Dream Ballet

Fitted enough that the teacher can see your line, because this style is judged on shape and storytelling from the neck down: leggings or jazz pants, a fitted top or leotard, hair pinned off the face so it doesn't break the focus of a head snap. Jazz shoes cover most classes; bring character shoes when the class works in heels, and expect Fosse-derived material to ask for turned-in, isolated positions your shoes must let you pivot in. Add knee pads or thicker leggings for classes with floorwork or knee slides.

There is no social floor for musical theatre — the public-facing equivalent is the audition room, and it has its own conventions. Wear something solid-coloured and form-fitting that shows your body clearly and hints at the show you're auditioning for without being a costume; carry both jazz shoes and character shoes in your bag and change to whatever the choreographer calls. Keep jewellery minimal, avoid logos, and never wear brand-new shoes to an audition.

Musical Theatre is a scored category on the studio competition circuits (as opposed to a separate governing body), judged on character and storytelling as much as technique, so costume is expected to read the number from the back row. Whatever the design, it has to survive the choreography: straps secured, nothing that can slip during lifts or floorwork, and shoes broken in and taped well before the event. In professional work the costume is assigned by the production and your job is to arrive with your own well-fitted shoes and dance belt.

Leather character shoes with a secure strap and a leather or suede sole. Around 2–2.5" is the workhorse height for anything with turns and leaps; 3" only when the number is mostly walking and kick lines, since a higher heel puts you in relevé before you start and raises the odds of rolling an ankle. Soft soles let you point the foot and land jumps; hard soles give support under a heavy costume. Jazz shoes cover most class work, with tap and ballet shoes as the show demands — Capezio, Só Dança and Bloch at the affordable end, LaDuca and Miller & Ben as the Broadway premium tier.