What Not to Wear for WCS Competitions

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For social WCS dancing, you can wear whatever you want – no one is judging your 3T’s here. So be yourself. Be comfortable.

But for competitions, it’s a different story. 

I wish there were some guidelines like this way back when I entered the scene, so I’m hoping to pass on some hard-earned wisdom.

Dress for the game

Dancing taught me to take care of my presentation, but it was learned through trial and error. I was a quick study, because just as in dancing, I paid attention. I watched what the other women wore and noted what worked and what didn’t. I formed my own personal style using the culture of WCS as a baseline.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not preaching conformity, but you want to look ready for the game you’re playing.  You can’t show up to the pool for a swim wearing a fleece onesie and claim you are expressing your “personal style” - it's simply not function equipment. Form follows function, and you want to dress the part, especially for a cultural activity like this.

The fashion for WCS improvised competition is a combination of the current fashion trends (which are also attached to music trends, (which is part of the character of WCS), the formality of looking “dressed up for the occasion”, and sheer practicality.

For routines, there is an expectation that partners will match each other and the musical genre, and look more stage-friendly (flashy) than your average strictly swing outfits.

But in attempting to choose and assemble fashion for either competition or social dancing, dancers often overlook a few basic functional rules. These tips are not meant to insult, but rather, rescue. They are meant to be informative and educational to help you avoid hurting/annoying your partner, offending anyone, or detracting from the judges judging your dancing. Some of seem to be no-brainers, but need to be said for those dancers who have never had an opportunity to hear this info any other time in their lives.

General Considerations

Gender

Anything goes. These days, it doesn't matter how you identify or what you choose to wear. What matters is that you present the best version of yourself on that day. When you wear the clothes instead of the clothes wearing you, everyone, including judges can enjoy and celebrate your dancing as a whole. 

Roles

There are no rules for what you wear as a leader vs follower, but some dancers who dance both roles find that it helps them "get in character" by having a different outfit for leading vs following. This is totally optional. 

Formal Wear

Don’t forget to check the event website for special theme nights or “dress to impress” nights. Be sure to pack at least one formal outfit, including shoes, to wear for red carpet Saturday night. NASDE competitors typically dress for awards on Sunday as well. I think most people would prefer to be overdressed than underdressed in the photos. Even if you’re not into skirts/suits/heels, a blazer dresses up any outfit.

Themes & costumes

The majority of this article is about clothing for standard competitions. This is wide open for you to wear whatever you want, but if you look like you are wearing a Halloween or character costume, it will be hard for the judges to see your movement or take you seriously. That being said, there are some contests that are designed to be just creative silly fun, so check the event website to be sure to pack your theme costumes for those.

Shoes

For the whole story on footwear, please see the very popular article: Shoe Review: Footwear Trends Dissected

Pants

1. Tight vs loose: Very tight pants are not ideal not only because they might restrict your movement, but also because they tend to reveal everything. It's a good idea to go up a size and have them tailored if necessary to avoid wedgies and camel-toes. You don't want to distract judges with the anticipation and concern of you bursting through the seams.

2. Flow: Pants made of denim, twill, or cotton don’t flow as well as rayon, wool, or polyester. Part of the character of WCS is busy footwork, and flowing fabric contributes to this look, and has the added benefit of hiding potential technique imperfections. 

3. Length: Shorter hemlines break up your leg line aesthetically, make your legs look shorter, and expose any weak foot technique. So if you like shorter lengths, just be aware. My preference is to hem my long hem loose pants to touch the floor when standing still in dance shoes. As soon as you bend your hips and knees for dancing, they rise to a non-trippable length. If you wear a shorter hem, consider wearing fun socks! 🙂 

4. Jeans: Some more traditional events have a no-jeans policy, usually stated in their competition rules. So never forget to pack alternative pants.

5. For costumes, consider sewing in elastic stirrups to keep pants in place while bending through tricks and/or lifts. If your pants have pockets, check that they don’t have white fabric inside that be be exposed when you bend. Better yet, sew them shut.


Do's & Don'ts

Do: Model the style of current champions and advanced dancers, and add your own personal flair.
Don’t: Be a carbon copy of those dancers. Also, notice how rarely you see dresses or skirts: WCS dancers wear pants to show off funk and blues footwork, which is inhibited by a skirt. Skirts also expose your leg and footwork, so consider if you are ready for that.

Do: Take instruction on flat shoe/boot dancing technique. This is a thing! Also, check your strap length and cut off the excess to avoid flappy pieces.
Don’t: Compete in flat boots/shoes before you have trained in how to use them.

Do: Take caution with loose/dangling bits or netting that can trap wristbands
Don’t: Wear tops that are going to make it difficult for your partner to access connection points safely and easily.

Do: Leaders, ask the event registration to put your wristband on your left wrist. Followers, this is not as important, if you plan on switching roles and prefer your right wrist, make sure it's tighter-fitted.
Don’t: Wear your wristband on your right wrist where it is very likely to scratch the follower's arm and armpit skin in closed position.

Do: Consider fabric that shows sweat. It's possible that a great video of your dance can get ruined by obvious sweat stains. Of course, we all understand and will forgive them, but you might be a little happier if they weren't there.
Don’t: Forget to sweat-test your fabrics.

Dangly-bits

Do: Check the transparency of light-coloured fabric. If you can see the pocket lining, other things will be visible too. Consider an undershirt or slip-shorts.
Don’t: Reveal the colour of your thong to the audience 😉

Do: Dance-test your jewellery and accessories
Don’t: Shed on the floor. Don’t wear hairbands without pins and hairspray, wear earrings with no back stoppers, slippery or snap-on bracelets, long dangly necklaces or scarves. Secure everything for a storm!

Do: Balance loose top with fitted pants or flowy pants with tight top.
Don’t: Wear loose/flowy on the top and bottom – it will look like pyjamas and the judges can’t see your body movement. 

Do: Design your hair to match your outfit, considering your partner's needs.
Don’t: Leave your hair straggly – put in a little effort. A flowy hair with flowy top has the potential of looking like too much flailing, instead of control. If you care of getting great dance photos, consider how your hair might get in the way of the perfect shot.

Avoid dangly scarves

Do: Wear clothes that you feel good in and are flattering on your body type, regardless of age.
Don’t: Curves are great but cutting off circulation isn’t. Instead of squeezing into a restrictive size, Go up a size so you can be comfortable. No one can see the label inside but you. Don’t think you “can’t wear something because you’re too old”. Age is an attitude. As long as it’s flattering on you, go for it. Get a trusted friend to give you feedback and encouragement.

Do: Take advantage of compression undergarments if you prefer. But, depending on what you wear on top, the material can be slippery for your partner to hang on to in closed position.
Don’t:  Wear chiffon over a slippery tank top, for example

Do: Wear something distinctive that is describable in 2 words, such as “blue stripes”, so the judges can remember you in their notes.
Don’t: Wear black or something nondescript. Black is classy, but you blend into the masses when you really want to stand out. So only wear back if it’s a very unique shape/silhouette.

Do: Plan and dance-test your undergarments in advance. Discover the wonders of clear bra straps, bra anchors, safety pins, velcro, and toupee tape – the good stuff from the wig store, not the cheap stuff from the drugstore. Get a proper bra fitting or whatever it takes to stay contained. Consider compression undergarments.
Don’t: Forget to consider that things move around while dancing. 

Do: If you wear your shirt untucked, do the arm lift test to see if you get belly exposure, and if you care about this, wear an undershirt. Many dancers prefer UnderArmour brand, which wicks sweat nicely and allows the top shirt to slide.
Don’t: Moon the audience by accident

Do: Carry your shirt down to the ballroom with you, and put it on right before you compete.

Don’t: Do all your warmup dances in your comp shirt, creating pit stains before the comp even starts.

Before the routine even started!

Do: Wear a belt, especially if you tuck in your shirt. If you need a fabric belt, check out the nice ones available for golfers.
Don’t: Keep hitching your pants up while dancing

Do: Ask your friends to be brutally honest with you before you commit to competing in a hat. Hats are a big gamble, and should only be considered if they are on trend and coordinate with the rest of your outfit.
Don’t: Let the hat dominate your outfit and overshadow your dancing. Avoid baseball caps for serious comps. No derbys. No cowboy hats.

Do: Learn on YouTube how to roll up your sleeves nice and securely. If you are lean and muscular, be careful of short sleeve shirts: your biceps muscle tone could make you appear as an “arm-leader” whether you deserve it or not.
Don’t: Compete in a sleeveless shirt. Actually, consider avoiding them for social dancing, too. Think about where your partner has to touch you.

Do: Look into wearing technical fabric golf pants, which not only breathe well, but drape and flow nicely. Athleta and Lululemon are great brands for technical pants that don't look sloppy.
Don’t: Forget to upgrade when your pants get too faded or melted from ironing or wear... because they could split open mid-comp! Check to see if your light pants change colour when wet to make sure when you sweat you aren’t going to you look like you soiled yourself.

Do: For social dancing, plan on changing 2-3x per night, as you soak through each shirt.
Don’t: Fool yourself into thinking one shirt will get you through the night. Don’t ever wear the same shirt for day workshops and evening dancing. Sniff-sniff-ew.

Don’t scrape her armpits with your wristband! Wear it on your LEFT hand.


Am I a perfect example? Heck, no! I have personally committed a handful of these faux-pas, but I learned my lessons when they caused me embarrassment or incident.

Won’t the judges judge your dancing, not your fashion? Yes, but some will be more influenced by it than others. It’s just a fact. You are in an aesthetic art form – be prepared to be judged on your aesthetics by humans who inevitably will have at least some bias.

Are there any more you can think of? Feel free to comment here! 

As you inevitably audit your wardrobe, be sure to save the pieces that will one day either come back in style, or be useful for a costume or theme party. Don’t throw the rest out – gather some friends for a clothes swap, or donate your used clothes and shoes to starving student dancers or even dance and theatre programs at high schools.

Further Reading

Be sure never to miss an article! “Like” our Facebook page, or select “Get Notifications” or “See First” from this button on my Facebook profile cover image:

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costumemalfunctionToday, I’m super fashion-conscious and happier designing my own clothes than buying them.

But I wasn’t always so put-together: I was a tomboy/nerd in school. Can you imagine me in baggy jeans and jersey, frizzy curly hair in a baseball cap, with no makeup?

Dancing taught me to look like a lady, but it was learned through trial and error. I was a quick study, because just as in dancing, I paid attention. I watched what the other followers wore and noted what worked and what didn’t. I formed my own personal style using the culture of WCS as a baseline.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not preaching conformity, but you want to look ready for the game you’re playing.  You can’t show up to the pool for a swim wearing a fleece onesie and claim you are expressing your “personal style”. Form follows function, and you want to dress the part, especially for a cultural activity like this.

I only wish there were some guidelines like this way back when I entered the scene, so I’m hoping to pass on some hard-earned wisdom to both the men and the women.

For social WCS dancing, you can wear whatever you want – no one is judging your 3T’s here. So be yourself, and prepared to be judged socially as you are in every other life circumstance.

But for competitions, it’s a different story. The fashion for WCS improvised competition is a combination of the current fashion trends (which are also attached to music trends), the formality of looking “dressed up for the occasion”, and sheer practicality. For routines, there is an expectation that partners will match each other and the musical genre, and look more stage-friendly (flashy) than your average strictly swing outfits.

But in attempting to choose and assemble fashion for either competition or social dancing, dancers often overlook a few basic functional rules. These tips are not meant to insult, but rather, rescue. They are meant to be informative and educational to help you avoid hurting/annoying your partner, offending anyone, or detracting from the judges judging your dancing. Some of seem to be no-brainers, but need to be said for those dancers who have never had an opportunity to hear this info any other time in their lives.

Thank you to Myles Munroe for the contributions in the Men’s section, and thank you to Bradford Whelan Photography for most of these glorious anonymous example images!

For both Men and Women:

Screenshot 2016-03-29 20.44.06
Plain jeans & t-shirt = not trying

Jeans

While great for social dancing, jeans are never a good strategy for competition, unless you get the “jeans memo”. This is an announcement made by the contest co-ordinator of the event indicating that jeans are allowed and encouraged. It will be an all-or-nothing thing, so everyone in the division looks like they are playing the same game. Fewer fashion variables = easier to compare dancers based on their actual dancing. If you are the only one wearing jeans,  judges might question how seriously you take the dance when you don’t bother to dress up. The majority of events prefer to keep things formal, so never forget to pack your dress pants.

Pants Fitting

This is an extremely common faux pas made in all divisions.

skinnyjeans
Way too revealing

1. Tight pants reveal everything. We’re talking bulges here people. All of them. Go up a size and have them tailored if necessary. No wedgies, no camel-toes. Don’t distract us with the anticipation of you bursting through the seams.

2. Skinny pants reveal everything. I mean your legwork. 😉 If you can’t straighten your knees, you are going to look like a spider in those pants. Same goes for leggings, girls. If you don’t roll your feet yet, you are exposing your weakness to the judges.

3. Length: loose pants should touch the floor when standing still in dance shoes. If they don’t, we can see your entire shoe and some of your socks. This breaks up your leg line aesthetically, makes your legs look shorter, exposes any poor foot technique, and makes you look like they shrunk in the wash. When you have them hemmed to the proper length, they will look too long when you are standing still, yes. But you will never BE standing still when you’re dancing, and as soon as you bend your hips and knees, they rise to a non-trippable length. Tighter-fit pants should reach the top of the heel of the shoe while standing still.

4. Loose-ness: Pants made of denim, twill, or cotton don’t flow as well as rayon, wool, or polyester. You want flow to show off your legwork and hide imperfections. Part of the character of WCS is busy footwork, and flowing fabric contributes to this look. The ideal pants should drape or hang nicely like a suit.

5. For costumes, consider sewing in elastic stirrups to keep pants in place while bending through tricks and/or lifts. If your pants have pockets, check that they don’t have white fabric inside that be be exposed when you bend. Better yet, sew them shut.

Shoes

For the whole story on footwear, please see the very popular article: Shoe Review: Footwear Trends Dissected

Formal Wear

Don’t forget to check the event website for special theme nights or “dress to impress” nights. Be sure to pack at least one formal outfit, including shoes, to wear for red carpet Saturday night. NASDE competitors typically dress for awards on Sunday as well. Better to to be overdressed than underdressed in the photos. Even if you’re not into skirts and heels, a blazer dresses up any outfit, male or female.

Attention, Women:

Do: Model the style of current champions and advanced dancers, and add your own personal flair.
Don’t: Be a carbon copy of those dancers. Also, don’t wear dresses or skirts in improv competition: WCS dancers wear pants to show off funk and blues footwork, which is inhibited by a skirt. Seems obvious if you pay attention to every single clip of authentic improvised WCS on YouTube, but it still needs to be said.

Do: Cheat and wear yoga pants IF they fit the above criteria and we can’t see the logo.

leggingssandals
Leggings need boots

Don’t: Wear obvious yoga pants if you want to avoid looking “sporty”, avoid hungry-bum/camel-toe, and avoid any unintentional jiggling.

Do: Pair leggings or skinny pants with boots
Don’t: Pair leggings with sandals: The square sandal heel is too ugly to expose, the leggings stop at your ankle cutting off your leg lines, and the proportion between your hips and bare ankles is not flattering in 95% of women unless they are in either bare feet or higher heels. Save the tights-and-legwarmers look for the practice studio or 80s theme parties.

Do: Take instruction on flat shoe/boot dancing technique. This is a thing! Also, check your strap length and cut off the excess to avoid flappy pieces.
Don’t: Compete in flat boots/shoes before you have trained in how to use them.

Screenshot 2016-03-29 20.44.42
Dangly-bits

Do: Wear longer, flowy tops with leggings and boots. Try to minimize exposure of crotch or crack.
Don’t: With leggings, wear tight or short tops that stop short of your hips, giving you a camel toe and making it look like you’re wearing longjohns, or should be out for a run or in an 80s music video.

Do:
Check the transparency of your pants, especially light-coloured pants. If you can see the pocket lining, other things are visible too.
Don’t: Reveal the colour of your thong to the audience

Do: Dance-test your jewellery and accessories
Don’t: Shed on the floor. Don’t wear hairbands without pins and hairspray, wear earrings with no back stoppers, slippery or snap-on bracelets, long dangly necklaces or scarves.

Do: Balance loose top with fitted pants or flowy pants with tight top.
Don’t: Wear flowy on the top and bottom – it will look like pyjamas and the judges can’t see your body movement. Don’t wear tight on top and on the bottom at the same time.

Avoid dangly scarves

Do: Design your hair to match your outfit, considering the leader’s needs.
Don’t: Leave your hair straggly – put in a little effort. Don’t wear flowy hair with flowy top – too much flailing. Don’t let the photographer catch you with your hair in your face every shot – take a lesson in hairography.

Do: Wear clothes that are flattering on your body type, regardless of age.
Don’t: Get caught with a muffin top. Curves are great but cutting off circulation isn’t. Go up a size. No one can see the label inside but you. Don’t think you “can’t wear something because you’re too old”. Age is an attitude. As long as it’s flattering on you, go for it. Get a trusted friend to give you feedback and encouragement.

 

Do: Wear something distinctive that is describable in 2 words, such as “blue stripes”, so the judges can remember you in their notes.
Don’t: Wear black or something nondescript. Black is classy, but you blend into the masses when you really want to stand out. So only wear back if it’s a very unique shape/silhouette.

whaletale
Whale tail.

Do: Plan and dance-test your undergarments in advance. Discover the wonders of clear bra straps, bra anchors, safety pins, velcro, and toupee tape – the good stuff from the wig store, not the drugstore crap. Get a proper bra fitting at Victoria Secret. Whatever it takes to stay contained.
Don’t: Get caught with a nip slip or whale tail (see pic).  Don’t wear a visible plain beige bra- it’s like the bra equivalent of granny panties. Speaking of granny panties: No. Just no. Every woman deserves to be pantyline-free.

Do: Create a colour-story. This fashion term refers to the way you might describe your outfit: “Grey pants with pink and grey top”. Since these colours go well together, this colour story is easy to digest. A safe guideline, but not a rule, is to keep it to 2-3 complimentary colours or neutrals.
Don’t: Create confusion. Orange top with pink hair, blue stripe pants and burgundy shoes? It creates aesthetic dissonance that will bring you the wrong kind of judges’ attention.

West Coast Swing-47
No control-top pantyhose

Do: To hide any undesirable rolls, wear a tight lace or compression tank top under sheer or short tops, or chose a more tailored top.
Don’t: Hide under heavy draping or unintentionally expose your jiggle.

Other Pitfalls to avoid:

  • Socks in sandals
  • Control-top pantyhose peeking out under shorts
  • Visible washing instructions tags on sheer shirts
  • Fishnet tops that catch wristbands
  • Adhesive bra inserts that might get wet and slip out
20160326_153538
Boots and pants split all the way up the side!

Dated trends to avoid:

  • Bell sleeves
  • Low slung chain belts
  • Tight vests
  • Side-split Hustle pants

 

Attention, Men:

Do: Match your socks to your shoes and/or pants. Or, wear crazy fun socks, which intentionally may or may not match your shirt or tie. Make sure they are long enough.
Don’t: Wear short ankle socks. Don’t wear white socks with black pants and shoes.

West Coast Swing-38
Too short socks!

Do: If you wear your shirt untucked, do the arm lift test to see if you get belly exposure, and if so, wear an undershirt. Many guys prefer Underarmour brand, which wicks sweat nicely and allows the top shirt to slide.
Don’t: Moon the audience with your male muffin top.

Do: Carry your shirt down to the ballroom with you, and put it on right before you compete.

pitstains
Before the routine even started!

Don’t: Do all your warmup dances in your comp shirt, creating pit stains before the comp even starts.

Do: Pair a nice t-shirt with a vest and slacks to balance the casual with formal. If you’re a big guy, an open vest can help trim you down. If you’re a skinny guy, it can help give you a little volume up top. Try to choose vests that are unique, since they seem to be too common these days.
Don’t: Wear a dirty t-shirt. And never wear JUST a vest. Yes, we’ve seen it. :/

mannipples
Visible nipples

Do: Wear an undershirt with thin, light coloured shirts.
Don’t: Put your nipples on display. You’ll lose man-points. Also avoid wearing coloured or patterned underwear under transparent linen slacks.

Do: Wear a belt. Even if you think you don’t need one. Especially if you tuck in your shirt!
Don’t: Wear a dress belt with jeans or a casual belt with dress pants. If you need a fabric belt, check out the nice ones available for golfers.

Do: Ask your friends to be brutally honest with you before you commit to competing in a hat. Hats are a big gamble, and should only be considered if they are on trend and match fabric with the rest of your outfit.
Don’t: Let the hat wear you. No baseball caps for comps. No derbys. No cowboy hats.

Do: Learn on YouTube how to roll up your sleeves nice and securely. If you are lean and muscular, be careful of short sleeve shirts: your biceps muscle tone could make you appear as an “arm-leader” whether you deserve it or not.
Don’t: Compete in a sleeveless shirt. Actually, consider avoiding them for social dancing, too. Think about where she has to touch you.

Screenshot 2016-03-29 20.46.32
Cuffs rolled right

Do: Look into wearing technical fabric golf pants, which not only breathe well, but drape and flow nicely.
Don’t: Forget to upgrade when your pants gets too faded or melted from ironing. Check to see if your light pants change colour when wet to make sure when you sweat you aren’t going to you look like you soiled yourself.

Do: For social dancing, plan on changing 2-3x per night, as you soak through each shirt.
Don’t: Fool yourself into thinking one shirt will get you through the night. Don’t ever wear the same shirt for day workshops and evening dancing. Sniff-sniff-ew.

Pitfalls to avoid

  • Tie-dye anything, unless it’s a theme
  • Head to toe monochromatic, unless it’s a theme
  • Dirty shoes or un-ironed dress shirts
  • Visible underwear waistband above the belt
  • Wearing wristbands on the right hand

    Screenshot 2016-03-29 00.54.11
    Don’t scrape her armpits with your wristband! Wear it on your LEFT hand.

Dated trends to avoid

  • Mandarin collars
  • Affliction/bedazzled shirts
  • Shiny/satin shirts or pants
  • Pleated-front pants
  • Turtlenecks

 

Am I a perfect example? Heck, no! I have personally committed a handful of these faux-pas, but I learned my lessons when they caused me embarrassment or incident.

Won’t the judges judge your dancing, not your fashion? Yes, but some will be more influenced by it than others. It’s just a fact. You are in an aesthetic art form – be prepared to be judged on your aesthetics.

Are there any more you can think of? Feel free to comment here! I have plenty more secrets regarding routine costume construction, but they are reserved for those who hire us for choreography or me for costume design. (You’d be surprised what engineering is going on under our costumes!)

As you inevitably audit your wardrobe, be sure to save the pieces that will one day either come back in style, or be useful for a costume or theme party. Don’t throw the rest out – gather some friends for a clothes swap, or donate your used clothes and shoes to starving student dancers or even dance and theatre programs at high schools.

Further Reading

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  1. Oh and can we add for leads (or anyone) -to avoid wearing watches and also to check to see if buttons on shirt cuffs are small or can be tucked in….. Oh so many scratches from watches and lost tufts of hair on buttons….oh the suffering :/

  2. Greatly appreciated tips!
    For Competitors that wear athletic support garments like ankle support (Tommie Copper) ,in skin tone / beige color,with a beige dancing shoes, any tips on how to hide them ( without wearing tights/ stay up stockings)?
    Thank you!

    1. Hi Raiza, I think athletic tape, supports, and first aid bandages are excused by all and not considered part of your fashion sense. However, this brings up a good point about Kinesotape: No reason to put up with glaring hot pink tape on your shoulder when they make the stuff in beige and sell it at CVS and Target. Supportive AND subtle!

  3. I wear socks with WCS sandals because it’s the only way to avoid leaving the floor with blisters after 3 songs or less. I realize it’s not the best look and try to compensate by having fun, brightly-colored socks. Do you have better suggestions, either for what socks to choose or other less obvious ways to avoid the blisters? My feet don’t seem to ever toughen up; I blister in the same spots over and over again, in pretty much any shoe that’s not a sneaker (including non-dance dress shoes). I’ve tried knee-high nylons but they aren’t thick enough to do the job.

    1. I also wear socks when wearing sandals socially, but for competition, I put on nude shoe liner socks. I don’t think you can really see them. Perhaps that would work for you.

      I also recommend putting on bandaids as soon as you feel a blister coming on. And I found blister gel guard band aids, which have gel padding, seem to do a good job protecting blisters that have already developed. However, these band aids often stick to my socks and bits of them remain there after I take my socks off. So I guess it’s a tradeoff. You can also permanently put moleskin on the parts of your shoe that often rub and leave blisters.

      I have also found that boots are a lot more comfortable than even socks with sandals for dancing for long periods. I don’t feel comfortable competing in boots, but I do dance socially in them.

    1. Blake Hobby is a famous exception to this rule. Her years of dance training and experience in heels have made her a master, but what’s more impressive is that she still looks like a swing dancer (as opposed to a latin dancer). Unfortunately, the vast majority of women do not possess these skills, and as a result, are hindered by dresses and/or heels. Dresses fell out of favour back when more R&B and hip hop movements started to become popular. Since these involved opening the leg stance wider, pants allowed more freedom and better lines than dresses do.

  4. I’m going to a wedding, and don’t want to wear slacks, even though WCS is our favorite dance. We’re not pros, but not too shabby either. Blake looks great in her dress, but I hear the advice following… Any other dress suggestions?

    1. Depending on your age and body type, and the season of the wedding, you have a few options:
      1. Drape-y slacks like palazzo pants look like an elegant long dress when you are standing still.
      2. A stretchy knee-length pencil skirt has a beautiful silhouette, but flexes with your steps. (I recommend wear Spanx underneath to avoid chafing)
      3. It’s a wedding. wear whatever makes you feel pretty and comfortable. There are no WCS judges there, so don’t worry about it.

      I would avoid: circle skirts of any kind (spinning = over exposure), business-suit skirts, and tight mini-skirts that will ride up during dancing. Also think hard about your footwear and bring a few different pairs of shoes to stash in the car in case the floor isn’t ideal.

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