Capezio 5930
Pros - A fair
blend of quality, functionality, and fit.
Lasts forfreakingever.
Wide elastic
reduces likelihood of “muffintop” effect.
Holds up well to constant wear and
washing; has even experienced The Dreaded Dryer (on low) a number of times
(mostly, but not always, by accident) without any apparent ill effects.
Cotton
pouch is durable, supportive, and comfortable. Also roomier than some models:
good for bigger guys, not great for smaller guys.
Quilting enhances modesty.
Cons - Edges
of the elastic occasionally roll, which is annoying but easily adjusted.
Thong
strap can be uncomfortable for the tailbone if you have to sit for a
while.
Cotton absorbs sweat rather than wicking it for evaporation, so the
pouch and front panel can get clammy.
Not the right choice for aerials; too
much wiggle room. Didn’t realize that this was the case until I got a dance
belt that really is perfect for aerials. Hint: Nothing should move.
Rating: 7/10: Okay for
dance, not good for aerials. Probably one of the better options for cosplay or
modeling, but nondancers/nonaerialists should consider ordering a size or two
larger than Capezio's chart suggests.
And Now, The Long Version!
First, A Word About Choosing A Size: I've noticed that
reviewers of dance belts can generally be divided into two groups those who
expect dance belts to be tighter than anything else on earth and are prepared
for it; and those who are shocked by how tight they are.
In short, the tight fit is intentional the purpose of a dance belt is to immobilize everything for protection during huge, athletic leaps and the like, and it has to be pretty tight to do that. There's no room for slippage in the middle of a coupe jete en tournant or a barrel turn!
Likewise, your dance belt will sit lower than most jeans or trousers. Take a look at the models in the pictures you can see that a dance belt sits right about midhipbone level; below the place where trousers usually sit (most often, just above the hipbones or at the natural waist).
The spot where your dance belt will sit generally includes at very least the tops of gluteus medius muscles and will usually be a little bigger around than your usual waistsize measurement. It may be *much* bigger than your natural waist that is, the narrowest part of your torso especially if you're lean and fit (and especially, especially if you're an avid cyclist or welltrained ballet dancer).
You might find that you wear a larger size in a dance belt than you do in jeans or trousers. Go with the measured size at the correct spot, not the label size on your favorite jeans or trousers, and not the size of the narrowest spot on your torso *unless* that spot is right where the dance belt will sit.
At that time that I bought my Capezio dance belts, my natural waist was about 29”, and my jeans and trousers were 30s and 32s. I ordered a Large (32/34) the only Large anything in my wardrobe. Like many dancers, I have ridiculously overdeveloped glutei medii; so the dance belt needs to fit snugly on those muscles without strangling them (you use the gluteus medius all the time in ballet and aerials). I’ve since trimmed down a bit more, and Capezio’s large is now too big.
In short, **measure yourself where your dance belt will sit,** then base your purchase on that measurement and your intended use (see below).
If you're planning to use your dance belt for dance, measure, then GO WITH CAPEZIO'S SIZE CHART.
If you're planning to use your dance belt for aerials, measure, then GO WITH CAPEZIO'S SIZE CHART. You really, really don't want things sloshing around when you're about to climb the drapes or drop yourself onto a steel hoop.
If you're planning to use your dance belt for running, climbing, or other sports (which apparently is more common than you'd think; I can actually see this kind of thing being totally handy for equestrians as well), I'd still probably measure, then GO WITH CAPEZIO'S SIZE CHART.
If you're planning to use your dance belt for cosplay or modeling but won't actually be doing theatrical dance (ballet, modern, etc), circus arts, or something similar, consider trying a fit one or two sizes *larger* than Capezio's recommendation. Capezio's size chart is based on the assumption that you'll be engaging in vigorous theatrical dance, and may give you a much tighter fit than you want or need if you're not.
With that in mind, I *do* recommend this model for cosplay and similar applications, as the waistband is wide, made of one layer except at the front, and not too stiff. Combined with the quilted pouch, that can lend you a sleeker line under your costume Lycra.
The N5930 is a reasonably comfortable dance belt unless you hate thongs. If you hate thongs, this or any thongstyle dance belt will subject you to flaming misery, and if you’re not actually dancing or doing aerials, you should consider a fullbrief option.
For dance/aerials purposes, a dance belt should be tighter than normal thong underwear, tighter than a typical athletic supporter tighter than essentially anything else you'll ever wear as underwear, but not so tight that it actually cuts off your circulation. There will also be very little give in the thong strap, a significant difference from typical thong underwear or the leg loops on athletic supporters.
That said, if this is your first dance belt, expect it to feel really tight, especially in the beginning. You'll get used to it, and over time the dance belt will loosen up a little. If it loosens up too much and starts to lose its grip, you'll need to replace it.
Again, it there *is* such a thing as *too* tight; if it's cutting off your circulation or leaving abrasions in the course of normal use, your dance belt probably really is too small.
Quality: I've had this dance belt in black for more than two years; I also inherited my better half's tan one after he discovered that he hates thongback dance belts with the fury of a thousand suns (he uses a fullseat dance brief now). For as long as they fit, I wore the black one all the time and the tan one rarely. There was no objective reason for that the fit and quality of both are the same. I really should have rotated them evenly; I just liked the black one better because it's black.
My dance belts put up with a lot of abuse the black one, especially. For two years and change, it withstood ballet class three to five days per week (sometimes twice per day) along with any practice outside of class, and the attendant frequent washings. After that, my dance and aerials schedule picked up, and I outshrank my Capezio dance belts pretty quickly but they held up well up to that point..
Needless to say, my dance belts get a lot of wear. Likewise, while I don't run them through the washer on Industrial Hyperspin with Patented LavaHot Technology (TM), I'm lazy, so I don't wash them by hand, either, unless I absolutely have to (two words: Burning Man). My current washer doesn't have a "delicate" cycle, so my dance belts go through the shortest cycle in cold water.
They have also been through the dryer a few times usually by mistake, but I will admit that on rare occasions I dry them to save time.
Frankly, I would have expected the black one, at least, to fail by now. I mean, it's basically a big elastic band with a cotton pouch sewn on, right?
But it turns out that the elastic band in question is pretty reliable, while the cotton pouch is nigh indestructible. After two years and change of constant use and washing, the black dance belt’s elastic shows some wear, but if the shape of my body hadn’t changed as much, it would probably still be serviceable.
Fit and Functionality: When I first started dancing again, I was about 24 pounds/~11 kg heavier than I am now. The top edge of the elastic was prone to rolling, though I could rectify it by flattening it after pulling on my tights. It's worth noting that I was within the parameters for "normal" BMI and body fat percentage so if you're not extremely lean, you too may experience a bit of rolling or muffintopping when you order according to Capezio's size chart. You may, however, also be able to correct it the same way I did.
The best thing about this dance belt is that it largely disappears while you're dancing you get going and forget about it (until you accidentally hook your thumb in the waistband and yank it while adjusting your tights ... that will definitely remind you it's there). As long as you’re wearing an appropriate size, it stays where it's supposed to, and consequently other things stay where *they're* supposed to.
Since that's essential to preventing painful, unpleasant injuries, that's a good thing.
That said, it’s not quite as solid in the immobilization department as either BodyWrappers’ M006 and M007 or WearMoi’s WM206 (I like the 2.5” waistband option). That makes Capezio’s N5930 a better option for beginning to intermediate dancers than for upperintermediate to advanced dancers. Once I worked my way back to more advanced elements of grand allegro, I found myself adjusting my Capezio dance belts more than would have been ideal.
The last point: the pouch on this model is quite roomy. Wellendowed guys will probably find this dance belt more suitable than some other models thanks to the roomy pouch (the BodyWrappers belts are also good options). Smaller guys will be okay when circumstances don’t call for things like double cabrioles avant or pas de chat Italien/grand pas de chat, but for advancedintermediate and higher ballet or modern classes *and* for aerials, I’d recommend that smaller guys consider WearMoi’s WM206.
If you're still with me, congratulations on making it through all of my ramblings. I hope this helps!
