Have you ever finished a dance routine only to realize you’ve been pulling your shorts down… or up… the whole time?

If your dance shorts constantly ride up, it’s not just annoying—it can make you feel self-conscious during your performance!

The good news is that there are a few reasons this happens, and if you’re making your own dance shorts, there are a few things you can do to help them stay in place much better. So today, I’ll show you 3 of them. 

It’s Mao from Sparkly Belly. Let’s get started!

How to Make Dance Shorts That Don’t Ride Up

1. Make Your Shorts to Your Measurements

The first thing is to make your shorts to your own measurements.

Dance shorts are made from stretchy fabric, so a lot of ready-made shorts seem like they fit. You can put them on, move around a little, and they feel fine.

But a pair of shorts that fits isn’t necessarily a pair that fits you well.

If your shorts start creeping upward after you’ve been dancing for a while, then maybe they simply weren’t drafted for your proportions.

Making your shorts to your own measurements is one of the best ways to get a comfortable fit that stays in place much better.

2. Use the Right Amount of Negative Ease

The second thing is using the right amount of negative ease.

Since dance shorts are made from stretch fabric, the pattern actually needs to be slightly smaller than your body so the fabric stretches to fit you. You may have heard terms like negative ease or stretch percentage before.

But here’s the important part.

If the shorts are too small, especially around the crotch and thighs, they’ll constantly want to work their way upward as you move.

Dance shorts usually end around the widest part of your thighs, so if the leg openings are too tight, they’ll naturally ride up.

On the other hand, if they’re too loose, they won’t give you that smooth, sleek look we want for dance costumes. And if the waistband is too small… you guessed it—you’ll get the muffin top effect.

So getting the right amount of negative ease is really a balancing act.

And here’s something else to keep in mind: different stretch fabrics need different amounts of negative ease. A soft, stretchy spandex behaves differently from a firm compression knit. So using the same pattern with every fabric doesn’t always give you the same fit.

To help prevent riding up, draft the shorts with just the right amount of negative ease. It shouldn’t be so tight that they’re pulled upward, but should be snug enough to stay comfortably in place.

3. Use the Right Crotch Depth

The third thing is using the right crotch depth, and this might be one of the most overlooked parts of drafting shorts.

If you look at a pair of dance shorts, it’s these curved seams here.

If those curves are too shallow for your body, especially if you have fuller hips, the shorts don’t have enough room where they need it.

Instead of sitting comfortably, they get pulled upward when you move. This can make the shorts ride up or even look uneven from side to side.

A properly fitted crotch depth lets the shorts move with your body instead of fighting against it, helping them stay in place much better.

Ready to make your own dance shorts?

If you’d like to make dance shorts that are actually customized for your body, I have something exciting coming tomorrow.

I’m releasing a brand new mini-course where I’ll show you how to draft a custom dance shorts pattern using your own measurements.

Because you’ll be creating the pattern yourself, you can adjust the fit, the amount of negative ease, the crotch depth, the length, and even the waistband finish to suit your preferences. And I’ll be showing you these options.

So instead of trying to make a ready-made pattern work, you’ll have a pair of dance shorts designed specifically for your body.

If that sounds like something you’d love, click the link below to learn more. I’ll see you at the launch tomorrow!

CHECK THE DANCE SHORTS MINI COURSE HERE!

Hope this gave you some ideas to try! And if you want your handmade dance shorts to look polished and professional, you’ll want to master sewing stretch fabric. Read this tutorial next, where I share my favorite tips for getting clean, neat results.

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!

P.S. Pin this on your alteration idea board!

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