comfortable and stylish, but also to give them the confidence to dance and look their best. Have fun, be creative, and let your inner designer emerge. Wear Elevé and you will get noticed!”

What Sets Them Apart: Choules says: “Our fit and our beautiful prints! We strive to bring the current runway trends to the dance studio and stage. We are always working on something new, releasing new collections and styles several times a year.” Eléve also offers men’s/unisex pieces most of which are customizable from the fit to the style to the fabrics. They have a wide array of options meaning Eléve really lets your unique style come to the forefront. They also offer uniform options for dance studios.

Most Well Known For: Choules says: “Our prints, but also our custom options. On our website dancers can choose fabrics and prints in the styles that look best on them and make it their own, letting their personality shine. Many professional dance companies and dance schools order custom Eleve for their performances and competitions.”

How the Dancewear World/Elevé Changed During Covid: Choules says: “Covid affected so many aspects of everyone's lives and business. The dance and theater industry totally shut down. Dancers took to Zoom to stay in shape and continue their craft. We even had a lease signed on an NYC property - the Eléve NYC Flagship store was happening, until Covid. Hopefully soon and once performances open more we will be in NYC. The disruption to supply chains and shipping delays affected the manufacturing and delivery of goods. We were fortunate to buy some new equipment which enabled us to print our own fabric, cutting down the time it takes for Lisa's inspiration to become a new collection.”

How They Feel Dancewear and Dance Fashion Has Changed in the Past Several Years: Choules says: “Dancewear is much more accessible. Dancers have more choices. Sizing is expanded. I believe Eléve has been instrumental in bringing fashion and better fit to dancewear.”

Where They Ship: “We ship just about everywhere, but customs and shipping fees to some parts of the world can be really expensive.”

(https://www.dellalomilano.com)

The Overview: Instantly recognizable for their signature hand-made lace adorned dancewear, DellaLo’ Milano is an ethically based couture Italian dancewear company that offers both ready to wear and custom made options.

*Photo by Marcello Arena, Dancer: Eva Stokic*

Location: DellaLo’ Milano’s showroom is located in the heart of Milan, Italy. All the production happens there from the creation of the garments to the packaging and shipping.

History: DellaLo’ is a tailoring company founded in 2015 by Paduan-born ballet dancer Lorella Ferraro. Ferraro was taught to sew before she was even able to write, and though at the time she couldn’t imagine how it would be useful, it has held her in good stead. A dancer with the famous Alla Scala Theatre, Ferraro started DellaLo’ in order to offer dancers and entertainers apparel made of materials exclusively of Italian origin, inspired by comfort and elegance. Starting as a custom-made production, during a relatively short history, the company has established itself as one of the strongest in the field.

Philosophy: To offer something unique to dancers in terms of beauty paired with comfort and extreme care for detail in both design and materials. DellaLo’ doesn’t just want dancers to be comfortable but to also feel beautiful.

What Sets Them Apart:

Unique and elegant style and fabrics made in Italy and finished by hand using exclusively Italian products.

Every step of their process is personally handled from the cutting to the sewing, washing, and shipping.

Each garment is inspired by timeless fashion designs and raised to the level of haute couture. Each collection introduces new shapes and finishings, including an introduction of the “plissé technique.”

Most Well Known For: Unique fabric designs and lace and embroidery tulle, customization, specialty fit, and high quality as well as an embroidery tulle customized with their daisy logo.

How the Dancewear World/DellaLo’ Changed During Covid: Although they were able to continue with production (in accordance with all legal safety precautions) DellaLo’ most struggled with being able to fill orders with suppliers closed and fabric quickly running out. They’re still suffering the consequences of the outbreak in terms of delaying materials’ delivery. But although all theaters and dance schools were closed their private clients continued ordering. They say: “Despite everything it was a kind of conformation of our idea to make dancers feel better by wearing our garments despite the conditions. Thank God we made it and the sense of belonging and union of our Team is undoubtedly the good thing we felt out of it.”

How They Feel Dancewear and Dance Fashion Has Changed in the Past Several Years: DellaLo’ says: “The dancewear world (has) changed a lot with the years. Starting from…dancers who were wearing ‘broken’ t-shirts or just plain-colored leotards or unitards (to) a fashion environment with a triumph of colors, necklines, fabrics, and different designs! This goes hand in hand with the change of the professional dancers’ image. Now…principal dancers are most (often) also Icons of Style in social media…so the interactions between fashion…and dance (have become) very strong...Since the beginning Lorella was (inspired) by the fashion world and she has been one of the first to introduce the different fabrics’ overlapping and sophisticated embroidery tulle. She also introduced…finishings and variety of necklines that were moving away from the classic ones.”

Where They Ship: Worldwide. They’ve (almost) shipped everywhere through e-commerce and they have retailers in Asia, EU, USA, Australia, and the UK.

Additional Thoughts: DellaLo’ is passionate about continuing to progress and develop its brand. The company is moving forward with eco-sustainability as well as adapting their leotards to a fashion line to be worn in daily life, not just in the rehearsal room.

(https://justacorpse.com)

The Overview: A blend of high fashion and dancewear, Just a Corpse creates pieces that would be equally comfortable in a rehearsal studio and on a runway in Paris fashion week. Instantly recognizable for their stunning prints and stunning draping that is both beautiful and functional.

*Photo by Charles A.Y. Thomphson. Thomphson sisters: Maria, Anastasia, Natalia.*

Location: Garments are manufactured in Ljubljana-Slovinia and the company has an especially wide audience in Asia; Korea, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

History: Just a Corpse was officially founded in 2019 by fashion designer Uroš Belantič & top model Valerija Kelava. After a decade of living and working in Parisian fashion scene, him as a designer for a global brand and her as an internationally acclaimed model they had an idea to create a different fashion dynamic, away from a cyclic corporate overproduction. Fashion & Ballet have had a long history of shared sympathy & influence with the body being their focal point zero; a joint blank canvas. Just a Corpse blends Belantič and Kelava’s mutual life-long interest in dance with Belantič’s experience of designing costumes for international ballet troupes. Just a Corpse develops and produces garments without exploitation and overstocking. They partner with a family-run artisan sportswear manufacturer from Belantič and Kelava’s mutual hometown of Ljubljana-Slovenia and their production involves diverse artisan workshops from the region & beyond. Some of the renowned dancers wearing Just A Corpse include Dorothée Gilbert, Lauren Cuthbertson, Maria Olegovna Kochetkova, Amandine Albisson and IG ballet influencers such as Anastasia V Thompson, Stanislava Postnova aka Ruby Tear are big fans as well.

Philosophy: Just a Corpse translates its substance into various products in the inspiring realms of fashion & ballet while keeping it sincere, humane and the most planet loving as possible.

What Sets Them Apart: Fabrics are sourced locally from world’s leading north Italian manufacturers and they look globally to locate the finest artisans to work with. They are at the forefront of both fashion and sportswear technology.

Most Well Known For: Their combination of dance and high fashion along with their new hybrid garment; leotard/bodysuit/swimsuit that can function in diverse contexts of either professional ballet wear, broader sphere of active/leisurewear, distinct realm of fashion products, and unique world of swimwear (it blends couture techniques with the latest technical sportswear standards.) Either printed with their distinctive motifs or crafted manually with traditional draping techniques all their leotards are packed in multifunctional/reusable washing bags and fastened with stylish adjustable waistband/hairband to evade waste with their packaging.

How the Dancewear World/Just a Corpse Changed During Covid: Just a Corpse days: “For our team, the period during Covid and lockdown…was very conducive and productive. Everyone was appreciative of work as that was the only activity where we could be together. The extra time in lockdowns made us extensively aspire to create an imaginary world of beauty and perfection. In a small country like Slovenia, we were privileged to be outdoors connecting with nature and all this together would translate and materialize in our collections. The hardest thing was to keep all the suppliers and factories cooperating along as many were facing difficulties in reduced capacity of their employees.”

How They Feel Dancewear and Dance Fashion Has Changed in the Past Several Years: Just a Corpse says: “Dancewear has elaborated and evolved as it is no longer aimed only for professionals. Diverse people from different professions and backgrounds are finding joy and expression through dance. It is sort of becoming like yoga, an activity merging with lifestyle. In that context, individuals are also looking for garments that not only serve the purpose of activity, but they want to look good as well. Just A Corpse seems to be the leading brand in understanding that correlation.”

Where They Ship: Worldwide.

(https://zidans.ru)

The Overview: Featuring beautiful, unusual lines and coloring, Zidans is a fantastic Russian company that features an array of products including stunning, unique rehearsal skirts, leos, pants, tops and warm ups for all genders. An especial favorite of Vaganova soloist Maria Khoreva.

*Photo by Dmitry Porechnyi, Dancer: Ksenia Shevtsova*

Location: Design, sales, and marketing teams are located in Moscow, Russia.

History: From co-founder and creative director Lilia Kosyreva: “Zidans was established in 2015, at that time carrying the name of Zefir Ballet. There are two founders of the label: Katya who has experience in sales and SMM along with a passion for photography and ballet and Lilia who is a Master of Sports of Russia (MS) in rhythmic gymnastics, strategy consultant, and an educated fashion designer, practicing ballet for more than 10 years.

It took us some time to find our voice, focus, and vision. We started from a limited range of printed skirts, then followed a series of color-flower-inspired collections. Until we distilled the values we would like to commit to: minimalism, clarity of lines, along with functionality, innovative approach to finishings, and visual language. That is how the Basic collection was created which led to the foundation for Zidans as we know it now.

As to the business side of the story, a year after launch we found our first retail partners (actually they found us) from Japan, South Korea, and China. With whom we still fruitfully cooperate. From the first months, we started to ship abroad, now around 80% of our items are bought by dancers outside of Russia and we currently sell to more than 60 countries.”

Philosophy: From Kosyreva: “For Zidans the most important thing in dancewear is the dancer and the dance, not the wear. So our goal is not to impede the dancer or put forward the clothes, but to highlight the best in the dancer: body lines in movement and his or her unique features. We also care about how our dancewear fits in the daily routine of the dancer. We love to integrate unexpected colour injections in the items, which might not be visible from the first site or are strictly inside, but make you smile or feel special when you put it on. We also care about the compatibility of items in terms of colour and texture, to make it easier to create a look, even if you have items from different collections. And inside our design team, we are very strict about the durability of our clothes: we accept no compromise on quality and durability of finishings and fabric.”

What Sets Them Apart: Items that work well in a variety of contexts and pair with diverse complementary pieces, great fit, unique cuts, and being one of the only independent companies to offer a broad range of rehearsal skirts…from thicker, knee-length reversable solid prints which would work equally well in a “Giselle” rehearsal, or a Broadway musical rehearsal, to long tulle skirts with stunning colored undertones. From Kosyreva: “From the outside, I think it is a visual language which is shaped by the design of our dancewear (colour mix & silhouette) along with the approach to photoshoots (location, poses, and additional elements). From the inside, if you once tried Zidans item, it is definitely the fit and the fact that you can mix your Zidans items around. We also have unique items, which I have not seen in other dancewear brands. As one of the examples, Ziphirus leggings, which combine the best from the classical ballet tights and sports leggings.”

Most Well Known For: Zidans is known for their bold designs and colors that are remarkably universal in their ability to be combined with other Zidans items, or with dancewear from other companies. Many of their items are reversible, functioning as two products in one, or in colors that work with an enormous variety of other color pairings. From Kosyreva: “In general terms, I believe Zidans is most well-known for quite a different visual language, colour combinations, and our prints from Stained in print collection, inspired by Moscow mud and slush. If we talk about specific items, Zidans Strap leotard with 1 contrasting strap saw many copycats and interpretations. In terms of sales, the 2 Sleeves leotard is an all-time bestseller, and I have seen it on quite many dancers in different theatres in the world. Probably, our two-sided rehearsal skirt and multi-coloured tulle skirt might also be considered as a landmark of our brand.”

How the Dancewear World/Zidans Changed During Covid: From Kosyreva: “From my viewpoint, It is quite difficult to say about the dancewear world as a whole because the open-source information is quite limited. I can tell that we saw some of our partners’ shops, unfortunately, closed due to long lockdowns in their countries and limited opportunity to quickly switch to online. As for Zidans, we definitely had to adapt and we became more agile in terms of internal processes and approaches to decision making. It was an experience, because nobody knew for how long we are all locked down and I was thinking, should we reconsider what a dancer in the current state needed most. By the way, in 2020 we managed somehow to launch around 80 new items. The hardest thing was to keep the design processes related to fittings and sample making. The other stressful thing was the instability and unexpectedness of monthly sales.”

How They Feel Dancewear and Dance Fashion Has Changed in the Past Several Years: From Kosyreva: “I think we may talk about trends theatre by theatre, which are dictated by repertoire, dancers-trendsetters, background of dancers in the company, as well the street fashion of the city. Companies dancing modern ballets tend to be more minimalistic and switch from classical leotard & skirt story to shorts/pants & Top with T-shirt, replacing tights with translucent cycling shorts and socks. Companies in cities with strong and conceptual fashion as London, for instance, have much open-minded dancewear style in studios that set a trend for the less daring. Among the evident trends is the integration of performance wear for fitness. More subtle trends, as far as I see, are layering (not about warm-up items), rebellion prints all over, contrasting colour combinations, bulky silhouettes, items from football or basketball outfit, and sport socks in pointe shoes.

As far as Russia is concerned, I believe, fashion in ballet studios is still quite conservative. In some theatres gaudy printed chiffon skirts and leotards with lace and flowers are trendy. Although I definitely see the swing towards minimalism, sporty fabrics, and colours even in theatres dancing classical repertoire.”

Where They Ship: From Kosyreva: “As far as I know (we ship everywhere.) But if one finds one, please write to support@zidans.ru and we will figure it out.”

The Top 5 Independent Dancewear Companies You Need To Know

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