Getting recital costumes is one of the most exciting parts of being a dancer. Between the sequins, ruffles, and dramatic silhouettes, recital costumes are FUN, especially when you get to dance in them! Who can really blame our dancers when they want to wear them 24/7?! As exciting as it is to take those precious costumes home, they actually need a bit of care until you wear them for the big recital.
It is important to talk to your dancer about costume care as soon as they are sent home. Your child may not understand why it is important to take care of their costumes quite yet. Our recital is a big deal for students, teachers, and family. A lot of time and energy has been spent making sure we are putting on an AMAZING show. We want to present the best performance we can to our audience and part of that is our costumes. Dancers need to ensure that their costumes not only make it to the performance but also, look how they are suppose to look.
In addition to the importance of being performance ready, costumes are an investment. Of course our dance parents know this well but many times, kids don’t. Otherwise, they may think twice before stuffing that brand new costume in their dance bag (makes us cringe every time hehe!). If you take care of your dance costumes you will be able to use them for years AFTER the big day. Whether it is for dress up or for a school play, there will be many opportunities to get some use out of them.
So how exactly can you take care of these dance costumes? We have listed a few tips right here for you:
- Allow for 1 fashion show when they come home with their costume. Your dancers are excited about their costumes so make a big deal about it when they get home and have them put on a fashion show (in a food free space of course). Then proceed to hang the costumes up for storing until the show.
- Hang up costumes. We love putting them in garment bags and in the back corner of the closet. When you keep them out of sight your dancer will be less likely to ask to try them on. Also, they will stay protected from dirty hands or accidental snags. Hanging them also keeps costumes wrinkle free and ready for the recital. Did you get a tutu this year? Hang it upside down to keep them from falling flat.
- No going outside or eating/drinking in costumes. This seems pretty obvious but we want to make sure we cover all of our bases. Make sure your dancer understands that costumes should not be worn to school or to a play date (we know this is tough with little ones!).
- Do not wash costumes. Dance costumes often have details (sequins, beading, rhinestones, lace, etc.) or fabric that will be damaged in a washing machine. Don’t risk ruining your costumes before the big day and keep it safe in the closet.
Like we mentioned earlier, it is a great idea to talk with your dancer about this and make caring for costumes a team effort. When the big day finally does arrive, your dancer will really appreciate the moment and be extra excited to put on that costume and hit the stage. We know they will look great and you will be incredibly proud!
