Why Do My Dancer's Ballet Tights Keep Getting Holes?

It’s honestly one of the most annoying things in the world. That moment you hand over a new pair of tights to your dancer to find they have torn a whole within minutes or after the first class.

Grrrrr!

Those tights are expensive, don’t they get that?

Anyway, below are the top 5 reasons tights will tear.

• Your dancer isn’t putting them on properly.

They are holding them and popping their foot in and pushing and pushing and pushing their little leg down until they get to the bottom. Teach them to scrunch the tights before putting them on will help avoid toenails catching on the stockings.

• They need to cut their toenails

It’s gross but true. Check them regularly.

• Your stockings aren’t good enough quality.

Some brands stock budget tights with less denier than others. The lower the denier the higher chance of running a ladder. Try switching brands. We recommend these.

• The studio floor is killing them

Maybe it’s timber and exactly where they stand for contemporary just happens to be in the patch that catches. Perhaps if classes are back-to-back, your dancer could put tights on over their stockings for contemporary or take them off after ballet and before contemporary.

• You’re not washing them with enough care.

I don’t mean you should be hand washing them (because nobody has time for that). But perhaps you need to need to pop them in a garment bag in the wash to avoid them getting caught on bra clips or abrasive fabrics.

But sometimes it just can’t be avoided. As hard as you try!

And if it does happen, then you need to be prepared.

HAVE SPARES

The next time you visit the dance shop, pick up a spare pair. And the next time do the same, and the next time, and the next (you get the point).

To be honest, you can’t have too many.

Check your stocks regularly and check in with your dancer to make sure she isn’t wearing a pair with holes to class.

Don’t get caught out on the day of the exam. You don’t need that!!