Dancers grow and wearing through clothes is inevitable! The stress that these garments get put under when dancing can be tough, and even the highest quality dancewear has it's limits. In this post, we’ve listed some ideas of what you can do with any old dance items you end up with.

Second Hand Dancewear

The Sibling Dance

Hand-me-downs have been a parent trick since the dawn of time. Gently used bodywear can be handed down to younger siblings or even friends who are in need of more dancewear. Items like shorts, skirts, and legwarmers are especially easy to pass along since they do not get worn down as easily as something like shoes or bodysuits.

Used Dancewear Programs

Some studios have used dancewear programs that give away gently used dancewear to dancers indeed or consign used dancewear for other dancers to buy. If your studio doesn't have a program like you may even want to consider starting one for them!

Consignment, Secondhand & Thrift Stores

Some consignment shops take gently used dancewear. Do a simple Google search for consignment & secondhand shops in your area and give them a call before heading in with your dancewear. 

Donating to local thrifts stores like Goodwill is another good option for getting rid of old clothes without throwing them away.

Re-purpose Dance Items

Halloween Costumes & Dress-up

Using old dance clothes for costume parties, Halloween, or just for play can be a great way to get value out of the items you’ve purchased. Creating a dress up chest with old dancerwear for younger siblings is a great way to ensure family fun and encourage them to consider dancing as well. 

Winter Wonder Layers

Worn down tights and bodysuits that are a bit too rough for the stage can be used under winter cloths to provide an extra layer of warmth while your little dancer plays in the snow. 

Travel Bags, Hobby Cases & Toy Totes

Sometimes dancers stop dancing. It's sad but it's true. When they do you can find yourself with an array of items which now seem useless. Some larger scale items like rolling dance bags or makeup cases work well as travel bags. Makeup cases can also become good hobby cases or toy containers.