From ballet to broadway.

Recital #202

Best Balance

Best Comfort

Best Value

Pro #1

The Original Split-role

The professional's choice

Tivoli JS1

Soar in Sansha Jazz

Flexible and durable

Dansurf S16

Light, Sharp and Fast

Everywhere, any time

WHAT MAKES A DANCER PULL SOMETHING OFF THE RACK? WE TOOK EIGHT DANCERS SHOPPING IN SAN FRANCISCO'S DANCEWEAR TO SEE WHAT GOT THEM JAZZED. THE RESULTS WERE EYE-OPENING--AS WELL AS EYE-CATCHING. HERE'S WHAT WE LEARNED.

Courtney LEE WRIGHT

All the right moves: San Francisco Ballet Dancer Courtney looks for texture and fit. I want a fit that makes me look slim, plus I'm a real fabric person. I like soft, smooth textures. Motionwear pants and a teal Bloch leotard get a try. I like things that show off my back and are lowcut in front. SFB supplies her shoes and tights but ... I hate tights; I only wear them when I perform.

Cimi AHLUWAHIA

Split personality: A Kathak dancer, Cimi wears traditional outfits and goes barefoot on stage. I like funky when I'm not performing. I go for color and rhinestone. Shine and glitter, like Freed's glammy silver ballroom shoes, draw her. True confession: I wanted to be a pro roller skater, so I gravitated right away to the GK pink outfit. Practice means practical. Legwarmers ge tme through the a.m.

Janna MATSUOKA

Form follows function: jazz dancer Janna shops with an eye to fit. I don't want to be inhibited by my clothes. They have to be functional--no unsightly bulges! A pair of City Lights pants and sweater, coupled with Danshuz Roman-style sandels, suit her leotard-and-t-shirt look, right, while Cimi tries out a Bodywrapper black knit sweater, Mirella skirt, and Leo's classic black-and-white taps. My favorite piece of clothing is a pair of my dad's old sweats. Leo's One bare-shoulder top gets an audition, below. What I end up wearing depends on the choreography I'm dancing.

Christina LARSON

Skirting it: Christina switched from gymnastics to ballet in third grade. If something looks fun on another dancer or in a magazine, I'll try it on. Now 14, she dances with Berkeley Ballet Theatre. I think about design, fit, and price, but I really care most if it's comfortable. Christina tries out a Bloch Asteroid top, Capezio shorts and top, and a Leo's skirt, opposite. I make my own buying decisions, usually with a friend--not my mom!

Margaret HEE 

The incredible lightness of being: Hee, 16, is studying modern and ballet. When I shop, what matters most is style and how well something's made. A maroon Motionwear leotard, left, catches her eye; so does a Mirella leotard, right. I'll try something on if I like the color. Flowing fabrics like the Watercolor wrap-around skirt she models fit her look. I don't want to be uncomfortable or adjust things like straps all the time.

Stephanie CROSS

Gearing up: For Stephanie, who formerly danced with Oakland Ballet, practice clothes are like second skins. I like layers--some mornings I'll start with everything on, even booties and a scarf. After several Darbo Queen tutus, she tries out a pair of Bodywrapper shorts. I don't usually buy by brand. I go for visual appeal. A Motionwear leotard, left, gets checked for fit. A Wlite fleece jacket and Harmonie Amplitude sweater suit her ecletic style. I want comfor, something I can hang out in all day.

Maurya KERR

Saturday afternoon fever: Maurya, a ballerina with Alonzo King's LINES Ballet, melds hip-hop with classical chic. I'm a ballerina with no traditional dancewear. A Eurotard salsa skirt and top help her see the movement;s lines; she tries on Sansha's Split Sole pointe shoes for feel. I like little tops, funky styles and interesting colors. She shuns leotards and tights, rebelling against traditional wear. Built-in bras are good because they're easy, and you don't have too many layers.

Jenny WINTON 

A leg up: Jenny, 13, a San Francisco Ballet student, exercises her shopping options. I really like zipups because they can look like a bunch of different styles. Motionwear leotards and Harmonie knit shors get a workout, as do Freed pointe shoes. I prefer camisoles because they're easier to move in. Her pet peeve? I don't like too many crisscrosses on my back.

Anna KOUAL

If the shoe fits: A flamenco dancer with Russian ballet training, Anna, a member of Alma Flamenca Dance Company, looks for freedom of movement. My costumes have to breathe when I dance. Bloch dance sneakers finish off Motionwear practice gear. I like black, plus they fit like a second skin, and the style's a little different. Onstage, she prefers rich colors and a flowing look; she gives a Star Style skirt and Motionwear lace top an audition. I like things that are unique, that no one else is wearing yet or would put together.