A Modern Twist to Classic Ballet Tights

When thinking about tights, the most popular ones that spring to mind are ballet tights. At a glance, the idea behind the classic dance style is not only to display extreme poise and agility. It allows room for an artistic message to be brought forth through a graceful display of refined dance gestures. This is why clothing worn for ballet practice and performances is fundamental in reassuring the audience on the message that the dance intends to portray.

Those that have taken ballet since childhood will know that the most commonly-worn ballet tights are the pink ballet tights. Worn mainly by young girls as they begin practicing the beautiful dance, the pink ballet tights tend to be swapped by darker and more conservative shades as time goes on. Examples of these are black, white or navy blue shades of tights to match or tone-down the leotard the tights are paired with.

Furthermore, as far as comfort and practicality are concerned, the convertible ballet tights prove to be more suitable during ballet. The convertible tights come with an elasticated hole at the bottom of the foot part. This hole allows the dancer to quickly switch from dancing with a covered foot to pulling the tights off their feet to allow them ease of access into their shoe.

Ballet, being one of the oldest forms of dance created is stubborn in retaining a conservative authority. Nevertheless, ballet can be adapted for younger and modern audiences with a simple switch in tights worn through performances. The dance originated from the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and needs a ‘renaissance’ of its own.

Rather than sticking to the traditional style of pink ballet tights or darker shades as discussed above, why not break away from the mould by creating your own style? It is quite possible to break through the monotony by going for brighter colours or chose from a wide variety of patterned tights. Doing this will allow you to entrance your viewers and by helping reinforce the message you intend on portraying in a more powerful manner.

If you already have a particular costume you in mind, it is possible to match the tights with the exact print or embellishment of the tutu or leotard. Moreover, you can acquire the convertible ballet tights effect by going for a pair of footless tights or leggings. If you need a new pair of tights for practice, patterned tights are fantastic for self-expression, motivation and fully focusing on the movement of your legs.

For live performances, there is an outstanding range of inspiring options that ballet dancers tend to miss out on. Examples of these are astronomy tights, weather tights, tattoo tights, embellished tights and many, many more.

For instance, a recent performance of the Kingdom of the Shades - a classic ballet piece – was host to pink ballet tights and white men’s ballet tights. These subtle colours brought out the dazzling embellishment of the leotards and tutus adorned by the performers. Yet the costumes could have been made even more dazzling if they had been combined with matching embellished tights.

Ballet tights are as crucial to putting across a phenomenal performance as any other part of the ensemble. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the wide variety of options.