When you’re doing one of the performance arts, whether it’s dancing, or gymnastics, a lot of the attention goes to the clothing in addition to the skills and the shoes. The poise, the steadiness, and the grace are all important components the teachers or the jury have to see and grade well.
Hence the necessity to wear form fitting items like leotards and unitards which can be of help in getting the wanted results. What is a unitard vs leotard? What are their benefits? Which to wear and when? These are some of the questions we’re going to cover in the text.
One-Piece Garments
Both the leotard and the unitard are one-piece garments, the difference being in the amount of coverage they offer: the leotard leaves the arms and legs exposed, whereas the unitard covers the legs. Both can be available in different sleeve lengths, though most of the time the leotards come sleeveless. Some cute leotards for sale can also be found with skirt designs, making them into a highly versatile garment.
Benefits of Leotards
When you’re doing complex movements, like those in dances and gymnastics, you need all the flexibility you can get which is exactly what leotards offer with the design that leaves the arms and the legs free. It’s also this detail that makes for better airflow, thus keeping the body cool, minimising sweat, and increasing breathability.
No matter if you find yourself doing performance arts in hot environments or not, you won’t have to worry about odour or perspiration. More on the benefits of the versatile leotards for sale is that you can count on them for proper support without the unnecessary bulk of more fabric. When you’re doing the rigorous activities, feeling lightweight with the clothes can feel liberating to say the least.
And, while we’re at versatility, the variety of styles and colours these garments can be found in isn’t the only benefit you can expect to reap – they’re also highly adaptable, so you can combine them with other clothes like shirts, shorts, and skirts, as well as leggings, useful for a variety of activities where you need to switch styles as in the example with dancing. Lastly, dance leotards offer the right amount of visibility required for a performer to ensure the movements are proper and in line with the form and technique.
Benefits of Unitards
Used in dance as much as athletic training, unitards can be useful for full body coverage when you’re in need of more warmth, like when you’re doing performance arts in a cool environment whether a venue or outdoors. These garments are highly appreciated because they offer the right insulation without it being at the expense of adequate movement.
Additionally, depending on the materials they’re made of, some unitards can provide the right amount of support and muscle compression both needed for muscle support and an improvement of the circulation. These are properties that come in handy especially when you’re putting your body through intense activity such as when doing more strenuous rehearsal or performance.
In some instances, like when doing aerial silks, you come in touch with some type of equipment or surface that can be dangerous. The unitard, with the full coverage, can protect you from both friction and abrasions, thus reducing your risk of sustaining bruises, scratches, or more significant injuries that can badly impact your activity and/or put your life in danger.
Whether your reason for wanting more coverage comes from needing more comfort, or you prefer it for the modesty, the unitard is more appealing than leotards in this aspect. As a result, it provides a more secure feeling too, and a more streamlined aesthetic that is particularly preferred in high-performance settings where visual appeal is needed.
Activities They’re Suitable For
As you can see, each of these two stylish and comfortable options comes with its own set of benefits. With this in mind, they’re also both suitable for specific activities. In the example of the leotards, they’re good for dance (e.g. ballet, jazz), acrobatics, and gymnastics if you care about clear body visibility, minimal coverage, plus full range of motion.
As they’re lightweight and breathable, they also work well with pilates and yoga, especially when done in warm studios. In athletic training and workouts, they’re great for offering flexibility. With aerial arts, they’re not that great of an option since they leave the skin exposed to the environment and equipment. As for the unitards, they’re used in modern dances and performances where the focus is on full-body coverage to enhance the theme. They’re perfect for aerial arts as they provide protective coverage as well as reduction in friction burns.
In terms of insulation, they’re great for cold studios as much as they’re nice in outdoor environments. Lastly, when it comes to athletic training and workouts, they’re good if you’re in need of full-body warmth, compression and muscle support.
