Dance Clothing & Shoes
Terrific Ballet T-Shirts!
David Hunter from Ballet For Men has a line of ballet t-shirts that are pretty terrific…
To check them out, click on the graphic to the right and browse…
Dance t-shirts make a great gift, and Hunter will be adding to them over time, so be sure and keep checking back for more! You won’t find these shirts anywhere else. (I really love the one with the pointe shoes!)
Free E-Book: Ballet Apparel For Men
David Hunter over at Ballet For Men is always up to something interesting…if you haven’t checked out his blog, I highly recommend it. Recently he launched a line of dance t-shirts.
This week it’s a free e-book on ballet apparel for men. Perfect for the beginning male student (or the parent of one), this e-book outlines everything you could possibly need in terms of attire–including information on the dance belt, how to sew and prepare your ballet shoes for class and what the “dress code” is for guys who want to dance. Be sure and pass the word–this is a valuable resource–and you can’t beat the price!
The Vio Shop
After we interviewed Ballerina, Violeta Angelova I thought it might be fun to talk a bit about her new venture, “The Vio Shop” as well. It has some unique items for sale that dancers might appreciate, such as posters, signed pointe shoes and even a children’s book.
One rather unusual item is the “Angel” Tutu, pictured here to the right. It comes in both white and pink, and it is decorated with crystals pearls and Swarovski elements. This is a professional grade tutu, that is half the price you generally find in the better class of costumes. Since it is custom-built, it fits each dancer perfectly. Designed by Violeta herself , the bodice to skirt proportions and the decorations were chosen with a professional dancer’s eye.
Another item that was created by Violeta is the Viotard. This one-of-a-kind leotard has an extremely bold design, and it was based on the dancer’s own personal style. There are two different versions of the piece–one that is red with red mesh, and a second that is red with nude mesh. The Viotard Violeta came up with is made in the US by LOLAstretch, a company that is known for producing creative designs.
The item that perhaps most intrigued me was the perfume, “Violet Rose“. Rose oil is considered an aphrodisiac by many, and there is a bit of a story that goes along with this particular version, as it is 100% pure Bulgarian rose oil from the Rose Valley. What I found so interesting is that Violeta’s mom was born in that valley, making this a uniquely personal item to sell in the shop.
To learn more about current offerings, or to see when new things are added, take a look at the shop on Violeta’s website.
4dancers In 2010
Well if a new look and new site isn’t enough, you’re in luck…there’s more to come! 4dancers will be rolling out a lot of new content in the New Year, including:
+ Featured Studio - we’re going through the states in alphabetical order this year and featuring 2 per week that we have hand-picked. We’ll take a look at what they offer, why they stand out and what they are all about. Look for these features primarily on the weekend.
+ 10 Questions With… This new feature will highlight different people in dance, asking them ten questions about themselves and their art. We will feature fellow dance bloggers, dancers, teachers and more in this section.
+ More reviews – in 2009 we opened the doors to those in the dance world who have products for sale. We’ll be reviewing these for you throughout the year.
+ 4dancers t-shirts and bags - 4dancers will be introducing an exclusive line of t-shirts and dance bags that you will not be able to buy anywhere else. Designs will include ballet, Irish dance, Indian dance and more…
We’re excited about the New Year, and we hope that you will check back regularly to see what we have in store for you in 2010!
Tips For Buying Ballroom Dance Shoes
If you are new to ballroom dance, it can be helpful to know how to go about buying your shoes. Here are a few resources that you can check out for tips on getting a good fit:
Showtime Dance Shoes - tips on both fit and caring for the shoes.
About.com - tips for choosing the right style, construction and more.
MIT Ballroom Dance Team - top notch tips on just about everything to do with ballroom dance shoes.
No matter what the dance style, having shoes that fit properly is key to having a good class or performance. Hope these resources help!
Dance Product Review Requests Now Accepted
I’m happy to announce that 4dancers will be moving into the area of product reviews for the remainder of 2009 and into 2010. We will be accepting any dance (or dance-related) product for impartial review and will be posting them here for you to read. You can expect to see things such as:
- DVD/CD reviews
- Clothing/bag reviews
- Book reviews
- Dance gift reviews
- Textbook reviews
We are also interested in reviewing products that are designed for dance studio owners, such as dance flooring, barres and software.
If you have something that you would like us to evaluate and review, please send an e-mail to:
info (at) moonbeamdigital.com with the words REVIEW REQUEST in the subject line.
*Please note that we cannot meet timeline requests for reviewing products. We will do our best to attend to reviews in a reasonable time-frame, but are not able to guarantee publication at a particular time. Products sent in for review will not be returned, and all reviews will be impartial. We look forward to seeing all the wonderful things that are out there in the world of dance and sharing them with our readers!
Melbourne Dancewear
If you live near the central east coast of Florida, be sure to check out Melbourne Dancewear. This store has been serving the dance community since 1983, and they have a good selection of dancewear, as well as a helpful staff. While you are in Melbourne, take some time to enjoy the downtown area–there are a nice selection of stores and restaurants. (Try Island Pasta Company or Meg O’Malleys for a nice lunch, and stop in Indian River Soap for a little aromatherapy.)
History Of Pointe Shoes
Have you ever wondered about the history of pointe shoes?
It is interesting to see how they evolved into what we use today. Modern pointe shoes are a very far cry from what they were many years ago. It’s fascinating to think about what they will be like in the future…
When I was actively dancing, I used lamb’s wool to wrap my toes when I first started out on pointe. I found it to be miserable–it shifted around like mad, and wadded up in all the wrong places inside my shoe. As soon as my feet toughened up I switched to paper towel. A rather unorthodox substance, but it worked well for me. Some dancers I know used nothing, or toe pads…
0All About Pointe Shoes
If you are looking to learn more about pointe shoes, take a look at Gaynor Minden. This site talks about everything from the anatomy of a pointe shoe to the history of pointe. They also have a comprehensive fitting guide–and I do mean comprehensive.
Take a look and enjoy. The site is very well done overall and their products are all very lovely.
Porselli Dancewear
This one is for all my readers in the UK. Porselli is a dancewear company that carries the good stuff. Here you’ll find names like Bloch, Capezio and Sansha, along with everything from accessories for Flamenco dance to tutus. If you haven’t already heard of them, take a peek.
