Dancewear. You may see it as a perk of having a dancer in the house — or the worst part of having a daughter in dance. Many parents ask what they should buy, and the answer — much to their frustration — is that it depends. There is no “best brand,” in our opinon, but rather different brands for different purposes. Like anything, quality and price point are typically connected, and there’s a variety of options at every level, ranging from economy to luxury.
Quick Navigation Links
- Economy Dancewear Overview
- Middle-Ground Dancewear Overview
- Luxury Dancewear Overview
- List of Top Dancewear Companies
Economy Dancewear
As you might expect, economy brands usually offer lesser quality than the other categories, but they’re a helpful option for young children who will outgrow items before they have a chance to wear them out — or for those trying dance for a short time. If you’re shopping for a costume that won’t be worn more than a handful of times, these companies are a good place to start:
• Balera
• Eurotard
• Liberts
• Trimfoot
From any of those companies, you can expect a limited selection of simple styles.
Middle-Ground Dancewear
This is the category mid-way between economy and luxury levels and describes the majority of items you’ll find at the typical dancewear retailer — and they’ll meet the needs of most dancers for the majority of their career. Most of these companies offer a fairly wide variety of styles as well as price points. Many of these brands include a line of “basics” including simply designed leotards, shoes, and tights, that might be categorized as “economy dancewear.” Often, they also include a “fashion” line with more stylish items at higher price points, inching a little closer to the luxury dancewear category.
Brands to look for in this category include these:
• Bloch Dancewear
• Body Wrappers
• Capezio
• Motionwear
• Nathalie & Co
• Sansha
• So Danca
Luxury Dancewear
Most luxury dancewear is made in countries other than the USA. You can expect high-quality fabrics and highly fashionable styles — along with price points to match. For those who want luxury but still prefer brands made in the USA, Eleve and Gaynor Minden are ones to look for. If you require specialty sizes or desire a self-design option, check out Eleve Dancewear or Yumiko; those two brands are also the most high-fashion ones respected within the world of professional dance. Including those already mentioned, here are the luxury dancewear brands to consider:
• Eleve
• Freed of London
• Gaynor Minden
• Grishko
• Wear Moi
• Yumiko
Some highly popular online dancewear retailers include these companies:
• Dancewear Solutions
• Discount Dance
Of course, you can also check out your local dancewear retailer or shop around for used items on sites like ebay.com. One way to save money from any online retailer is to coordinate with another dance parent and place your order together, allowing you to split shipping costs.
Our Favorite Dancewear Companies
Here is a list of our favorite dance apparel companies. Some you may recognize while others may be new to you.
• A Wish Come True
For 30 years we have been dedicated to making the costume wishes of the dance community come true. Our commitment to our community starts at home. American made isn’t just a label we put on our dance costumes. We’re proud to be an American manufacturing company. From design to shipping, customer service to sewing, we do it all at our Philadelphia-area factory.
• Algy by DeMoulin
From Main Street to Broadway and around the world, Algy products have taken center stage. From our humble beginnings in Manhattan’s garment district, we strove to bring value and quality costumes and accessories to our clients. In today’s competitive environment we need to be able to source directly from locations around the world as well as around the block. The new Algy by DeMoulin brand will adhere to our philosophy of creativity and value in a high quality package.
• Bloch Dancewear
Bloch is the world’s leading provider of technical dance footwear and apparel. Bloch has built a track record for delivering both high quality and break-through innovation. Whether it be the first split sole dance shoe or the introduction of stretch fabrics into dance shoes, we are constantly innovating, improving, and adapting our range to better meet the needs of our dancers around the world.
• Costume Gallery
With a headquarters in Bristol, Pennsylvania, Costume Gallery is a leader in providing dance costumes and accessories to studio owners, teachers and coaches. We offer more fresh designs every year than any other manufacturer, speedy delivery, and numerous accessories to complete any look. Every product is handmade from the highest quality materials, comes packaged ready to share, has a consistent fit, is age appropriate and flatters most body types.
• Dansco
Since 1986, Dansco has been devoted to providing dance teachers and studio owners with exceptional customer service, quality and value. From recitals to competitions, we have you covered with costumes for tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet, lyrical, holiday and boys. Our costume collection is designed, manufactured and shipped directly to you from our facility located in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
• Kellé
Kellé Company, a leader in the performance dancewear industry, designs and manufactures apparel for dance recitals and competitions. Established in 1993, Kellé is an innovator in trend-forward design and state-of-the-art manufacturing. Our goal is to deliver the “Kellé Experience” – quality costumes and exceptional service, on time-every time.
• Kenerly Kreations
The mission at Kenerly Kreations is to provide our customers with the finest custom baton twirling, pageant, ballroom, competitive dance, majorette and dance line costuming available. We take pride in our superior customer service. Customer satisfaction is our ultimate goal! Each costume is custom sewn in our facility located in Jesup, Georgia. Each of our seamstresses takes great pride in their work. Whether you select one of our named costume designs, submit your own costume sketch, or choose to have our designer create something for you, we will put our touch on it!
• LeaMarie
All of our designs are imagined, and crafted in the USA. From conception to completion, all garments are produced in-house, allowing LeaMarie to maintain the strictest of standards.
For over 20 years LeaMarie has continually merged her formal design education, artistic flair, and experience in dancewear design and manufacture, to create bodywear that enhances any dancer.
• Pumpers
Explore Pumpers Dancewear for competition quality selections, including custom dance costumes & custom dancewear. We create custom dance competition costumes for any genre using your favorite colors & quality fabrics. If you can DREAM it, we can MAKE it! Customize your own dance costumes and watch them come to life! Made in the USA. Making costumes since 1986.
• Reverence Dance
High quality dance recital and competition costumes from the leading designer. Great costumes and dancewear for jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet, kids, hip hop, modern and contemporary.
• Revolution Dancewear
Revolution partners exclusively with dance studios and programs to boost your revenue and make it easy to sell dancewear and costumes to your students.
• Satin Stitches
Satin Stitches was founded in 1978 by Deborah J. Nelson. With Deborah’s blessing, longtime employee and designer Mercedes Bergman took over as new owner of Satin Stitches in 2020. Our unique Audition and Pro Apparel options are created by our talented designers, from our own inspirations. Our customers include dance teams, show choirs, pro cheer, pom teams, synchronized skating teams.
• Show-off Inc
Show-Off Inc has been designing & manufacturing high quality custom costumes for competitive and performance groups as well as individuals for over 40 years. This includes but is not limited to – figure skating dresses, competition dance team costumes, competition dance solos, ballroom dance dresses, and men’s ballroom dance wear. Each uniquely created costume is characterized by its flawless custom fit, professional workmanship, reliable, on-time delivery, and rare beauty of design.
• Tenth House
The Tenth House Elite Performance Collection offers unique + show-stopping jazz, contemporary, and lyrical stagewear.
• The Line Up
Our passion is creative performance apparel that fuels your imagination and captivates your audience. As a women-led business, we take pride in supporting our family of clients & employees. They are studio, high school, and collegiate dance teams, NFL and NBA cheerleaders, synchronized skaters, and artistic athletes from around the world. We believe the best designs are created from our customers’ imaginations. We’re just here to make them possible.
• Weissmans
Weissman is an American costume and dancewear design company celebrating over 60 years in business. All products are imagined, designed and developed at our St. Louis, Missouri headquarters with many products made here in our U.S. factory. Our Mission is to bring products to life that make dance dreams come true. Outfit your dance students in beautiful dance costumes for every genre from ballet, tap and jazz, to lyrical, hip-hop and gymnastics.
Did we miss your favorite dancewear designer in the list above? Find a broken link or typo? Be sure to let us know in the comments section at the bottom of this page. Thank you!
