Ballet Caliente
Classical School of Dance
Classical School of Dance
Costume FAQ
Frequently Asked Costume Questions
Can I submit my dancer's measurements and sizes online?
To submit measurements online click the link. Please note this is a separate form from your online payment. If you submit
your dancer's measurements online you do not need to submit a paper copy. Please save a tree!
I cannot access the internet and do not have a printer, can I submit a hard copy order form?
Hard copy order forms are available and can be submitted at the studio. If you know someone with a printer click here for the
hard copy.
How do I pay for my costumes online?
Please visit our order page at www.balletcaliente.com/costumeorder to pay your costume fees online (additional handling fees
apply). Add each costume you are paying for to your shopping cart. You have the option to pay with PayPal or credit card at
checkout. You may also pay by check, cash or money order at the studio.
I have two dancers. Can I pay for their six costumes with one payment?
Yes! We prefer you to pay with one payment for all costumes, just note your account number, the dancer(s) name(s) and
“Costume Fees” if you pay by check. If you submit online, add all items for each dancer to your shopping cart prior to check
out.
I already paid for my dancer’s costume with my October tuition check. Now what?
Not a problem. Please complete submit measurements online or fill out the hard copy order form as you normally would and
write “Paid with tuition” where the check information is. We will check with the bookkeeper to make sure she has received it.
We will not order costumes without payment.
Who do I make my check out to?
Please make checks payable to Ballet Caliente, Inc.
How come I have to submit two sizes and where do I find the size charts?
Dancers have to submit two different size choices due to the different materials that make up a costume. The Letter Size
Chart is for costumes that are generally made entirely from stretchy materials like lycra. The Number Size Chart is for
costumes that usually have fixed, non-stretchy fabric like satin.
Why do I need to fill in actual measurements on the costume order?
In a perfect world we would be able to order all costumes for the performance from one company with one size chart. But we
do not live in a perfect world! We primarily order from one or two companies, but sometimes they do not have the costume we
need for a particular dance and we need to order from somewhere else (which invariably has their own size chart!). When
this happens we need the actual dancer measurements which are compared to the size chart for the actual company we are
ordering from before we order, so please don’t make them up! If you need a measuring tape, there are two hanging in the
viewing room at the studio.
What is the torso/girth measurement?
This is a measurement of the overall body length. You will be making a circle with the tape measure starting at the shoulder,
down the front of the dancer, through the crotch, and then back up the back to place you started. If in doubt, please review
our How to Measure guide, ask your class mom or our school manager, Christine Wojcik.
Why is the girth/torso measurement so important?
If a costume is too small in the girth it binds in the shoulders or the crotch and makes it very uncomfortable for a dancer
(especially our younger ones) to dance beautifully in. Also, costumes generally have the least amount of give in overall
length and it is a problem that cannot be overcome with alterations if it is too short in this measurement. Surprisingly, torso
length has little relationship to height. A 5'9" dancer may actually have a short torso and long legs or a 5'2" dancer could have
a long torso and short legs. If your dancer is a size larger in this measurement than the others; order based on
torso/girth! When in doubt always opt for a larger costume size - you can make a big costume smaller but not a small one
bigger.
Where do I put the order form and my payment?
Please place your costume order form in the Costume Order Envelope on the credenza. Once we have checked that the
payment amount is correct we will give your check to the bookkeeper without delay!
What will my dancer’s costume look like?
The truthful answer here is, “We don’t know yet.” Once the choices are made we will make up a poster of all the costumes for
each class dance and special cast assignment then hang it in the viewing room for everyone to admire.
When will the costumes be distributed?
Costume distribution starts the first or second week in May. We generally wait until all the costumes have arrived and
choreography has been completed. We will send out a reminder email when the time comes.
Then why on earth am I buying this now?
Costumes are made to order, do not always come in on time, sometimes there is a production lag from the time we order to
the time they are delivered, and sometimes they are not available. This gives ample time before the performance to handle
costume issues.
I have a bunch of other questions . . .
Ask your class mom, call our School Manager at (301) 997-0439 or send an email to costume@balletcaliente.com
Can I submit my dancer's measurements and sizes online?
To submit measurements online click the link. Please note this is a separate form from your online payment. If you submit
your dancer's measurements online you do not need to submit a paper copy. Please save a tree!
I cannot access the internet and do not have a printer, can I submit a hard copy order form?
Hard copy order forms are available and can be submitted at the studio. If you know someone with a printer click here for the
hard copy.
How do I pay for my costumes online?
Please visit our order page at www.balletcaliente.com/costumeorder to pay your costume fees online (additional handling fees
apply). Add each costume you are paying for to your shopping cart. You have the option to pay with PayPal or credit card at
checkout. You may also pay by check, cash or money order at the studio.
I have two dancers. Can I pay for their six costumes with one payment?
Yes! We prefer you to pay with one payment for all costumes, just note your account number, the dancer(s) name(s) and
“Costume Fees” if you pay by check. If you submit online, add all items for each dancer to your shopping cart prior to check
out.
I already paid for my dancer’s costume with my October tuition check. Now what?
Not a problem. Please complete submit measurements online or fill out the hard copy order form as you normally would and
write “Paid with tuition” where the check information is. We will check with the bookkeeper to make sure she has received it.
We will not order costumes without payment.
Who do I make my check out to?
Please make checks payable to Ballet Caliente, Inc.
How come I have to submit two sizes and where do I find the size charts?
Dancers have to submit two different size choices due to the different materials that make up a costume. The Letter Size
Chart is for costumes that are generally made entirely from stretchy materials like lycra. The Number Size Chart is for
costumes that usually have fixed, non-stretchy fabric like satin.
Why do I need to fill in actual measurements on the costume order?
In a perfect world we would be able to order all costumes for the performance from one company with one size chart. But we
do not live in a perfect world! We primarily order from one or two companies, but sometimes they do not have the costume we
need for a particular dance and we need to order from somewhere else (which invariably has their own size chart!). When
this happens we need the actual dancer measurements which are compared to the size chart for the actual company we are
ordering from before we order, so please don’t make them up! If you need a measuring tape, there are two hanging in the
viewing room at the studio.
What is the torso/girth measurement?
This is a measurement of the overall body length. You will be making a circle with the tape measure starting at the shoulder,
down the front of the dancer, through the crotch, and then back up the back to place you started. If in doubt, please review
our How to Measure guide, ask your class mom or our school manager, Christine Wojcik.
Why is the girth/torso measurement so important?
If a costume is too small in the girth it binds in the shoulders or the crotch and makes it very uncomfortable for a dancer
(especially our younger ones) to dance beautifully in. Also, costumes generally have the least amount of give in overall
length and it is a problem that cannot be overcome with alterations if it is too short in this measurement. Surprisingly, torso
length has little relationship to height. A 5'9" dancer may actually have a short torso and long legs or a 5'2" dancer could have
a long torso and short legs. If your dancer is a size larger in this measurement than the others; order based on
torso/girth! When in doubt always opt for a larger costume size - you can make a big costume smaller but not a small one
bigger.
Where do I put the order form and my payment?
Please place your costume order form in the Costume Order Envelope on the credenza. Once we have checked that the
payment amount is correct we will give your check to the bookkeeper without delay!
What will my dancer’s costume look like?
The truthful answer here is, “We don’t know yet.” Once the choices are made we will make up a poster of all the costumes for
each class dance and special cast assignment then hang it in the viewing room for everyone to admire.
When will the costumes be distributed?
Costume distribution starts the first or second week in May. We generally wait until all the costumes have arrived and
choreography has been completed. We will send out a reminder email when the time comes.
Then why on earth am I buying this now?
Costumes are made to order, do not always come in on time, sometimes there is a production lag from the time we order to
the time they are delivered, and sometimes they are not available. This gives ample time before the performance to handle
costume issues.
I have a bunch of other questions . . .
Ask your class mom, call our School Manager at (301) 997-0439 or send an email to costume@balletcaliente.com
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