Things To Look For In A Costume

• Costumes should positively accentuate the look of every dancer
  
  Dance costumes come in all different varieties and styles. But you should look for certain things when picking out your team's costumes. First and foremost, keep color and style in mind. Bright, vibrant colors look amazing on stage, and are ideal for a fun and peppy dance, as well as for those that are more dramatic. If you have the freedom to choose your stage lighting, you can manipulate it to accentuate the colors found in your costumes for that extra bit of flair.
  
  Style must be determined by the tone of the event where you will be dancing. Are you required to meet a modesty code? Are you supposed to meet certain criteria when representing a particular style of dance? These are important questions to ask when you are registering your dance team for a competition or festival.
  A style chosen should be flattering to your entire team. If you have both heavy-set and stick-thin girls on your squad, then a skintight spandex ensemble is probably not your best bet. Take the time to experiment with different styles and see what looks best and most flattering on each and every team member.
  
  

Going To The Professionals

• Watch other dance teams to get costuming ideas
  
  Professional dance studios and dance team coaches have the luxury of signing up for dance costume catalogs that are not available to the general public. These are made by professional costumers who are experts at designing performance attire for dancers of all age and skill levels. These range in price from reasonable to somewhat outrageous, but you can still glean ideas from these catalog pages whether or not you order their actual outfits. Use the photos of dancers to inspire you to seek out either a traditional or unconventional look that will complement your dance piece.
  
  

Bargain Buys & Dancer Contributions

• Utilize the stage and its components for further inspiration
  
  Auctioning sites such as eBay have an abundant supply of dancewear you can bid on. Again, you can peruse the listings merely for ideas. These will often include vintage dance costumes that capture the stunning look of a style that has been all but forgotten, providing your team with the opportunity to combine modern and vintage styles.
  
  You can also find huge discounts on some of these auctions, sometimes allowing you to buy costumes at a group discount, rather than having to order individually as you will through mainstream retailers.
  
  Finally, get together with your dance team and encourage them to dream up dance costume ideas. From verbally describing what they'd like to sketching an actual layout of an outfit, you'll know what the girls will feel comfortable in, guaranteeing they dance their best.