Rhinestones and Leotards are not the only Costume Trends of 2008

By Abbey Tinker 

Dance costumes help tell a story and give the audience a better understanding of the style of dance being performed, and they can also let the audience know if you are part of a dance team or if you are a solo performer.

Any dancer will tell you that costumes are an important factor when putting together a routine and should never be overlooked when preparing for a competition.

According to Kelly Maglia, head designer for Triple Threat Dancewear in Los Angeles, this year’s costume trends are across the board. Costume selection heavily depends on the style of dance, age of dancer, choreography, and whether or not they perform in the studio circuit or are on an all-star team.

Much like with everyday fashion, there is never one single dancewear trend, because consumers come from all around.

“The dance industry is very diverse,” Maglia said. “What works for one, doesn’t (usually) work with another.”

Maglia, whose specialty is high school dancers, drill teams and all-star teams, said that each bracket is different from one another. There is more uniformity and cohesion for costumes with drill teams and all-stars because they come out of cheerleading. While other dance teams may want a deviation of the same outfit, i.e. different shades of a single color or the length of skirts and pants, these teams will stick to one theme and style.

Drill teams tend to lean to the more urban side, choosing looser fitting costumes in prints or vibrant colors that may resemble everyday wear. All-star costumes are sexy, flashy with the help of a lot of rhinestones, and are more oriented towards a theme, Maglia said.

As well as designing for drill teams and all-stars, Maglie also designs for local high school teams and studio teams. These two are more similar to each other in that they have been focusing more on modern styles using simplicity instead of the typical flashier styles more associated with competitive dance.

“Studios are becoming more similar now than they ever have been with high school (teams),” Maglia said. “There is a modern influence with each of them because of what their coaches learned while in college.”

Because of the simplistic nature of modern style, Maglia tends to create asymmetrical dresses, bandeau tops and hot shorts, things that are typically more streamlined and hug the body.

There is an overall aesthetic with dance costumes that goes beyond what type or style of dance is being performed. Dance costumes are becoming much more innovative than in years past using colors and fabrics in ways never imagined by designers or dancers. Maglia said that they can be edgy, dramatic, feminine, and slightly urban in nature. Also, rich fabrics, bright colors and decorative detailing such as rhinestones, feathers or contrast stitching are being added to costumes more than ever to make them unique.

According to dance-teacher.com, dancers are focusing more on having their costume complement the choreography rather than distracting from it. If the number doesn’t feel very flashy or high-paced, rhinestones or bright colors may take away from the dance itself.

Dance costume concepts are coming from all avenues such as movies, music, TV, and other countries and cultures.

For costume designers like Maglia who work mostly with high school aged and older clients, she uses what she sees around her in L.A.

“My ideas come from TV and film costuming,” Maglia said. “Each year is more and more over the top. It really depends on the market (you) are designing for. You have to know who your customers are.”