staceyobu Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 She will be in her second year of ballet. One hour class a week. Which ones should I get? I'm looking at discountdance if anyone wants to point me in the right direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Ask her instructor. My dd's said not to get htem at a discount store because the bottoms are slippery. So, we go to a local dance store and they're a little more expensive ($5 more or so), but not enough to break the bank! I like to go local because they can fit her perfectly without my having to guess. I'm sure other dance moms will have better ideas for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Discount Dance isn't like buying the ones at Payless or Target. They have all the usual brands like Capezio, Sasha, Leos and Bloch. Your teacher may have a preference for split sole or full sole, leather or canvas, and may have a brand preference. If not, certain brands may fit better based on the shape of her foot, which may require going to a store and trying them on at least at first, unless there are other girls at the dance studio that you can try their's out. Once you know what brand works and how they are sized (street size, slightly large, slightly small) it will be easier to order them in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 6 yr old's dance school prefers bloch split-sole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 If this is her first pair, I would go to a local shop and have her try them on. For a six-year-old, the style (split-sole vs single sole, brand name) doesn't matter too much -- you want to make sure she's in leather shoes (since they'll mold to her feet and grow with her a little more than canvas shoes would) and you want to make sure they fit. Ballet shoe sizes are wacky and you can't really guess which size to order if you don't already know which shoe fits your child well. So go pay the full amount at a local shop where she can try them on and you can make sure they're the right choice. When you get home, record the brand, style number, size, and width somewhere where you won't lose it. That way in 6 months when she needs new shoes, you can order the next size up from one of the discount online dance warehouses... (I often buy the next two sizes, so I have a back-up for when we need them...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I like to go local because they can fit her perfectly without my having to guess. ...certain brands may fit better based on the shape of her foot, which may require going to a store and trying them on at least at first... If this is her first pair, I would go to a local shop and have her try them on...When you get home, record the brand, style number, size, and width somewhere where you won't lose it. :iagree: Any of the brands like Capezio or Bloch will be better than anything at Payless or Target. I know she's only 6, and yes you could go cheap, but you really can dance better in good shoes. Buying local will save hassle in the long run. Also - get good tights, not cheap Target ones. We always buy a size larger than the packet says, as they last longer and fit better. If there is a recital, ask if you will need particular tights for it; for a once-a-week dancer your regular tights might suffice. (If not, the size larger rule works well, as the recital tights can be next year's class tights.) Leos in smaller sizes can often be found second-hand; check eBay or see if the studio has a hand-me-down box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbeygirlsouth Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Discount Dance isn't like buying the ones at Payless or Target. They have all the usual brands like Capezio, Sasha, Leos and Bloch. If this is her first pair, I would go to a local shop and have her try them on. For a six-year-old, the style (split-sole vs single sole, brand name) doesn't matter too much -- you want to make sure she's in leather shoes (since they'll mold to her feet and grow with her a little more than canvas shoes would) and you want to make sure they fit. When you get home, record the brand, style number, size, and width somewhere where you won't lose it. That way in 6 months when she needs new shoes, you can order the next size up from one of the discount online dance warehouses... (I often buy the next two sizes, so I have a back-up for when we need them...) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 DD's last several pairs have been Bloch, and we've been pleased with them. I agree with everyone else who said to go to a local store and try on the shoes. The owner of one of our local stores said that different brands fit differently. I think Capezios didn't fit her as well, but the Bloch did; her feet are a little on the wide side. As for tights, our studio requires new tights for the recital, and they provide a specific brand and type along with the recital costume. For classes, though, they just specify the color, and the rest is up to us. DD is hard on tights, even the expensive ones. She uses the previous year's recital tights for classes, until those are worn out, and then I buy the cheapest ones I can find, usually the $2 ones from WalMart. I figure if she's going to go through a couple of pairs a year, no matter what brand they are, I might as well not pay $9 a pair each time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarleneW Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Our studio requires specific shoes. You may want to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I require my students to buy specific shoes at each level and I sell them in the studio. Check before you go elsewhere. A lot of studios carry Revolution shoes (especially for little ones). They are priced like Payless with quality like the bigger brands. It is aggravating when people go buy whatever shoes they want without checking first. We have all the info on our website and people still come in with the awful Payless...or even worse...the Walmart shoes that are really house shoes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I agree with going to a local dance store. We have a couple dance stores in our town. One is a little fancier and sells everything for retail price. The other is in a building that is basically a warehouse, carries all the same stuff, but the prices are about 25% less. DD and DS both wear Bloch ballet shoes. When DD was down a couple sizes, she wore Capezios (the ones with flowers in the lining). DD has a very narrow foot and she has to have the A width, which I would not have known if I hadn't had her fitted. I really LOVE the Bloch Endura tights. DD had never worn out a pair. Now, DS, he has managed to make a few holes :glare: so I switched him to leggings. I was going to order several pair of tights and some leotards from Discount Dance but by the time I added shipping, my local store was almost as cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 6 yr old's dance school prefers bloch split-sole. For a 6 year old?! That doesn't seem right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 The best thing we ever did was go to the local store and have my daughter fitted for her first pair. We had a gal who knew what she was doing and we tried on several combinations of brand and size. After that we knew what brand and how the different brands fit and were sized and could buy online (almost always at Discount Dance). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 From 4-7 we did pay less shoes. Once her ballet class went past an hour we switched to getting fitted for 'real' shoes. The pay less shoes did not impede her 6-year-old dance progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 From 4-7 we did pay less shoes. Once her ballet class went past an hour we switched to getting fitted for 'real' shoes. The pay less shoes did not impede her 6-year-old dance progress. Thank you! We've done Payless shoes without incident. I don't really feel like it's a huge deal at this age and level. Call me cheap! Our studio also has a slipper bin full of hand me down shoes. We have traded up to the next size several times. It's really nice since they grow so fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I bought dd's at a dance store, and I believe they were the exact same price as the ones at Payless, but way better quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 My 9 yr old girl wears leather split-sole Fuzi. Once we found a brand that worked for her narrow foot, we've stuck with it. Sizing is European, so she's in a 34n right now. You've got to try them on though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 For a 6 year old?! That doesn't seem right. There is a debate amoung dance teachers about the split sole vs full sole for little ones. The argument is that the thin cardboard or leather sole helps strengthen their feet. I actually want my little ones in split sole shoes. I teach foot articulation starting with my babies. They can learn to properly roll through their feet, but not with the full soles. The full sole impedes movement (especially the payless shoes). Careful and proper articulation of the foot strengthens feet and ankles much better than a full sole shoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I was going to order several pair of tights and some leotards from Discount Dance but by the time I added shipping, my local store was almost as cheap. BTDT. I bought dd's at a dance store, and I believe they were the exact same price as the ones at Payless, but way better quality. Exactly. And might as well give them the equipment they need to do the moves properly. Like many sports or hobbies, non-ideal equipment may be frustrating, leading to giving up the sport/hobby. All that said, a little Payless doesn't really earn you a bad mom card. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 FWIW - the shoes on the Payless site are quite a bit more than I pay for Bloch shoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 My dd has taken ballet in AZ & CA at academies that are members of Regional Dance America (RDA) - one is a honor company. Both academies recommend Bloch Dansoft full sole for that age. It was not recommended for my dd to purchase split sole until this past year, her 6th year of ballet. Discount Dance sells the shoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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