Leotard question

[TABmom]

Is there a difference between a dance leo and a gymnastic leo? How can you tell the difference?

[gardenmom5]

it can depend upon the type of dance.  some studios are very specific in style and color for dancers.  (especially ballet).

 

 

[Guest]

Not that I know of, except the gymnastics leotards I've seen tend to be more shiny and dance leotards tends to be matte? Maybe they're of a different material - ie nylon as opposed to lycra?

 

I know our ballet school doesn't specify type, just color. The kids can wear any style or cut they want in terms of leotard but it must be black and the third must be ballet pink, alone with ballet pink split soled ballet shoes or pointe shoes.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[Lady Marmalade]

I wonder if a gymnastic leo is designed better for things like tumbling passes- where you want the leotard to stay on at all times.  There are an awful lot of dance leos that I would worry about slippage or coverage.

 

Long way to say that I don't know if there is an actual difference, though the dance catalogs do list them separately, and the gymnastic ones are usually metallic and have more coverage.

[TABmom]

Hmm, thanks. My dd is starting gymnastics tomorrow and we have this leotard that was a hand me down. It's soft material and solid black. I guess we'll wear it tomorrow and I'll see if she blends in with the other girls.

[Storygirl]

If she is young, it shouldn't matter. For older girls, yes, there is a difference. In a dance store, the gymnastics leotards will have their own rack, and they are definitely different. Sometimes the fabric is a heavier knit, and sometimes it is shiny. Dance leotards are usually (but not always) a single color, whereas gymnastics leotards are sometimes multicolored, with patterns, or with more than one color of fabric used.

 

A dance leotard should be fine in a gymnastics class. A gymnastics leotard would be out of place in a dance class.

 

If your leotard is plain black, it should be fine.

[Dmmetler]

According to DD, dance leos tend to end up riding up without tights under them, so they don't work for tumbling/gymnastics. Gymnastics leos tend to stay put. Dance leos are also generally softer and less scratchy.

[Rebel Yell]

Yes. Very different. Gym leos usually have long sleeves, dance leos most commonly have spaghetti straps.

 

Fabric, colors,many style are usually very different. But a young beginner could get away with a plain dance leo in gymnastics for a time.

[rebcoola]

It won't matter for a rec gymnastics class a lot of kids don't wear a leo at all.