Want to look high energy and ultra-modern in your next dance team performance? Urban dancewear is the way to go. From hip hop dance shoes to cargo trousers and cropped tees, this look allows plenty of room for movement, along with undeniable style. Just because you're dancers doesn't mean you have to wear tights and tutus! Plus, mixing things up with urban dancewear will stand out from the typical competition glitz and glam, and get your audience moving to the beat. Here are some tips to help you find the right selections for your team competition:

Urban Dance Footwear

When it comes to your look, footwear is actually a great place to start. For many other dance styles, the footwear is often more subtle. Think ballet or tap shoes. Not so with hip hop dancing. Rather, footwear embraces the street style, while at the same time provides enough support and stability so dancers feel confident moving and don't fall or injure themselves.

The good news is that with hip hop dance so popular today, there plenty of options to choose from, including hi-top sneakers and combat dance boots. Both choices are comfortable, provide plenty of support, and match the street style perfectly. Additionally, sneakers and combat boots come in a variety of styles and colors that you can coordinate with your dancewear. All are supremely fashionable.

When selecting urban footwear for your dance competition, or for practice or rehearsal, just make sure to focus on fit. If your shoes don't fit perfectly, it can dramatically impact performance.

Urban Dancewear Tops

When selecting dancewear tops for hip hop dances, you need to make sure they look good, and they also keep dancers cool and comfortable. Fabric needs to move with the dance so as not to cause chafing. That said, it shouldn't be so loose that the dancer's body gets lost in the top or becomes entangled in it. So just like with footwear, fit is of paramount importance. In terms of urban styles for tops, there are a variety to choose from, including hoodies and sweatshirts, as well as jerseys and hip hop shrugs.

One tip when it comes to choosing the right tops: Keep in mind the venue where you'll be dancing. For instance, you don't want dancers to overheat in a hoodie if the performance location is going to be somewhere inside that's typically warm. However, if it's taking place is outdoors, then a hoodie might be the perfect choice. So, keep where you'll be dancing -- and the comfort of each dancer -- in mind when selecting urban dancewear tops.

Urban Dancewear Bottoms

When looking for the right urban dancewear bottoms, the style you choose should be flexible. Dancers need freedom to move, so even if something looks hip hop, don't buy it unless it's comfortable to move in and gives the skin room to breathe and sweat in. Some options include hip hop jogger pant, shorts, or camouflage leggings that are soft and flexible. Another popular choice is combat trousers, which can be worn on stage or off, making them a practical choice. When it comes to urban dancewear bottoms, there are many different styles available, depending on the look that you're hoping to achieve.

Urban Dancewear Accessories

The finishing touch on any style of dancewear is, of course, accessories. That said, long, chunky necklaces or large, dangling earrings should not be worn because they can get easily snagged and cause injury. Instead, if you want to accessorize, consider colorful bandanas or hats to coordinate with the overlook look and colors of your team's dancewear.

Tips for Making the Right Choice

If you're selecting urban dancewear for your team, there are a few more tips to keep in mind as you shop:

• Have a policy in place before you start shopping for team competition dancewear. That means having a budget and expectations in mind ahead of time.
• Urban dancewear outfits across a team are meant to coordinate. But they don't have to match exactly like they often do with other styles of dance. So, for instance, if you want to go with a look featuring camouflage leggings, you can choose a different color camo for each dancer. But the fit and overall style of the leggings should be the same.
• If you're buying for the team, don't give them 15 options to choose from. Do some research, pick a couple finalists, and then let the team decide between the two. That way, the team has some ownership over the decision, without too many options being presented.
• If there are concerns or issues with the dancewear you've chosen, listen to the dancers as to why. There are so many popular choices today for urban dancewear, so it shouldn't be hard to find a costume everyone agrees on. If dancers are universally unhappy with one costume, go back to the drawing board and pick another.

Ready to shop for hip hop dance shoes and dancewear? Check out our online catalog. We have a range of urban dance outfits to choose from, including shoes, bottoms, tops and accessories -- all that can be mixed and matched to reflect your team's unique style.