>>On May 14, I wrote,>>> I've never had much sympathy with this, because it does not seem to make any functional difference in yow you dance or how the teacher can observe your movements.
>>I've had second thoughts about this. Anything that can increase the apparent length of the leg is important, especially since we don't have the advantage of pointe shoes.>>But someone pointed out that a leo over the tights tends to shorten the line of the legs as seen from behind by concealing the, er, cleavage.>>If this is so, then it's a valid reason for wearing the leo under the tights--& a thong leo, at that.
>>Tom Parsons
>Whether we agree with society's view on dress and deportment for men; lets face it, what we wear has a definite impact on how people view us. Sooooo, if wearing a particular style of leo or color of tights creates excessive negative attention, then I will choose to restrict what I wear and how I wear it. The studios that I have taken classes at prefer men to wear black tights and a t-shirt with black shoes because it keeps all of the parents comfortable with having men partner their daughters. The fact that it also provides that nice long line for the teacher to see is just an added bonus.
It does seem silly that men are allowed to wear certain types of leotards, but not in the same way women wear theirs. Is it really a cardinal sin to want to wear my leotard over my tights???? I feel that it helps keep the tights up. It's either that or wear suspenders, and some teachers won't allow that either. No wonder there are so few men in ballet classes, too many dress codes!![/i]