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Are you as ready as we are to kick off the next season? We know this time often begins with camp - a whole chunk of time dedicated to team bonding and bringing everyone together! It's the first time you get to show off your team to the world, so style and passion are a must! And camp tops have become an essential for sporting team spirit. So, how can you get the most out of your campwear investment, especially when budgets are always tight? Here are a few tips that prove a little extra planning and time could potentially save yourself some money and stress later! Read on to see how to make the most out of your dance camp apparel:

This past weekend, college dance teams from all over the country came together in Daytona, Florida to compete at the NDA Collegiate Dance Championship, and man, it was a show!

We were so proud to have outfitted many of the extraordinary teams who danced their hearts out at Peabody Auditorium and The Bandshell. The costumes were eye-catching and we loved seeing them in action!

The Varsity Team in their new warm ups

We had a hunch there was something special about Watertown, Wisconsin. Especially when last spring Watertown Blue Revue ordered over 140 warm up jackets for youth dancers, parents, coaches and the Varsity Dance Team! We couldn’t help but wonder what is behind that much team spirit? So when Watertown High School won the Wisconsin Division 1 High Kick Championship this year, we knew it had to be a huge accomplishment for the team and their community. 

When I tell people that I own a custom costume company, often the reaction is "Wow! That must be so fun!" And while there is a lot of creativity and sparkle on the surface, what lies beneath is an amazing team of people that really feel like my extended family. I've tried hard over the last 25 years to make this a genuinely great place to work - a place where each person can find a place to be successful and do work that doesn't feel like work! A place that you can continually learn and invest in yourself!

We have over 40 extraordinary individuals at our Minnesota facility, and we are always looking for more talent! One thing that makes The Line Up unique? We're like no other apparel business in that we do everything in house - from customer service to catalog creation to product design and manufacturing. There's an intimacy here that you can't always find in big business.

WANTED: Talented individuals seeking a collaborative work environment, in a growing and improving community!

If this is you, read further. Not only do we have some great new job opportunities , but our staff wants to share our company values - the 6 reasons why they love working at The Line Up:

Shown above: Slouchy Tank 6, Pathway Jacket with Vinyl Lettering, 420-236 Bra with City Track Warm Up Pant with Vinyl, Infinity Scarf with Lettering, and the Arena top.

When it comes to the hard work and dedication found in the dance and synchronized skating world, we know that you spend the majority of your time training and practicing for only a few brief and exciting moments of performance. So why not spend that time practicing in style? Look great, feel great, and you'll perform great!

With this mantra in mind, we got to work designing some fabulous new team apparel, perfect for sporting your team pride at practice, camps, and team events throughout the season. It's practice wear that's meant to move with you, withstand numerous washings, yet still be flattering and fashionable.

In honor of our new team apparel catalog (just out today!) we're pulling together some of our favorite team apparel trends for the 2016-2017 season. Check 'em out:

It’s that quiet time of year for high school dance and skate teams right now … competitions have drawn to a close, but next year’s team hasn’t been formed yet. And while it’s the perfect time to take a much needed break from the season’s hectic activities and practice schedules, it’s also the perfect time to start planning for next year! We know, we know, “early bird gets the worm”, blah, blah, blah.

But,  planning ahead is the best way to save money and stress on your next custom dance costume or skate dress! And better yet, you don't even need your team roster to get started!

Here are a few good reasons why planning ahead can benefit your team:

Year after year, we have learned to expect a call from the same person immediately after the Minnesota State High School Dance Competition season ends. This year was no exception! On the Monday following the state competition, Lois Krinke, coach of the Faribault Emeralds Dance Team, reached out to us ready to start thinking about her team's next dance costume! As always, she gets the early bird prize for planning well in advance for the 2016/2017 season.

There was a time - years ago for those of us that can remember - when everyone recognized the Faribault team by their emerald green sequins and full skirts (which always included a very full white crinoline underskirt). Thankfully fashion changes, and this is no longer the case! The team excels in High Kick, where new ideas and unpredictability is essential to their success. Check out some of their costumes from past years, and see how their custom dance costumes have evolved:

This past weekend, synchronized skating teams from all over the country came together in Kalamazoo, Michigan to compete at the 2016 US National Synchronized Skating Championships.

This event is filled with amazing choreography, energy, and (our favorite!) dresses! One thing that can be said about all synchronized skate teams: they know how to commit to their theme with choreography and costuming, while always maintaining a feminine and glamorous edge! One trend we noticed this year? Accessorizing skate dresses with black leggings or tights, which really puts an emphasis on the leg against the white ice!

Check out some of our amazing customers who competed - what a great way to end the season!

University of Delaware Collegiate, with a Dirty Dancing theme

We’re in spring cleaning mode on the blog this month, and we’re talking about garment care! We know washing costume is not the most scintillating topic - but bear with us! Proper costume care it is perhaps the most important thing your can do to increase the longevity of your dance and skate wear!

Looking to reuse your costume next year, or resell it to meet your fundraising goals?  Here are 5 essential tips straight from our laundry department experts, that'll keep your costumes in top shape for years to come:

This year has been full of new and exciting challenges for the Wisconsin Edge Intermediate Synchronized Skating Team. They moved into the national-qualifying division, which meant they needed to take everything up a level, from the music to the dresses!

The Music

Coach Sally-Anne told us a little bit about how they choose their music: “We play a variety of songs with different tempos, speeds, etc. during our clinics, tryouts and first few practices, and more often than not, the skaters end up helping pick their theme based on their reaction to what we play!” This year, the winner was a Bruno Mars medley! Now that they had the music, it was time to think about choreography and dresses.