one thing i would recommend is wearing correct footwear, which is ballet slippers that fit. they’re not necessarily expensive. anything else is totally up to you! leggings would be preferable because the teacher can then see your form and legs and correct it. other than that you will find a wide range of attire in an adult drop-in ballet class and will not be out of place whether you are wearing leggings or a leotard.

another note, don’t get discouraged! ballet is really hard at every level. if you stick with it you WILL improve. adult drop in classes are a very low stakes way to learn and the range of experience in the class will be wide-some who have several years experience and some who have never taken a class in their life. i’ve danced for 5 years when i was younger but didn’t for 10 years and have come back, which was terrifying for me at first. i prefer to take beginner classes to really refine my technique and some dancers way better than me do the same. other people have never taken class before and everyone is very encouraging and welcoming, so please don’t be scared to start!

Not at all! Plenty of the adults in my studio came to the first class in a leo/tights. I started in leggings and a t-shirt but ended up buying a few pairs after a month of classes and getting a feel for how much I enjoy it.

I find that I feel more confident/graceful in ballet attire, kind of like dressing up for work. Like a fake it til you make it, "if I feel like a ballerina i am a ballerina" kinda vibe 🤣

Nope we have a ton of adults at my rec studio who wear more traditional ballet attire and some (like me) who do everything from traditional ballet attire to leggings and a tee shirt depending on where I am in my laundry cycle - get a feel for the culture of the studio/class and then you’ll know! At my studio we tend towards more fun/exercise for the adults (non competition rec studio with many different dance styles taught such as tap jazz ballet hip hop etc) so it’s a lot less rigid but other studios I’ve been to that are ballet only/closer to/in NYC tend towards more formal in terms of dress

I'm an old adult dancer and I wear a skirt, leo and tights. Most of the adults in my adv ballet class just wear work out clothes. Wear what you want!

No way! In most of my adult classes, folks wear work out clothes. However, I'm an "old habits die hard" and always have on tights and leotards. Just watch out, buying new leos can be addicting LOL

I did ballet for a little bit as a kid and ended up quitting and regretting it for my whole childhood, didn't even look/think about it until recently, and randomly at 28 decided to pick it back up again and found that I LOVE it.

The longer you wait the more regret you might have, so just go for it!

I just started this year in February so I’m very new to it. One bit of advice I saw when I started was to force yourself to stick with it for at least a month before you decide if you want to keep going. Starting something completely new like this can be overwhelming! You’ll probably have some classes where you feel totally lost and that is okay! It will get easier if you stick with it.

I also didn’t start buying any new clothing for class till after that first month when I knew I wanted to stick with it (even though I really wanted to 😅). I did buy ballet slippers for my first class though. Definitely recommend getting a pair at the minimum.

Don’t buy anything else - ballet doesn’t actually need lots of clothes or equipment.

If you’re cold you can wear clothes you already own over your leotard and tights - shorts and a t shirt, or joggers and a sweatshirt.

Once you have started you can ask your teacher what she recommends you do at home. If you try and start now you may set yourself up with posture or alignment errors it’ll be hard to shake.

What you could do now is some YouTube Pilates or yoga, just to get your body used to moving around, and waking up muscles that don’t get used much in everyday life.

This video from the YouTube account Ballet Reign is super cute and actually helpful!

I’m old now, but I love that channel because they are adorable and it reminds me of my high school ballet days 💕

I started ballet at 15 and absolutely loved it. I was en pointe by second semester and progressed really fast because of some prior conditioning, but mostly because I loved it and took it so seriously. I studied ballet. We didn’t have internet like now, so I bought books and read manuals etc. I always wonder how much easier that side of it would have felt if I had YouTube / social media to watch videos and be inspired.

Enjoy it. Dance for YOURSELF first. Feel the joy of every tiny movement. Over time your muscles will learn what they need to - that takes years of repetition - but for now let your passion and dedication lead the way. Congrats!

My advice is to take it slow! Ballet is weird for the body, so you’ll need to learn how your body responds to the new motions.

I started in shorts and a T shirt with my medical tights. After feeling what is really stiff and what needs heat from warmups, I now wear leos, a knit shrug (upper back issue), over-knee stirrup leg warmers (one bad knee and one bad ankle, both old injuries), and I sewed stretch ribbons onto my flats (a bit of support for my bad ankle and the pressure keeps me more aware of alignment).

All of that I learned slowly and with trial and error.

For stretching tools, a Theraband is great. I’d say start without anything, though, and see what your range of motion is. Overstretching is a thing, so do some research into how to stretch safely and identify hard limits.

having cute stuff makes me preform that much better lol! i have a “my mum made it” pink puffer bag to bring to class, but rlly any bag you like is definitely a must have! i even put my labubu on mine lol! i see a lot of trash bag shorts in class and repetto has some rlly cute warm ups too

Take a water bottle.

Most poles from reputable companies are over $300 I think everyone and their mom is gonna say to check out the X pole website Theres also Lupit and fit to flaunt as two other brands, but X pole is the most popular I believe.

Buy pole grip (its super helpful) and If you can find a studio that has a singular intro class for pole, join that. Asses how ur body responds to the pole so youll have a better idea of what kind of pole would be best for you. Ex: people who are very sweaty and have a harder time sticking would look for maybe a Silicone or Power coated pole which would offer more stick for their skin.
https://youtu.be/N3alY4P0YKI?si=aaJVKLsuo1KRUfIs

For classes bring: water, pole grip, and if allowed a recording device of choice (you’ll want to film yourself to see your form, remember moves, document progress, etc).

Thats all I can think of lol

I definitely recommend doing a few classes before investing in a pole. For pole wear in class show as much skin as you are comfortable skin helps you stick to the pole.

I would definitely do some classes before investing in a pole; a safe high quality pole isn’t cheap, and even though pole is expensive a set of beginner classes are worth investing in before you invest in a pole.

Crash mat will be your best friend for home training! Yoga mat for stretching as well EDIT: forgot to add they make ones specifically for pole

Around me at least, it’s common for studios to have cheap deals for new students, and I strongly recommend using them to take a few different styles of classes. This will also help you decide what you want to focus on. Some people like doing aerial tricks, some like doing sexy floorwork choreos. Doing the former safely at home is a pretty large investment - a good quality pole will run 350+ USD and a good quality crash mat (which won’t keep you from breaking your neck, but it will make you less likely to crack your skull, I’ve been thankful for mine) will be 250+ USD. Doing the latter… I still wouldn’t trust any pole that you can buy on Amazon, but if you aren’t going to be doing tricks up off the ground or upside-down, you’ll be fine without a crash mat.

Also, you probably don’t need to buy any clothing for your first few classes. Short spandex and a tank top will be just fine! The important things will be to have your arms, armpits, and legs uncovered to have skin to stick to the pole in beginner moves.

A foot roller, spiky ball to roll our feet or other muscles, therabands. This may not apply but sometimes my ankles don’t feel the best and I love my Apollo socks and wear while doing class.

Leg warmers !!! The stripy - er the better !!! But anything that helps keep me warm that I can layer off.

But I use a lot of exercise bands for stretching with and warming up with. I find those helpful. I’ve also worn slip dresses as a layering piece. It just keeps it fun for me

My must-haves to this day :

- a wrap-around in a light colour, perfect for the barre in Autumn and winter

- a reusable bottle of water

- a "ballet waistband" to see my hip placement

I love matching scrunchies to my Leo is that's allowed at your school :p

a lacrosse ball to roll out with

Dance Direct is the best place to start; Move Dancewear is good as well and Porselli often has bargains.

They all carry a wide variety of brands so you’re not tied to one manufacturer.

(If no one has talked to you about dance belts yet, start here: https://ballethelpdesk.com/doctordancebeltsguide/ )

I would check out Wear Moi. The products are high quality!

tights, ballet shoes, and leotard r all pretty standard-check with the studio/school to make sure there’s not a dress code ,, a lot of the time it’s black leo with pink tights and shoes

If the studio allows it, I highly recommend a floaty skirt (probably elasticated not wrap) because kids LOVE twirling around in them. But do check with them, some places are pretty strict on uniform especially if it’s a ballet-specific studio.

Source: my old studio had extras in case of meltdowns due to not feeling like a princess

Dance teacher here! What others said. Also, make sure you get leather ballet shoes and not the satin slippers. I wouldn't clarify if it didn't happen. Lol. I hope she loves it! 🫶

They probably have a uniform at the studio so you should first ask them.

Tap rocks though! And it's great for foot and ankle strength which helps prevent against injury in all dance styles.

don’t knock the tap! It’s what got me into other dance styles and has such a cool history. A totally different skill set that she can apply to musical instruments or musical theater.

Those are both such fun genres! I love ballet so much so I'm glad she's excited for ballet 😊. Tap is so satisfying when you get your sounds and such amazing cardio.

Definitely ask the studio what they would like. Pink tights and ballet shoes are pretty standard but many studios require certain a color leotard based on class age/etc. They can also advise you on any other class "rules" that apply to her age group such as whether hair is required to be in a bun or not.

You're already well-prepared. If you want, you could bring a ballet shrug in case the studio gets chilly under the AC. You've got this!

Have fun! And if there's no set uniform maybe find a cute sweatshirt/wrap/skirt/tee that shows your personality?

this sounds so obvious but PLEASE bring water to class. if the teachers aren't strict about warm-ups then you can buy some cute leg warmers/warm up boots! remember to breathe and don't be nervous, have an amazing time!!

You sound pretty darn prepared. Have fun!

you can check out the skate buyers guide here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rollerskating/comments/k66s0p/what_skates_should_i_buy_a_guide_for_newbies/

you can also post most newbie questions here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Rollerskating/comments/1j80m72/weekly_newbie_discussion_post_questions_skills/

(i think some questions get moved there)

any skate in that list is a good start. I typically recommend folks suregrip boardwalks, and then swap out the toe stop for some jam plugs and swap out the wheels to something like suregrip fame 95a wheels in the 55 or 57mm height (its one of thsoe two).

I take ballet shoes, my phone and water.

I’m lucky my studio has all the stuff we need.

Fellow adult dancer here! Aside from those, I keep some Tylenol, deodorant, hair pins, and a snack :)

In order of imprtance: regular bandaids and those fancy hydrogel ones for blisters, phone charger, deodorant, warmup booties, minty breath spray … 

my bag is clogged with 800 different warmers, some of which don't match. and a very hairy lint roller. plus hair clips and bands.

Through lots of trial and error, carrying big bags and small, everything I might possibly want and nothing, I’ve settled on a happy medium. Main backpack compartment holds two skirts, two pairs of legwarmers, hydrogel pads, arnica cream, warm up booties, choreo notebook, small mesh bag with toe pads, spacers, and small massage ball, and larger mesh bag with pointe shoes and Demi pointes. The laptop compartment within that main compartment has compression socks, Capezio dance socks, and about a dozen pairs of cheap cotton socks. Exterior top zip pocket has my jazz shoes and 2 pairs of ballet flats. Small zip pocket holds wallet, phone, and keys. Bottom zip pocket has a mini foam roller, massage ball, lots of therabands, deodorant, and biofreeze. My water fits in one side pocket, and the other usually holds a snack or (when I go to Saturday morning class) my travel mug of tea.