Eastside Dance
Eastside Dance
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    • Home
    • Schedule
    • Programs
      • Pre Classes (2-5 Yrs)
      • Kids Classes (5-12 Yrs)
      • Teen Classes (11-18 Yrs)
      • Adult Classes (17+ Yrs)
      • Adaptive Dance
      • Performances
    • Studio Info
      • About Us
      • What to Wear
      • Tuition
      • Studio Policies
      • Studio Calendar
      • Studio Rental
      • Faculty
      • Contact Us
      • COVID-19 Safety
    • SIGN UP/SIGN IN
  • Home
  • Schedule
  • Programs
    • Pre Classes (2-5 Yrs)
    • Kids Classes (5-12 Yrs)
    • Teen Classes (11-18 Yrs)
    • Adult Classes (17+ Yrs)
    • Adaptive Dance
    • Performances
  • Studio Info
    • About Us
    • What to Wear
    • Tuition
    • Studio Policies
    • Studio Calendar
    • Studio Rental
    • Faculty
    • Contact Us
    • COVID-19 Safety
  • SIGN UP/SIGN IN

About our Dress Code

About our Dress Code

About our Dress Code

Our dress code is designed to keep dancers safe and distraction-free by having proper, well-fitting footwear and attire that allows instructors to ensure safe alignment. As part of our mission to make dance accessible for everyone, our dress code is gender-agnostic. Dancers may choose from any combination of the options listed for their class genre/level below. For sensory processing disorders, please follow the guidelines below, where possible, while prioritizing your dancer’s comfort. Please connect with our front desk with any questions.  

Where to Shop

About our Dress Code

About our Dress Code

 We recommend Dancewear Center (located 1.5 miles from Eastside Dance, on 85th Street in Kirkland) and DiscountDance.com (links below) for all of your dancewear needs. 


If this is your first time wearing the dance shoe specified below, we recommend getting fitted at Dancewear Center. Fittings are free, walk-ins are welcome, and their staff will ensure your dancer is wearing a safe, well-fitting, high-quality shoe.

Requirements for All Classes:

  • Attire: Please wear the clothing specified for your class below.
  • Shoes: Please wear the dance shoes specified for your class below. Dancers should change in and out of their dance shoes in the lobby and not wear them outside.
  • Hair: Hair should be secured back (e.g. pony tail for long hair and clips/headband for short hair) so it does not fall into the dancer’s face while moving. Teachers and staff members are happy to show dancers and caregivers how to put hair up for class. 
  • Jewelry: Please leave jewelry at home. Large objects (hoop earrings, heavy bracelets) can be distracting and potentially dangerous when moving near classmates. 
  • Water bottle: Please bring your water bottle into the studio with you. 
  • Fragrances, Lotions, and Fabric Softeners: Please avoid wearing heavily scented products (body oil, lotion, perfume, etc.) and using fabric sheets/softeners as some dancers/staff may be sensitive/allergic to the fragrence and the chemicals can damage our specialized Marley dance floor. 
  • Gum is not allowed inside the studio for safety.

Level-Specific Requirements:

Pre Classes (Ages 2-5)


Beg. Levels and Up (Ages 5 -18)


Adult Classes

Specifics for Pre Levels (Ages 2-5):

Duet - Caregiver & Tot: All recommended items below are available to order here

  • Dancewear (e.g. leotard, tights) or clothes the dancer can easily move in (e.g. leggings, shorts, t-shirts). 
  • Bare feet or ballet shoes. No socks as they are too slippery. If the ballet shoes have drawstrings, drawstrings need to be double-knotted and cut off at the knot for safety. 
  • Caregivers can wear bare feet or socks. For orthopedic issues, clean sneakers or dance shoes are welcome. 


Pre Ballet & Pre Ballet/Tap: All recommended items below are available to order here

  • Dancewear (e.g. leotard, tights) or clothes the dancer can easily move in.
  • Dance skirts or tutus are ok if they are attached to the leotard. Please no tie skirts or pull-on skirts/tutus; they come off during class distracting the dancer.
  • Ballet shoes -  drawstrings need to be double-knotted and cut off at the knot for safety. 
  • For Pre Ballet & Tap class, you will need to bring BOTH ballet and tap shoes. Tap shoes should have elastic or velcro closures. All ties need to be removed for safety. 
  • Long hair should be secured back out of the dancer’s face (e.g. ponytail, braids, or bun).


Pre Hip-hop: 

  • Athletic clothing the dancer can easily move in.
  • Light-soled athletic shoes that are worn only in the studio. Dirty soles will damage the specialized Marley dance floor. 

Specifics for Beginning Levels and Up (Ages 5-18)

Ballet, Ballet/Tap: All recommended items below are available to order here

  • Attire Option 1: Leotard (any color) and tights (pink or skin tone) worn under the leotard.
  • Attire Option 2: Full-length leggings (black) or "boys/men" footed dance tights (opaque black) worn over a leotard (any color) or with a tucked-in t-shirt (any color). 
  • Sheer ballet skirts (typically made with chiffon or stretch mesh and no longer than mid-thigh) are allowed. Skirts must be attached to the leotard for dancers ages 5-6. Pull-on and wrap-around/tie skirts are allowed for dancers 7 years and older. No tutus.
  • Leather or canvas ballet shoes (color should match the color of your tights/leggings). Split sole is recommended for Level 1 and up. Drawstrings need to be double-knotted and cut off at the knot for safety.
  • Ballet & Tap combo classes: In addition to Ballet shoes, please bring Tap shoes (Black) with elastic or velcro closure. All ties need to be removed for safety. 
  • Undergarments: No undergarments are worn with your tights and leotard (similar to wearing a bathing suit). However, a "dance belt" should be worn to support male anatomy. More on dance belts here. 
  • No warmups, sweats, or legwarmers.


Jazz, Jazz/Tap, Musical Theater, Tap, Contemporary: All recommended items below are available to order here

  • Attire Option 1: Leotard (any color) and tights (skin tone) worn under the leotard with bike shorts (black) or skirt (any color, no longer than mid-thigh) worn over the leotard
  • Attire Option 2:   Leotard (any color) or well-fitting athletic shirt with athletic shorts (black),   leggings (black), or jazz/dance pants (black).
  • Jazz & Musical Theater Classes: Slip-on Jazz shoes (black) 
  • Tap Classes: Oxford-style tap shoes (black) with socks (black) if not wearing tights
  • Jazz & Tap combo class: Bring both Jazz shoes (black) and tap shoes (black) with socks (black) if not wearing tights. Tap shoes should be Oxford-style or have elastic/velcro closure with the ties removed for safety.
  • Contemporary Classes: Bare feet, socks, or half-sole dance shoe
  • Undergarments: No undergarments are worn if wearing a leotard (similar to wearing a bathing suit). However, a "dance belt" should be worn to support male anatomy. More on dance belts here. 
  • No warmups or legwarmers.


Cheer: All recommended items below are available to order here

  • Athletic shirt/tank top with bike shorts or athletic shorts.
  • Light-soled cheer or athletic shoes that are worn only in the studio. No black soles or dirty soles that are worn outside, this damage the Marley dance floor. 


Hip-hop: 

  • Athletic clothing the dancer can easily move in. No jeans.
  • Light-soled athletic shoes that are worn only in the studio. No black soles or dirty soles that are worn outside as these damage the Marley dance floor. 

Specific for Adult Classes

Dancers can wear athletic clothing or dancewear you can easily move in and class-specific footwear (see below). We recommend visiting Dancewear Center, just down the street from us, if you'd like to get fitted for dance shoes. 


Footwear: All recommended items below are available to order here

  • Ballet: Ballet shoes
  • Tap: Oxford-style tap shoes
  • Jazz/Jazz Funk/Musical Theater: Jazz Shoes
  • Contemporary: Socks, ballet shoes, bare feet, or half-ballet shoes
  • Hip-hop, Cheer, K-pop: Light-soled athletic shoes that are worn only in the studio. No black soles or dirty soles that are worn outside as these damage the Marley dance floor.
  • Salsa: Jazz shoes, ballroom shoes, dance sneakers, or light-soled athletic shoes that are worn only in the studio. No dirty soles that are worn outside or skinny heels/stilettos as these damage the Marley dance floor. 

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(425) 636-8494 | office@eastside-dance.com

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