Enter the Studio With Everything You Need (And in Style!)
With a new season of dance classes on the horizon, excitement for the year ahead is rising. Whether you’re a first-time parent getting wondering where to get knee socks, or an experienced Highland dancer looking for a refresh, this list includes the 10 things you’ll need when you enter the studio.
1. A Dance Bag
Having a quality dance bag is the first step to preparedness. Athletic bags can be found at any number of stores and at any price point imaginable – as long as it holds everything you need, it’s a good choice!
One of our favourite options is the tote bags from For Reel Apparel, with your choice of designs!
2. Your Dance Shoes
At Saorsa Studio, dance shoes are required for all returning Highland dancers. So grab your ghillies (or for experienced dancers, pick out the most suitable ones from your pile of ghillies ranging from not-yet-broken-in to held-together-by-a-single-thread).
If you’re looking to buy ghillies, you’re in luck! You can see our current inventory and purchase shoes through DanceStudio Pro (log into your account > online store), or ask your instructor about a fitting at the studio.
3. Your Favourite Water Bottle
Staying hydrated is essential to a fulfilling dance class! As you can see below, our instructors all prefer different styles of water bottles – as long as you’re not thirsty, your bottle is doing its job.
4. Your Dance Outfit
For full-semester programs at Saorsa, dancers have a uniform to ensure their comfort and ease of movement.
- Black top (tank top, t-shirt, or bodysuit)
- Black shorts
- White knee socks (more on this below)
- Hair in a bun (more on this below)
So – where can you find these things?
Simple black tees and tank tops can be found anywhere from Walmart or Amazon, to Sportchek or Lululemon. As long as your top is comfortable, you can explore many different styles and qualities.
Black bodysuits can be found on Amazon or at local dance supply stores such as Dance Quest in Fredericton.
Read on for more information about knee socks and bun materials!
5. Your Studio Apparel
At Saorsa, we’re proud to provide studio apparel through For Reel Apparel. You can find a variety of styles of quality, unique, and customisable branded clothing for Saorsa, Nicole Odo School of Highland Dance, and Shanachie Dancers. You can explore these here.
In addition to our studio branded clothing, For Reel Apparel carries Highland dance themed clothing for dancers, dance parents, teachers, retired dancers, and more.
6. White Knee Socks
For Highland dance, white knee socks for class practice are a must. Why? They help your ghillies slide – rather than scrape – on your calves and shins while dancing. They also serve as a marker for the positions third aerial and third rear aerial, in which the heel rests at the top of the knee socks.
You can find white knee socks in both child and adult sizes at Walmart and on Amazon.
7. Your Dance Notebook + Pen/Pencil
A dedicated Dance Notebook is an important resource, particularly for competitive dancers. Dancers can document their practicing, write down their dance goals, and collect corrections from their instructor.
Last Fall, we held a Dance Notebook decorating and goal setting social activity. This gave our dancers the opportunity to personalise their notebooks, and form goals for the year ahead. Our next notebook decorating activity is coming up on September 18th!
8. Extra Hair Essentials
Part of our uniform for full-semester programs is having hair in a bun. If your hair isn’t long enough to go in a bun – don’t worry. As long as the hair is pulled back from the face and secured, you’re good to go.
For a bun or an alternative dance hairstyle, here are the basic materials you’ll need:
- A hairbrush and/or comb
- Bobby pins
- Hairspray (and gel, optional)
- Hair elastics
- Hair nets
- Bun form/donut (or other bun-forming tool)
To read more about how to do a bun, check out the How Do I Do a Bun? section of our FAQ Page.
9. Your Favourite Strength-Building Accessories
As dancers become more advanced, developing strength becomes very important. Tools and accessories such as the following can be very helpful with this:
- Ankle and/or wrist weights for building strength while dancing.
- Resistance bands for building strength in specialised muscles for dance. Great for turnout exercises!
- Tennis ball and marble for foot strength exercises.
10. Your Favourite Recovery Accessories
Highland dance can be hard on the body, so it’s vital that a dancer has everything they need to recover. While everyone has their preferences, here are a few of our favourites:
- A roller stick to massage your muscles. Foam rollers are great for this as well!
- A roller ball to massage your feet.
- Athletic tape if you have any injuries.
- Icepacks or heating pads for any soreness.
