How to measure a Junior / Adult

Measuring for a junior or adult dancer

Use a dance dress that fits comfortably with the dance underwear or support you normally wear. If checking lengths on the dancer, stand naturally and ask someone to help. Follow the video’s preparation steps before measuring.

Compare like for like

All listed dress measurements are in centimetres, taken with the garment laid flat and unstretched. Use a flexible centimetre tape. Fasten your comparison dress as worn and lay it on a flat surface without pulling the fabric. Where a shoulder seam is absent, contact the studio to confirm the starting point.

1. Shoulder to gusset: measure from the top shoulder point down the garment to the centre of the crotch/gusset. This is a one-way length, not a full body-loop measurement.
2. Shoulder tip to wrist: measure from the outer shoulder tip along the sleeve to the wrist edge. For an arm check, keep the arm relaxed with a slight bend.
3. Bust, waist and hips (seam to seam): measure straight across the flat garment between side seams at each level. These are flat widths, not body circumferences. Do not compare a body circumference directly with these figures. If a seam is absent, confirm the measurement points with the studio.
4. Shoulder to Latin / Ballroom hem: measure from the top shoulder point to the corresponding finished skirt edge. Use only the hem relevant to the dress.
5. Waist to Latin / Ballroom hem: measure from the waistline down to the corresponding finished skirt edge.
6. Shortest and longest hems: for an uneven skirt, measure separately to its shortest and longest finished edges, starting at the shoulder or waist as labelled.

Measurements are a guide only. Fabric stretch, cut, posture and individual proportions affect the final fit. If you are between sizes or uncertain about any point, contact the studio before ordering.