Holiday season is just round the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to shop! But with so many options around, how do you know you’re treating your BFFs, loved ones and (of course) yourself to the good stuff? Finding the perfect present for the ballet dancer in your life can be tricky.
That’s where we come in. The C&V Squad of professional ballerinas, adult dancers and pre-professionals have narrowed down our ballet favourites, essentials and covetables just for you in this dance gift guide. From dancewear to training accessories to dance recovery tools, here are our picks for the best ballet gifts!
Lou is a professional ballerina with the Queensland Ballet.
- Blackroll Hyperice – Preferably the entire range of products. But it’s Christmas, why not splurge and get yourself a vibrating roller that does the work for you? Treat yo’self!
- C&V Tulle Skirt – So pretty you might not even need a costume anymore. Feel like a million bucks as you float throughout the studio and rake in the compliments. You deserve it!
- Bunheads Footsie Roller – I spend my life looking for mine, because it is usually wedged under someone else’s foot! Even my mum, who has never danced a day in her life, swears by it. If it has mum’s seal of approval, you know it’s good!
- Massage Chair/Foot Massager – Sit down in one of these at the C&V HQ and I can guarantee you, you won’t be getting up anytime soon! Definitely time to get one of your own!
- An Airfare to Singapore – Yes, it’s unrealistic, but let’s be honest. All of this would not be possible without the amazing boss lady who runs this joint. I’m looking at you Min! Why not pop in and create some magic, sweat off the holiday treats in a hot yoga class or just slouch back into her amazing massage chair (and then promptly order one for yourself!) while feasting on an Açai bowl?!
Jeanette is a professional ballerina with Saatsballett Bayarisches.
- Zip Up Fleece Jacket – I’ve been trying to find a reasonably priced fleece jacket with a full zipper for over a year now. That sounds pretty simple, but I’m just not seeing one that tickles my fancy! The full zipper is so I can wear it around in the theatre during a show so I don’t mess my hair and makeup up. If you see one, holler at me.
- Cloud & Victory Leotards – I want an excuse to talk about my “Lily Leotard” because it’s my favorite go-to leotard at the moment. It’s super comfy and goes with whatever I’m wearing for rehearsal since it’s black and has a really flattering cut. But now I’m really wanting the “Crane” one because I suspect I’d love that one just as much…
- Pilates Balance Board – There are so many good exercises for this Pilates balance board. I’ve been doing them on my Pilates block for the past year because it also requires some balance, but this board is definitely the best for ankle stability!
- The Frappé-cino Tee – I already own one but I recommend you get one too. It’s a nice fit and I always get compliments on it. Who doesn’t love a ballet and coffee pun? Plus the pictures are drawn by owner of C&V, Min!
Patricia is a professional ballerina with LA Dance Project.
- Outdoor Voices Tech Sweat Crop Top in Red – I’m pretty sure that nowadays I live in Outdoor Voices: I open my closet and it’s just a heap of OV leggings and crop tops. My favorite fabric is the Tech Sweat because it is super comfortable and stretches with my body. It is also sweat-wicking which is good, cause we get pretty sweaty over at L.A. Dance Project… I have the leggings in most of the colors, but don’t have any of the Tech Sweat Crop Tops yet, so I’d love for Santa to bring me one. The red one to be exact.
- Otiumberg Mini Chunky Gold Hoops – Okay first of all, background info: I am obsessed with earrings. Otiumberg is a British jewelry brand that does demi-fine jewelry – which makes their jewelry affordable, but also wearable during class/rehearsal. I have their Large Chunky Gold Hoops that I wear a lot, but never to work because I feel wayyyy too extra, and also am scared of getting them accidentally ripped out of my ears(sorry got gruesome real fast). Their mini ones however would be perfection for work days and I feel like they’d become my staple go-to rehearsal Pat lewk avec crop top.
- Cloud & Victory “Doing it for the Pizza” Shorts – I got to wear these shorts during my C&V photoshoot this summer and it was love at first sight. They’re super cute and the fit is perfect. Not too short and not too long. I’ve also been loving on all things embroidered, so these shorts are high on my list this year. I want these specifically to wear to yoga so that I can look down and have some motivation when the sequences are getting too hard for me and I want to give in to child’s pose. Because honestly, I’m never not doing it for pizza.
- Chacott Royal Pink 22mm Pointe Shoe Ribbon – I’ve been trying to buy this ribbon for ages but it seems like they only sell it in Japan. Iana Salenko gave me some once and I’ve been recycling those ribbons ever since. The thing that is special about these ribbons is that they’re 22mm while normal ribbons seem to be 26mm. I know I sound crazy, it’s 4mm. But trust me. It makes a huge difference. The narrower ribbon shows much more of your foot/ankle and honestly wearing normal ribbon makes me feel like I’ve got bandaged ankles now. So I’m begging Santa to plan his journey to LA via Japan so that he can pick some of these up for me. Please and thank you!
- Bloch Ouch Pouches – I know… Uh boring! But I’ve been using mine for years and years and they are very hole-y. Don’t ask me why I don’t just buy some new ones. I just can’t make myself.
Min is an adult ballet beginner.
- Hyperice Vyper – I’ve been dealing with an assortment of injuries this year, from rotator cuff sprains to adductor pulls to compressed spinal nerves, and of course, always feeling sore thanks to ballet and gymnastics! The Hyperice Vyper is pricey, but it’s also the best foamroller I’ve ever owned. The vibrations coupled with the super dense material really help loosen tight knots and kinks. Don’t just take my word for it – when I raved about it on my personal facebook page, a bunch of my dancer friends all around the world couldn’t resist joining in the enthusiasm party. As one person put it: 5 minutes with this is like 20 minutes with a normal foam roller. It’s pricey, yes, but it’s worth the investment.
- Tiger Leotard – I was born in the year of the fire Tiger, which sounds cool, I know. But according to Chinese superstition, tiger babies are bad luck. Traditionally, Chinese people tend to avoid having babies during tiger years on the Chinese zodiac. I designed this leotard in defiance of that idea, because I think it’s a pretty awesome thing to be able to say you’re born in the year of the Tiger. It’s a feminine, athletic and unique piece that I love wearing. It’s also really flattering thanks to the V-cut and compression material, which streamlines your body. I’m really proud of it!
- Patricia Zhou x Baiwu Pin Leotard in Lipstick/Powder – Since I’ve started designing dancewear, I tend to only wear C&V leotards because it’s important to me to test my products and make sure they feel and look good. I’ll definitely make an exception for Patti’s leotards though – this Pin leotard is simple but striking. Want!
- Major Shade Tee – I love this tee. It’s a loose-fit tee that doesn’t overwhelm my short frame, made of very fine and soft cotton and cropped at the perfect length. I love wearing it with jeans and high-waist shorts, and layering it over leotards. It always gets commented on during class – the teachers get an especial kick out of it, and it comes in very handy when they set a particularly painful combination!
- Cosrx BHA blackhead power liquid – A fair few of my female dancer friends have to deal with clogged pores and acne thanks to makeup coupled with lots of sweating in the studio. I started using this toner a year ago and have since recommended it to my ballerina friends – they’ve all loved it as well! The Corsx BHA power liquid is chock-full of good stuff for your skin – it’s got a gentle form of beta hydroxy acid to fight acne and inflammation, unclog pores and slough of dead skin, with anti-aging niacinamide and super-hydrating sodium hyaluronate, all in one affordably priced facial product that won’t break your bank or go scorched-earth on your skin.
- Hallufix Bunionaid – I’m totally paranoid about my bunions getting worse. Bunionaids prevent my bunions from progressing. They help with soreness and relax the doral and metetarsal foot muscles by pulling your big toe into the correct alignment. Don’t be tempted to buy cheaper imitations. They don’t mold to your foot as well as these and don’t last as long – believe me, I speak from experience!
Chun is a student dancer.
- Tiger Leotard – When Min showed me this leotard, I fell in love with it! I love a dark colored leotard and I’m born in the year of the tiger too! Plus it’s really sporty – it makes me feel athletic!
- Cloud & Victory “Doing it for the Pizza” Shorts – I’m on the hunt for a great pair of shorts that I can wear for classes, and the Pizza shorts would be perfect for that, or runs and as a pair of safety shorts.
- Christyng Janet Cinnamon Handbag – This bag is big enough to hold my laptop and notes for school, plus it looks fancy, #adulting.
- Yoga Mat – I want to try yoga because it’s home friendly. As a busy student, I find it hard to make time for ballet. Yoga seems cool to try out!
Jasmine is a pre-professional student dancer.
- The Lily Leotard – So classy and elegant and perfect for almost all occasions! The fit is super comfortable, yet flattering, and the design is simple while being totally non-basic.
You’ll stand out without “standing out”. - Spenco 2nd Skin Squares – My baby toe is a blister magnet. I used to spam powder and tape and hope for the best, but one day, my friend let my try some of her second skin blister squares and my life changed. I am not even being over dramatic, I literally forgot my blister was even there! All you do is peel out one side of plastic, paste the gel side towards your blister and secure it with tape. The gel even has some sort of healing properties! These babies are magic in a bottle.
- Plié for Pizza Sweaters – Because you have to admit, no one would not love to get one of these.
- L’oreal Superstar Eyeliner – Eyeliner is the performance makeup essential for me, absolutely can’t get onstage without it. I like this particular one because it’s definitely non-expensive and it comes off so smoothly. I almost never have to go back and try to redo my wing.
- DANCEKIT – I have my own emergency pouch in my dance bag already, but just look at this dancekit! It’s so sparklin’ adorable. There’s a compartment for everything already so it doesn’t get messy after getting shaken around in your dance bag. The contents include hairspray, clear nail polish, bandaids, hair elastics, bobby pins, safety pins and just for fun, even red lipstick! Everything you need in an emergency and more! I think this gift would be a great and subtle way of showing your friends that you care.
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