I am new to ballet and am trying to decide the best thing to wear to class. My teacher says I am not required to wear tights/leotard. Should I wear jazz pants? shorts/t-shirt?

I would recommend the following

black tights
nude color dance belt
white socks
white ballet shoes
white shirt

Wearing jazz pants or sweats for ballet classes is NOT recommended especially for new ballet students. Your teacher needs to see your muscles and make corrections. Bad habits are very hard to break.

Kev

i agree with luv2plie your teacher needs to be able to see your muscles, your form, etc. it would be best if you wore tights and leotard/white shirt.

Traditional dancewear may not be required, but it is still the best thing to wear for ballet because it works better than any substitute. So rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, just buy dance clothes.
TIGHTS move with you, never binding or inhibiting motion. They also allow your teacher to see exactly what you are doing with your body.
DANCE BELT protects your male organs from harm while creating a clean line under your tights
T-SHIRT absorbs sweat and is a cost effective covering for your body.
BALLET SHOES are flexible, giving you a good feeling for the floor, and offering just the right combination of slip/grip.

I agree with the above. It also proves to the teachers that you are serious and want to learn.

Shorts are totally inappropriate for ballet. You're taking a dance class, not playing basketball.

Sweat pants make great warm-ups, but are too heavy and inflexible to actually move in.

I also agree!!!!!!

Kev

ballet clothes for ballet class

if you did not or do not want to wear them then you shoudl rethink the classes.... tights , a t-shirt, dancebelt, and shoes

why are they inappropriate? shorts aren't only for bascketball you know. i do irish dancing and almost every teacher i have come across requires dancers to wear shorts in class so they can see the legs the same reason why you wear tights, i think if the teacher hasn't specified no shorts then people should be allowed to wear them sure seein the actual leg rather than tights would be better fo learning, just my outside oppinion though