What can I wear at a dance competition?

Published on 21st March 2023

What can i wear to a competition. First of all what type of competition are you going to? ADFP, ISTD or OPEN? Once you know this which grade are you? Take a look below for everything you need to know about each type of comp!

ISTD Costume Rules

Set Dance – all grades. You CAN wear

• Patterns
• Mesh
• Leotard & 2 Pieces

Can NOT wear

• Layering of clothing
• Glitter, shine or diamanté costumes
• Hoods & Tracksuit bottoms
• Logos
• Hanging accessories including skirts/dresses

ON YOUR FEET

STREET – Trainers Should be worn
R&R – Jazz Shoe should be worn

Rock ‘n’ Roll – all grades

No costume restrictions. Shoes MUST be worn!

Disco freestyle SOLO & PAIRS – Up to and including Bronze!!

• 1 or 2 Pieces
• 1 or 2 Colours
• Plain material

You can NOT

• Pattern
• Mesh
• Layering of clothing
• Glitter, shine or diamanté costumes
• Hoods & Tracksuit bottoms
• Logos
• Hanging accessories including skirts/dresses

Silver & Above – no dress restrictions!

ADFP competition dress rules

Hair (beginners only)

No hair accessories may be worn – this includes, (but not exclusively) wigs, hair extensions, or hair clip-ins, hair pieces and bows.  No wraps or pony cones or ribbons. Hair should be natural not styled.

Any hair tie must be in a colour that matches the dancer’s natural hair colour.

Make up

• No make up or fake tan of any description on Under 6s Under 8s and Under 10s.
• Under 12 dancers are not allowed to wear false eyelashes, stones or false nails.
• No oil based or non drying tan is allowed to be worn at any event
• No tan to be applied at a competition venue.  Anyone found breaking this rule will be asked to leave the competition and may be subject to a fine of up to £1000 and given an exclusion from future events
• No Glitter for Starter and below grades

OPEN competition dress rules

Open comps are all about the fun! There are no dress rules for any dancers in any grades! Apart from wearing shoes for rock n roll and street!