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Feeling overwhelmed with all the details when it comes to figuring out all of your team's apparel needs?  We know that planning for the upcoming season can be stressful, so we've compiled a dance costume planning checklist to make sure you're on track.  It includes activities for:

Styles Hunter and Lily Leo

When it comes to dance costumes, there's one ingredient that is pretty universal: sparkle.  Best way to add a little glitz and shine is with rhinestones, but paying your costume company to apply rhinestones can become a costly expense.  If you are on a budget like most teams, here are four great ways to get a sparkly dance costume that won't break the bank!

We know that planning for an upcoming season can be a challenging yet exciting time!  When it comes to your team's dance costumes, there are many questions. Where do you start?  What information do you need!  Luckily it's pretty simple.  All you need to get started with designing a dance costume are these four things: budget, time frame, quantity, and concept.  Read on to learn more!!

Whether you have a tight budget or are in a time crunch... planning for your team's dance costume isn't easy! To make the costume process a little easier and more cost effective, consider upcycling an old costume! One of the best ways to save money is to use something you already have.  

Using last year's costume doesn't mean you have to sacrifice a fresh look either!  There are easy ways you can make simple changes to your old costume to create a whole new look! 

Many custom dance costume companies are willing to alter your old costumes for you, or you could DIY. All your old costume needs is a little TLC, time, and proper garment care and it'll be just like new!

Here are a few ideas on how you could upcycle your dance costume:

Planning for your performance requires thought, preparation and plenty of time.   Your artistic expression starts with selecting the theme and music, which is then complimented with the perfect dance costume.  It takes time to find the right look, make sure it flatters everyone, and arrives in plenty of time for your first dance competition.  This is not an overnight endeavor!   

If you are ready to get serious about ordering your dance costume, one piece of advice we can offer is this: the key is to plan ahead!  Dance costumes have a surprisingly long lead time, up to 18 weeks depending on the time of year or option you choose!  Whether you are in a crunch or are thinking ahead, here are some great options for dance costumes based on your planning schedule!

We know that costume planning can be overwhelming! You want to find the perfect look for your team while still staying within budget. Sometimes staying within budget means you have to sacrifice finding a look that’s unique for your team, right? Wrong! Don’t sacrifice your style! Instead, find ways you can create your own look with existing styles by simply changing the fabric color!

Selecting the right costume is vital to a great performance. When your team looks great, they perform great! So where do you start?  With so many dance costumes to choose from, finding the right look can feel daunting! 

Don't stress though!  To help with the selection process, we’ve assembled a list of the top dancewear companies and categorized them by their specialties.  When narrowing down the list for your team, consider two key things to make the selection process easier:

• Be clear about what you are looking for and why. Example:  If you have a team that has special sizing needs, select a company that offers custom fitting services.
• Know the differences. No two dance costume companies are the same! Select companies that best meet your needs.

Read on for a list of over 25 tried and true dance costume companies to get you started!    

It can be a challenge to coordinate costumes when you have just one or two male members on a dance or skating team. Where do I start? What should he wear? How can I get his costume to look appropriate but also blend well with the team? 

If this sounds like you, read on for 3 tips to help you design your next men’s or boy’s dancewear or skating costume!

Rhinestones helped take this Raelyn dance costume to the next level! 

The easiest way to transform a costume?  With Rhinestones!  Stones can add the perfect finishing touch and take a simple costume from boring to stunning!  

This labor intensive embellishment, can often be the most expensive part of your dance costume or skating dress if left to the professionals.  But it is also the easiest to do yourself!!  If you are interested in saving a few dollars, check out our step-by-step instructional video below! 

Last week we took a look at how to rhinestone using Hotfix stones, which have the glue pre-applied to the back.  This week we'll take a look at rhinestoning a costume using flat back stones, which require the application of glue separately.   Follow this tutorial, and you'll get the hang of it in no time! 

How to Rhinestone a Dance Costume or Skate Dress: Flat Back Method 

The Octavia Half Skirt before and after the perfect finishing touch - rhinestones!

Rhinestones: an essential ingredient for most dance costumes and skating dresses! They're a great way to add a little crowd-pleasing sparkle, create a little extra presence on the stage, and help your performers feel great!  But on the flip side, it can be costly to completely bling out your costume.  The best way to save a few dollars when it comes to rhinestoning?  Do it yourself!  Check out this step-by-step instructional video below, and you'll be a blinging machine in no time!  

This tutorial looks at  how to rhinestone using Hotfix stones, which have the glue pre-applied to the back.  For flat back stones which requires application of glue separately, check out part two of this series: How to Rhinestone a Costume - Flat Back Method!  

How to Rhinestone a Dance Costume or Skate Dress: Hotfix Method