Just because no one sees what’s under a dancer’s costume doesn’t mean it’s not important. The right undergarments play a huge role in building confidence and empowering performers before they hit the stage.
Kelly Cataudella, for example, has been a dance mom of two in Wallingford, CT, for 11 years, and has seen firsthand how important the correct undergarments can be for a dancer. “One of our dancers had a situation where a strap on her costume broke because her breasts were not properly supported,” she says. “She had to hold her costume up for the rest of the dance.” Cataudella says the incident made her think about her own daughters, and what they would require for their turns in the spotlight. “Improper support can lead to embarrassing moments for a dancer,” she notes. “Having the right undergarments adds a level of protection and confidence that you’re not going to have a wardrobe malfunction.”
From seamless briefs that create an extra layer of protection between the skin and the costume to pasties (a type of adhesive bra) and tape that provide support for fuller busts, a dancer’s undergarments play a key role in creating a polished, stage-ready, look. Read on to learn how you can enhance your inventory to help dancers shine from the inside out.
Building Your Inventory: What to Stock
Helping your customers select the right products (and keeping them in stock) is key to generating sales and building trust. While a dancer’s undergarment needs will vary by age and style of dance, most will agree that bras, bodyliners, underwear, body tights, petals (adhesive nipple covers), and tape are all essentials for dancers.
“Key factors in undergarments are minimal visibility, support for activity, concealment, modesty, and clear straps,” says Deanna Magrane, owner of Dance In Dancewear of Oakdale, NY. “Many dance undergarments are seamless, so they don’t have visible lines, and all of them come with adjustable straps. Some have both nude and clear straps.”
Cataudella’s daughters, ages 10 and 13, both have different needs under their costumes. However, both of them agree that a seamless, skin-toned thong is a dancewear must-have. Cataudella also likes Nipple Stickies from Canadian brand, Threads. “They stay put,” she says. “They are larger and the tapered edges make them discreet under costumes. Invisibility is important. Judges will deduct points if they can see stuff like that.”
Dancewear brands like Capezio, Bloch, Eurotard, and Body Wrappers carry a large range of underwear styles that are designed specifically for dancers. UK-based Silky Dance, carried at Dance In Dancewear alongside the aforementioned brands, also specializes in tights and underwear, offering several varieties of clear-back bras and low-back camisole bodyliners.
Brio Bodywear, which has two locations in Ottawa, ON, carries underwear essentials from all the major dancewear brands, as well as a few non-dancewear ones. Owner Gilbert Russell says that seamless items from Spanish underwear brand Janira are great under costumes and leotards. They have a more substantial cotton-terry gusset, which costs a bit more but, he believes, is worth it for dancers looking for a second-skin feel and protection. “They’re not calling them period panties, but their gusset is very absorbent,” he says.
In September 2024, French brand Chantelle launched Pulpies, under its Pulp label. These seamless briefs and thongs are made from ultrafine texture with “a zero-material feel,” which Russell says would be ideal for dancers. “We’ve put them near the cash wrap where they have become an impulse item,” he says. “It’s a great way to get add-on sales.”
Meeting the Needs of Male Dancers
Dance belts and men’s tights are essential items that dance stores should stock for their male customers. “For males, dance belts are available in full seat and thong,” says Magrane. “Men’s tights are thicker than traditional dance tights and can be worn in conjunction with dance belts for full coverage.” Popular dancewear brands including Capezio, Bloch, Body Wrappers, and Wear Moi all carry a variety of these items for male dancers.
Supporting Dancers Through Every Age and Stage
Dancers in different age categories will have different needs under their costumes, and solutions become tricky as they enter their adolescent years. Cataudella says that her youngest daughter is modest in the dressing room, and underwear and bodyliners help her feel covered during quick changes in busy and crowded spaces.
As for the older girls, “wearing period underwear as a backup can help them feel confident and offers some protection, especially when they are in a white costume,” Cataudella adds. “When they feel protected they can focus on their performance, not their underwear.” The Absorb+ Dance Brief from Energetiks is a popular item for this age group, according to Dance In Dancewear. “It is a great solution for dancers, it has an absorbent, waterproof layer that can hold fluid, sweat, and leaks,” Magrane says.
Solutions for Bust Support: Filling a Market Gap
Full bust support is another issue that plagues dancers with tricky costumes. “For our fuller-busted customers, we’ve been able to serve them with Body Wrappers underwire bras,” says Russell. “This is a seriously underserved market. Dance manufacturers need to do better and provide more options to meet this need.”
Magrane agrees. “There is a definite void in the market for full-busted dancers, specifically larger than a DD.” She carries underwire bras from Capezio, Body Wrappers, Energetiks, and QT Intimates, and often suggests a combination of undergarments and tape for the best support. “Nothing is more supportive than tape,” states Cataudella. “But you have to know how to apply it correctly. If you apply it wrong, it’s not going to work,” she says, adding that hosting workshops in-store and creating tutorial videos or cheat sheets, can help customers learn.
Creating a Safe and Comfortable Shopping Experience
When it comes to undergarment shopping, young dancers may feel shy and reluctant to express their concerns. However, the experience doesn’t need to be awkward—after all, underwear is something everyone wears! A welcoming shop environment can help dancers feel comfortable exploring different dancewear and undergarment solutions, and staff can be trained to speak about these items as naturally as they would any other product in-store.
Creative, cross-promotional displays can help empower and educate customers. For instance, adhesive body-tape might be featured on a display table next to a rack of open-back leotards, accompanied by a small sign and QR code linking to a tutorial on how to apply the tape for a backless outfit. According to Magrane, removing bras and undergarments from their flat packaging for displays is also much better for customers to actually see and touch the product.
The Bottom Line
Selecting the correct undergarments goes beyond form and function. Dancers want to feel good under their costumes. Wearing something that makes them feel pretty is a big confidence-booster, says Cataudella.
Libby Basile is a former editor for Dance Retailer News and a specialty-retail storeowner based in Cheshire, CT.