In a glittering event at Poole Quay Thistle Hotel celebrating all that is best in retail Dancemania was singled out by the judges for our outstanding customer service. On presenting the awards the judging panel stated that “no matter how busy they are with other customers you are made to feel welcome and you always receive individual expert service” and “an established business that shows how it should be done”. Great customer service is at the heart of everything we do at Dancemania so it is rewarding to have an independent panel recognise our skills.

Best Customer Service Award

“We are so thrilled to have won the Top of The Shop awards for Best Customer Service and Best Social Media” said Margaret McKeever, Dancemania Commercial Director, “it is wonderful to have recognition of our core principle which is to treat customers how we would wish to be treated: with courtesy, with respect and with no pressure. We have such fantastic feedback from our customers who tell us how happy they are with the service they receive and to win these gorgeous (and heavy!) awards is the icing on the cake.”

Social Media Star Award

Commenting on being judged winner of the Social Media Star Dancemania’s Managing Director, David McKeever said “Social Media is such an important part of our business, it is an excellent way of getting information directly to our customers and, in turn, they communicate directly with us. We always value the comments and feedback we get from our customers. Our blog posts in particular are always very popular where we share our expert knowledge, break the latest news such as the British Olympic kit launch and even have sneak peeks of products still in development. We are so grateful to the judges for awarding Dancemania the winner in the Social Media category.”

Sponsored by Sibbett Gregory, Breeze Volkswagen and the Borough of Poole’s Economic Development team, this Oscars night of the retail world was wonderfully hosted by the master of the microphone Mr Steve Power of Wave 105.

Everyone here at Dancemania is thrilled and extremely flattered to have their efforts recognised in this way, but we don’t plan on resting on our laurels anytime soon. We have plenty of opportunities to explore and ideas to implement, which will help us raise our game and keep our customers wanting to come back.

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But, as you would expect from this innovative company renowned for its quality products, this is no ordinary clothing line. There is something very special about the fabric that is used in these luscious garments. It is actually made from bamboo!  (Well, technically it is 50% Rayon from Bamboo, 47% Nylon and 3% Spandex to be precise but we will just call it Bamboo Clothing for short!)

Bamboo clothing is wonderful! It is incredibly soft and stretchy, has excellent wicking and thermal properties, it can be machine washed and still keep its shape AND it is environmentally friendly. It is the new wonder fabric!

Besides the fact that this new crop top, shorts and leggings look gorgeous and come in 3 fabulous colours there are plenty of other reasons why you really should be wearing Bamboo Clothing.

Reasons to Wear Bamboo Clothes

1. They are so soft!  The fabric feels luxuriously silky yet it is robust enough to stand up to the demands of the activities of the gym and the dance studio
2. They are so comfortable. The soft ribbing of the clothes is very flattering to all figures
3. They keep their shape. The clothes are all very stretchy but they will keep their shape after repeated wear and wash and will not get baggy or lose their elasticity
4. They keep you dry.  Fabric made from bamboo has incredible wicking properties: any perspiration is pulled away from your body by the fabric to evaporate away – much more effective than cotton or traditional rayon
5. They keep you warm (or cool).  The fabric is great at maintaining body temperature, keeping you warm when your are cold but being breathable to allow you to cool down when you’re working hard
6. They are machine washable.  Even though the clothing feels silky they are machine washable and will retain their shape well
7. Bamboo is hypoallergenic
8. Bamboo is antibacterial and antifungal
9. Bamboo is a sustainable resource with an environmentally friendly growing and harvesting cycle
10. Bamboo is grown without pesticides, insecticides, fertilisers or chemicals and requires only natural rainfall not mass irrigation

What is Bamboo?

Bamboo is actually a grass – just the same as your garden. But just imagine if your garden lawn grew at a rate of up to 1 metre (39in) per day reaching a potential height of 30 metres (98ft)!!

There are many different varieties of bamboo and it grows naturally in many different parts of the world, though it is mostly prevalent in Asia. It is one of the most abundant plants in the world.

Bamboo is an incredibly versatile resource: it is used to make furniture, chopsticks,  paper, as a building material and for scaffolding. It is also edible, and not just by pandas, but don’t worry as there is more than enough bamboo to ensure no panda will go hungry!

Last, but not least bamboo can be used to make fabric. Technically the fabric is called “Rayon from Bamboo”, not to be confused with traditional Rayon which is a semi-synthetic fabric made from wood.

The Last Word

To paraphrase a rather popular commercial….

This is no ordinary clothing line; this is a super soft, super wicking, eco friendly, thermal regulating, panda friendly, super comfy clothing line!

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10 Ecological Reasons For Using Bamboo Fabric

1. Replenishment – Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world, some species can grow over a metre per day!
2. Sustainable – Bamboo is a grass so harvesting is just like mowing the lawn, albeit a very tall lawn! The roots are not disturbed, only the top (cane) of the plant is removed and the plant immediately starts to grow new shoots – this is actually beneficial to the health of the plant.
3. Land Use – Bamboo is a very hardy plant that can grow in small, hilly areas that are unsuitable for most other plants. The plants also grow very closely together maximising the usable area which could otherwise be left bare and could lead to soil erosion.
4. Water Use – Bamboo mostly does not require any watering; it only requires the natural rainfall and can survive periods of drought, flooding and other extreme weather conditions with no damage. Compare this with cotton which is the most irrigated crop worldwide and needs a staggering 20,000 litres of water to produce just 1kg of cotton!
5. Soil Erosion – Because Bamboo is a grass and only the top part of the plant is harvested, the roots remain in place meaning the soil remains in place – just like your lawn at home. The extensive roots of the bamboo knit the soil together preventing erosion and reducing rain run-off. This prevents loss of the precious soil and reduces the risk of landslides.
6. Deforestation – Bamboo crop can be regularly harvested and the plantation will remain intact, new shoots begin re-growing immediately. Compare this with timber or cotton where the entire plantation is removed down to bare soil during the harvesting. This also means, that unlike timber or cotton there is no re-planting required.
7. Pesticides – Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and antifungal which means that growing it requires absolutely NO PESTICIDES.
8. Fertilisers – Due to the phenomenal growth rate of bamboo no fertilisers are required.
9. Carbon Dioxide – Bamboo absorbs CO2 and generates oxygen. In fact, bamboo generates up to 35% more oxygen than the equivalent area of trees. As bamboo matures faster than trees it also absorbs up to 4 times more CO2.
10. Versus Cotton – Approximately 3% of the farmable land worldwide is planted with cotton but cotton farming accounts for the use of 11% of the global pesticides and a staggering 24% of the world’s insecticides sales.

And don’t worry about the Pandas! The bamboo that is used for textiles is different to the species favoured as food.

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So, with great thanks to Ingrid and the girls of Skellefteå KF – Konståkning, here are their photos (Click to enlarge):

Shimmer Shorts

These metallic shimmer Lycra shorts are available in a range of metallic colours, and sizes ranging from child size age 5 up to Adult large. All are available to order online, just click on the image:

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Last week prototypes of the entire range arrived at Dancemania and we gave them a good looking over.

The Dance Fitness Sneaker range

The same mould for the sole is used across the range of 5 styles, so the difference between the styles is not what’s beneath your feet but what is wrapped around them. Essentially there are 3 distinct designs: Lightening S0924, Apex S0920 and Traverse S0922, all of which are low sided sneakers that are common place in many classes. However, the Apex and Traverse designs also come as a hi-top, or mid side boot: Apex Mid S0921 and Traverse Mid S09232.

Here is a reminder of what the shoes in their various styles will actually look like:

Bloch Lightening S0924

Bloch Apex S0920

Bloch Traverse S0922

Bloch Apex Mid S0921

Bloch Traverse Mid S0923

First impressions

These sneakers look and feel fabulous! As you would expect from Bloch the sneakers are well made and well thought-out. The colour combinations used are a delight for the eyes and there is something for everyone. The biggest disappointment is that while some of the styles are ideal for men, the first production runs will only produce shoe sizes up to 7(UK), which is going to disappoint a great many women too. However, I’ve no doubt that once these beauties become popular moulds for larger sizes will soon follow.

- the layered, composite sole

The promise of this shoe is that its lightweight multi-layered sole will provide bounce and shock absorption for jumps, and that a combination of high-tech materials will offer optimum support and flexibility in a full sole sneaker. Well that is certainly achieved, the shoe fits well and of course is very comfortable, but the strangest of things is that you control how much grip the shoe has with the floor by putting pressure on differing parts of the sole.

The diagram above shows an exploded view of the sole’s composition:

1 is the base layer to the sole and provides much of the cushioning;
2 adds to the cushioning and provides grip for the heel, ball and toes giving balance and control.
3 provides grip on the edge of the foot, offering stability in neutral positions as well as during quick foot movements. This layer also provides braking when in a slide.
4 is the spin spot, which is made of a high density material that looks like glass but is some sort of plastic. It is very shiny and proved very slippy too.

Our guinea-pig was the lucky Zoe; she tried our prototypes out on various surfaces. She found them to be comfortable yet thought the soles took a bit of getting used to, particularly the spin-spot. Whilst actually performing spins Zoe found she could control them by going on demi-pointe and using layer number 2 in the toe to increase the braking as required but she found being on the ball of her feet a challenge because the spin spot was just too slippy. No doubt once you get used to them the slippiness will be mastered, but by making the spin-spot so slippy so that rotating in these shoes places no undue stress on your joints Bloch have made them rather skittish.

So, these shoes are like an F1 race car in that they are both light, quick and responsive but also like an F1 race car at the feet of a novice these shoes could easily see you crash into an undignified heap.

The final production sneakers

Bloch have already received our feedback and their own conclusion is that the prototype spin spot was just too slippy, so look forward to the production sneakers being more controllable than these prototypes.

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How are Gaynor Mindens different?

The inside of an old-fashioned pointe shoe is typically made from cardboard, burlap, canvas, leather and glue. That’s why it breaks in and wears out the way it does. The inside of a Gaynor Minden is made from a special elastomer; the sound-and-impact-absorbing linings are made from high-tech Poron® urethane foam. These materials do not break in, stretch, or break down. Therefore, the fitting is more precise, the wear is better and the care and handling is different.

Gaynor Mindens do not stretch

Be sure your shoes are not too tight. Unlike conventional shoes Gaynor Mindens will not stretch significantly, so it is very important you get the correct length. A ¼ inch pinch at the top of the heel when on pointe is correct.

Gaynor Mindens do not soften

Be sure your Gaynor Mindens are not too stiff. Unlike conventional shoes they will not soften. You should be delighted with the flexibility, the demi-pointe, and the roll-through when the shoes are brand new because they will not change. Do not soak them in water, alcohol or other liquid. Do not hammer, bash or “crack” them. Old-fashioned methods of softening shoes do not work on Gaynor Mindens and will only mar their appearance.

Any shoe that is too stiff can do the work that your own muscles should be doing. But whereas conventional shoes soften with use, Gaynor Mindens retain their initial stiffness. Most dancers are best served by our Supple and ExtraFlex shanks. Very few dancers really need our Hard shank.

The Toe Box

Like the shank the box will not soften or deform. You need not reinforce it with hardeners, they will not extend the life of the shoe and could damage the soft cushions inside. Do not use floor wax or any other hardener, and never heat these shoes in an oven.

The Platform

The Platform is pre-stitched and requires no darning or cutting. Never remove the satin from the tip, this will ruin the platform. Your platforms will last longer if you minimise your use of rosin. For even greater durability pre-sewn suede platforms (toe caps) have been fitted.

Be comfortable

Be sure to fit your Gaynor Mindens with whatever cushioning you intent to wear, but there is no need for bulky toe pads or lambs wool. Your shoes will fit precisely with the Dynamic Box Liners™ and Micropads™ from Gaynor Minden’s Totally Toes™ fitting kit. We also recommend Toe Wraps™ elastic foam tape instead of ordinary toe tape.

To hold shoes securely on the feet use Heel Grippers. All of the above as well as English ribbon, 1” elastic, invisible elastic, vamp elastic and toe stabilizers are available from us.

There is a Gaynor Minden for your feet

A Gaynor Minden can be any one of 2953 different pointe shoes. You can select not just length and width. You have several stiffness choices (all colour coded), 3 box choices, 2 vamp choices and 3 heel choices, including the Sleekfit for dancers with narrow heels. All are available without a special order.

Gaynor Minden bag colours explained

The Gaynor Minden shank comes in 5 levels of stiffness: Hard, Extraflex, Supple, Featherflex and Pianissimo. You can tell at a glance what stiff a pair of Gaynor Mindens are by the colour of the drawstring bag they are in:

• Hard shank comes in a Green bag and is comparable to brand new pointe shoes
• Extraflex shank comes in a Yellow bag and is comparable to slightly worn pointe shoes
• Supple shank comes in a Rose bag and is comparable to broken in pointe shoes
• Featherflex shank comes in a Turquoise bag and is comparable to pointe shoes taht are wearing out
• Pianissimo shank comes in a Lavender bag and is comparable to pointe shoes that are worn out

Useful Pointe Shoe links:

Buy Gaynor Minden pointe shoes online
Where can I buy Gaynor Minden pointe shoes in the UK?
How to fit Gaynor Minden toe stabilizers
How to make your pointe shoes a perfect fit
How to fit vamp elastic to your pointe shoes
Pointe shoe information and aftercare

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Here are some common problems with solutions provided by the Totally Toes Fitting Kit.

What to do if there is too much pressure on your big toe or big toe nail

First check the fit of your shoe. Be sure you can pinch ¼ inch at the top of the heel en pointe. If you cannot then the shoe is too short. If the shoe is not too short then try one of the following solutions:

Use a Dynamic Box Liner

If the shoe is not too short then your foot is sliding too easily into the box. This can put pressure on the toes both en pointe and standing flat. Perfect the fit by inserting a Dynamic Box Liner. These may be worn with or without other cushions.

Use a Cool Blue Oval

You can also cushion your big toe by placing the Cool Blue Oval on the interior surface of the platform. Place it in the center. Or to protect the sensitive outer corner of your big toe place it slightly off-centre.

Use a Mushroom Micro-Pad

To protect the top of your big toenail position the cushion on the interior surface of the platform so that it curves up and around the top of your toe. Cool Blue Ovals and Mushrooms may be used together or separately.

What to do if your second toe is longer than your big toe

If this is you then you have found that en pointe all your weight is being supported by your second toe, not your big toe, and that is painful. So try one of these solutions:

Cool Blue Crescent

Place the Cool Blur Crescent in the box so it lies along the crease at the point where the inside meets the top of the box.

Cool Blue Oval Modified

If your second toe is significantly longer than your big toe use the Cool Blue Oval to extend the length of your big toe and take the pressure off your second toe. Cut the Cool Blue Oval in half to create tow pieces. Stack one on top of the other, sticky side against fuzzy side, so you have one piece about ¾” x ¾” x ¼”. Place the combined cushions directly on the tip of your big toe, with the adhesive next to your skin. Tape in place with Gaynor Minden Toe Wrap micro-foam tape or sports tape.

How to make your pointe shoes look neater

If the shoe does not look sleek and snug then you can enhance the fit with a Dynamic Box Liner. Dancers with very narrow or compressible feet might need two.

What to do if you have a blister

If you have a sore or a blister, modify the Cool Blue Oval or Mushroom and turn it into a “doughnut”. Cut a hole in the centre of the cushion just a little bigger than the sore spot. Tape the cushion in place so that it surrounds and protects the tender area.

How to keep pointe shoes on the heel of your foot

To keep the heel of the pointe shoe on the heel of your foot then try Gaynor Minden’s Heel Grippers. If a whole heel gripper makes the shoe too tight then cut it in half and place the halves on either side of the heel tape inside the shoe, away from your Achilles’ tendon.

If you suffer with misaligned toes, or there are big gaps between your toes leading to toes being forced to one side then take a look at “How to fit Gaynor Minden toe stabilizers“.

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There are two ways of fitting the Vamp Elastic to the throat of your pointe shoes, the Standard Way and Shirley Hancock’s Way. Either way you need to cut the Vamp Elastic into four equal pieces, each approximately 3½ inches long. You will then have enough elastic for two pairs of shoes done the Standard Way and one pair Shirley Hancock’s Way.

When fitting the elastic the result should be snug but not constricting.

Standard Way

With the Standard Way the Vamp Elastic stretches side-to-side across the top of the foot.

Insert Vamp Elastic down into the throat of the shoe, past the drawstring casing, orientated so it stretches side-to-side, not toe-to-heel. Determine how much of your foot should be covered and supported by the elastic. Most dancers like about 1½ inches of elastic measured up from the centre of the throat. Measure how much elastic you will need for a snug fit and then trim excess. Stitch the elastic in place either just below the drawstring casing or to the casing itself. Be careful not to stitch through the drawstring.

Shirley Hancock's Way

This way is named after Shirley Hancock, a former physiotherapist to the English National Ballet, who suggests overlapping two pieces of elastic so that they form a 90 degree angle or V shape.

Pin or make one small stitch to hold the two pieces of elastic together temporarily. Insert elastics down into the throat of the shoe, past the drawstring casing, orientated so they form the V shape, which points down toward the toes. Determine how much of your foot should be covered and supported by the elastics. Most dancers like about 1½ inches of elastic measured up from the centre of the throat then extending back toward the sides. Measure how much elastic you will need for a snug fit and then trim excess. Stitch the elastic in place either just below the drawstring casing or to the casing itself. Be careful not to stitch through the drawstring.

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You will need to adjust the length and the thickness of the Toe Stabilizer to fit your own unique foot.

Be certain that Toe Stabilizers are not too thick and that your big toe is properly aligned, not forced outward. If pain or irritation occur then discontinue use.

Gaynor Minden recommends that you consult a doctor knowledgeable about ballet before using this or any other pointe shoe accessory.

Step 1

Two of the Toe Stabilizer pieces have white material on both sides. They are your Base Pieces, one for each foot. The others have peel and stick backing.

Place one of the Base Pieces between your big toe and your second toe with the longest side on top. The curved edge anchors the Toe Stabilizer to your foot; it should press firmly into the space between your toes.

Step 2

Toe Stabilizers should help align the big toe joint with the bunion joint. If the Toe Stabilizer is too narrow then make it thicker by adding another layer. Always test the fit with an additional layer before removing its backing. If you are sure you need another layer then remove the backing and affix it to the Base Piece in the same orientation as the Base Piece. Check the fit; add other layers as needed.

Step 3

Toe Stabilizers should be the same length as your longest toe. Use scissors to trim as needed. If your big toe is longest then trim the Toe Stabilizer to equal its length; if your second toe is longest then trim to equal that length. Be sure your second toe is completely straight when sizing the Toe Stabilizer.

Step 4

You may wish to tape the Toe Stabilizer in place. We suggest using Gaynor Minden Toe Wrap Tape. First tape the Toe Stabilizer to your second toe, be sure to press its knuckle down so the toe remains straight while taping.

Step 5

Once you have taped the second and third toes to the Toe Stabilizer tape them to the big toe to make one stable unit.

Remember that Toe Stabilizers should always be comfortable. If yours are then you’re done!

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Hug and Swoon

One exercise involves hugging a doorway but it doesn’t really cuddle back! One of the most involved exercises is to act like a female character in a clichéd 19th Century drama and putting my hand to my brow whilst swooning! A great chance to put some emotion into it!

Use the Force

But my favourite set of exercises are the resistance ones (which, in this case is not futile!). For these I required something for my bad arm to hold onto whilst my good arm applies pressure. I looked around for a suitable length of stick – wooden spoon is too short; broom is too long (and too bristly!). Then my search yielded the perfect tool for the task – my trusty old twirling baton!!! It is the perfect length to fit between my arms, weighted on one side to provide extra leverage and it is lightweight so won’t add an extra burden to my stretches.

Now why I still have my twirling baton is beyond me! I haven’t used it for performing for many more years than I care to remember but, like most people, I hold a great sentiment for the times when I did dance regularly and to get rid of my baton is too much of an emotional tear. Luckily it has turned out to be the perfect tool for this job but it got me thinking about other ways of using my twirling baton – yes, I do have a lot of time to let my mind wander to such things whilst performing the many exercises!

10 Uses for a Twirling Baton

So here are my top 10 things to do with a twirling baton:

1. Changing channels on a very, very, very old TV!
2. Become the Christmas Fairy with a magical wand!
3. Clearing cobwebs out of dusty corners.
4. Sticking it down a jumper sleeve to pretend to have a tiny arm to entertain small children
5. Providing resistance for shoulder exercises!
6. Try out your Harry Potter spells, all together now – “Expelliarmus!”
7. Pretend to be a helicopter with only a single rotor
8. A crutch for an Ewok!
9. Scratching an itch halfway down your back – oh soooooooo useful!
10. Twirl it!

Anybody have anything they want to add to the list?

In the meantime be sure to get the right baton for you by reading our advice “How to measure for a twirling baton”.

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