Shoes for Zumba for people who have wide feet

We have a blog titled "What are the best shoes for Zumba fitness?" which we keep up to date because there are a lot of people who seek advice about shoes for Zumba, Jazzercise and all other dance fitness styles. And whilst this blog answers many questions that we are often asked about shoes for Zumba it does not provide advice for people with wide feet.

This is a tricky subject because dance sneakers are typically narrow fitting and "wide feet" is a subjective description that is not satisfactorily served by a generic dance sneaker sizing. However, through experience we can say that the best fitting dance sneakers for people with wide feet are the RV Impacts (above right) and the Bloch 538 Boost DRT dance sneaker (above left).

We understand that when you have wide feet finding shoes that fit is a pain but these two styles will give you a fighting chance of a good fit compared to other styles ...and don't forget our no hassle returns policy allows you to return shoes up to 21 days after purchase.

See you in Rio 2016

"Thanks for the inspiration Louis Smith. I'll take it from here!"

Motivated gymnasts buy from Dancemania Gymnastics!

Denise Van Outen Wears Bloch Slipstream Jazz Shoes on #SCD

As spotted on BBC Strictly Come Dancing!

Eagle eyed fans of Strictly Come Dancing may have noticed that during training Denise Van Outen has been practicing her ballroom routines wearing Super comfy Bloch Slipstream jazz shoes.

You too can try Bloch's Slipstream jazz shoe, just follow this link: Bloch Slipstream Jazz Shoe - Dancemania Dancewear

Wearing a proper dance skirt can make all the difference

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing will have seen the how Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendlton suffered dreadfully with nerves during her first dance and how she subsequently forgot her routine. In an effort to help her recover her confidence and to make her feel more like a dancer her professional dance partner Brendan Cole bought her a long swirl skirt.

The transformation was a joy to see, as Vistoria explained: "Brendan bought me a lovely dance skirt, and it definitely makes you want to spin around the dance floor and be a bit more elegant – I just want to swivel around in the skirt a lot."

Brendan added "Yes, I’m seeing a smile on the girl’s face, especially after the weekend I thought it might be hard to bounce back from but she’s come back firing, exactly what you’d expect from our Olympian."

The skirt that helped make this transformation posible is available from www.Dancemania.biz and is the Capezio Long Swirl Skirt - 7424.

It has a gorgeously flattering fit and is made of a so-soft microfiber which drapes beautifully to provide excellent leg coverage but has perfect movement when swirling. Fabric features DanceDry technology that wicks away any body moisture to keep you dry.  

Along with a great range of ladies ballroom shoes Dancemania has all that you need to feel fantastic on the dance floor.

Gaynor Minden make Green pointe shoes

Gaynor Minden pointe shoes are made in their factory in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Nothing spectacular about that expect the factory is solar powered. If you would like to know:

1. How much energy the factory extracts from their solar panels each year
2. Who discovered that you can convert sunlight into electricity
3. Which four facts link the Gaynor Minden factory in Lawrence to the Dancemania warehouse in Broadstone

...read our blog post Gaynor Minden pointe shoes are made using the power of the sun.

You don't leave a carbon footprint when you are in Gaynor Mindens!

Bella Ballroom Shoe - Dancemania Dancewear

Ideal for girls of all ages looking to start ballroom dancing is the Bella ballroom shoe from Roch Valley. This shoe comes in UK sizes from child's 11 to adult 8 and is a quality shoe at a very affordable price.

The shoe has X-Straps with quick release buckle, 1.2" Cuban heel, and Suede Sole. It is available in four traditional ballroom colours: Silver, Black, Flesh and Silver Hologram, which really catches the light and sparkles.

When not on the dance floor these shoes are equally at home out socialising or partying.

Go and take a look now>>

Mutual Admiration

Awwww! I'm feeling the love :)

Basic gymnastics leotards for girls

Basic gymnastics leotards for girls

...and adults too! During this economic period of austerity cash is King and no one wants to pay for something that is not value for money. So when looking for new gymnastics leotards it makes financial sense to buy only a basic gymnastics leotard whilst the intended wearer is going through a growing spurt or has yet to commit to years of gymnastics training.

On Dancemania's official blog we have reviewed the range of basic gymnastics leotards to highlight what is available in terms of style, fabric and colours. All the basic leos are the cheapest leotards around and are of exceptional quality and value so if you are looking for a cheap basic leotard for gymnastics then you should read it. More...

Z103 CADENCE Gymnastic sleeveless leotard - Dancemania Dancewear

The cheapest gymnastics leotard we have - The Z103 Cadence from The Zone

The Z103 Cadence is a Nylon/Lycra sleeveless, round neck gymnastics leotard made by The Zone. As with all leotards made by The Zone this leotard has been designed, sourced, made and tested in the UK. It is an excellent entry level leotard for gymnastics, which comes in a choice of 7 colours:

• Royal Blue
• Navy Blue
• Purple
• Kingfisher
• Raspberry
• Red
• Black

This leotard comes in sizes from age 3 up to adult and starts at only £13.95. Be sure to buy a matching scrunchie to complete the look!

Who is on Strictly Come Dancing this year – 2012?

It has become a mad-dash to be the first blog to post the celebrity contestants who will be competing in this years Strictly Come Dancing contest. This year we were able to post the official list of celebrities as they were announced, but the payoff was quantity and quality of content - but at least we included a photo and a (very) brief bio for each. Take a look at who is on Strictly Come Dancing this year.

Looking down the list I think Denise is certain to do well, especially since she is an old school performer with more than a little dance training - did you buy her dance fitness DVD?

One thing is for sure, we at Dancemania will be very busy with requests for our latin and ballroom shoes.

The DanceSocks - Dancemania Dancewear

Turn Sneakers into Dance Shoes™

We all know that sneakers and trainers are a nightmare in the dance fitness studio: you can't spin, and when you try to turn you stumble over, and worse still you risk popping a joint. The answer, of course, is to buy specialist dance sneakers from Dancemania. But not everyone is convinced dance sneakers will make a big difference to their situation, so don't want to pay out for something they are not sure about.

To these people I say: Try Dancesocks™. Pull the DanceSock over the front of your shoe. Cover more sole to increase glide. Cover less sole for additional grip. You will notice the difference straight away. Best thing is they are small and light and you can carry them around in your back pocket. Each pack comes with two pairs so lend a pair to a friend and have fun!

Available in Pink and Black. Suitable for men and women.

Order now from Dancemania and get free shipping!

New Leotards from The Zone - Dancemania Dancewear

It’s that time of year again! In anticipation of another fabulous season of gymnastics, manufacturer of high quality performance gymnastics leotards The Zone have released more super styles to enhance your performance.

There’s brilliant new styles in a collection of amazing new fabrics and colours for clubs, teams and individuals who want to look stunning and feel great in the ultimate performance leotard.

The new leotards are, as one would expect from this company, brilliant in style and colour. Points of interest in this collection:

1. The Price: These leotards are such excellent value for money, with the prices starting at only £24.95
2. The Fabrics: The Zone are expert in Velour and these leotards make ample use of velour, but there is much use of foil print, which has seen a step change in the colours, designs and features incorporated, e.g. holographic stars anyone? they have them!
3. The colours: The Zone have mixed some interesting colours together to make some very eye catching combinations, such as orange and pineapple, plum and lime - very tasty!
4. The sparkle: The Zone know just how much bling to add to get the right reaction. Some of these leotards have been dressed with crystals and jewels and the result is stunning. The long sleeved leotard called Eclipse for example has a fan pattern of crushed crystal and jewels on the torso and left arm, which is going to absolutely light-up under any gym lighting.

On the down side there are no new leotards for the boys this time but the next Zone catalogue is only 6 months away ;)

Born to Dance - Baby Dance Shoes

Following the sound of women going all gooey I discovered that the latest dance shoes from Pineapple had arrived at the Dancemania warehouse and with them the smallest dance shoes that I have ever seen! Perfectly formed mini dance shoes for new born babies, and larger sizes for babies up to 12 months old. To get a look at these baby dance shoes follow this link: Born to Dance

These baby shoes are beautifully packaged in a sturdy box (embosed all over with love hearts - a Pineapple staple) with a window on to the shoes and a pretty ribbon handle. I wouldn't be surpised if people who don't know any babies buy them for themselves as a collectors item, they are that cute.

There are two styles each of which come in three colours. The Twinkle is a glossy Mary Jane and would go with a smart outfit and there is Starz, a dance sneaker that would better suit a casual outfit. Either shoe makes it clear to all that see them that the wearer was most certainly BORN to DANCE!

Bloch's JFM Mesh Loop Leotard - Dancemania Dancewear

We've just had our enormous "back to school" order arrive at the warehouse from Bloch and in this order we have a NEW, never been seen before, creation: Bloch's JFM Mesh Loop Leotard in Black and Prune. Now Prune has never struck me as a colour to dress yourself in ...but, seeing this new leotard being modelled so beautifully in the picture above I must say I rather like Prune.

From the pictures you can get a sense of how the leotard must feel because it looks so good and in your hand the feeling does not disappoint. Made from Micro Jersey this leotard is more lively than standard cotton-Lycra and has a substantial butter texture - lovely!

Added to our Vocational leotards category this leotard is sure to be a favourite with career dancers looking to stand out from the rest in a leo that clearly states their confidence.

Special Offers - Dancemania Dancewear

Special Offers - Dancemania Summer Sale

Over the period of 12 months Dancemania introduces hundred's of new product lines to its website and as always we always stock sufficient quantities to make sure that we can fullfil customer orders. But as a product becomes discontinued we do end up with lots and lots of odd bits and pieces that are end of line. Right now we have dozens of crates in our warehouse full of end of line products that we would like to get rid of. Frankly we need the space to prepare for the arrival of next seasons back to school stock and of course the new lines from Milano, The Zone, Pineapple and others, so we have slashed the prices of end of line items to shift them!

Follow the link at the top of this post to our sales pages where you will find dancewear and gymnastics clothing on sale at up to 75% off the recommended retail prices. On these pages you will find cheap prices on specials, discontinued and end of line dancewear and gymnastics clothing and shoes with prices reduced by up to 75%.

All products on these pages are in stock at our warehouse and will be dispatched to you as soon as we process your order.

A Father's day gift from a dancer

Father's day in the UK and many other countries is on the 17th June this year, which means there are less than 4 weeks left to arrange a special gift for the Daddy in your life. If you are a dancer then a great gift ideal is this glass photo frame for Daddy's little dancer:

The frame holds pictures or photographs 15cm by 10cm and is made of glass, which is transparent. The glass is adorned with silver mirrored decoration that declares "Daddy's Little Dancer" and includes ballet shoes hung by their ribbons, stars and love hearts.

The frame is presently on special offer at £2 off the normal retail price and is available for next day delivery.

Accepting 2 awards for Dancemania at the Poole Retail awards 2012

Hopefully you have seen our blog post about the Top of The Shops Poole retail awards and through that discovered that Dancemania won the Best Customer Service award and the Social Media Star award. These are two mighty awards indeed and both recognise the hard work and dedication of the Dancemania staff to engage and serve our customers.

We are especially pleased to be awarded the Best Customer Service award as we prize nothing more than total customer satisfaction, which reflects the effort and determination we at Dancemania put in to serving our customers.

The social media star award is tremendous: everyone here at Dancemania puts in the extra time to keep existing and future customers informed and abreast of the latest news and views within our market sector. We particularly enjoy getting our hands on new, yet to be released products before anyone else and being able to publish reviews long before the product reaches the shelves. It allows people to form an opinion of the product and to give sufficient notice of their availability.

Here Margaret and I are being awarded the Best Customer Service:

...and here we are being awarded with the Social Media Star:

The awards were sponsored by Breeze VW and Sibbert-Gregory and organised by the Economic Development team of the Borough of Poole and they did a fabulous job too! The Quay Thistle Hotel played host for the evening and Steve Power of Wave 105 made should things went along smoothly.

Shoes for Belly Dancing

We had a belly dancer walk into our store this week to ask for shoes for belly dancing. Not too sure what she meant, it turned out that she was talking about Bloch's Elastosplit X. Apparently everyone at her belly dancing classes was wearing them because the flesh coloured shoes were less conspicuous than any other shoe that is light and as flexible; the flexibility being brought about by the minimalistic nature of the design with all unnecessary materials being removed  so the dancer’s arch becomes more visible.

So there we have it, for belly dancing get a pair of Bloch's Elastosplit X ballet shoes.

Find where to buy Gaynor Mindens within the UK and Europe

Gaynor Minden's are great pointe shoes, perhaps an evolutionary step up from other types currently available, and they are certainly worth the investment if you can can afford a pair. I've no doubt that in the long run if you do buy a pair you will soon realise that you are saving money - at a time when a normal pair of pointes would be broken and need replacing your Gaynor Mindens will still be a fresh and strong as the day you first tried them on.

Since Gaynor Mindens are still a bit of a novelty within the UK they are only available within major cities or at premium dance shops. Therefore it can be a little tricky find a stockist. To help you find where you can buy Gaynor Mindens Dancemania has created a blog post - "Where can I buy Gaynor Minden pointe shoes in the UK?".

Only 259 shopping days to Christmas 2012

A look at Dancemania's opening times will show you that now Easter Sunday is over Dancemania doesn't close again until Christmas day 2012. That's right, Dancemania is open 7 days a week all the way up to Christmas. That is because at Dancemania we recognise modern society expects a quick response to their demands, and quite rightly so. In an age that has seen the rise of the internet customers should no longer accept anything other than swift deliveries of their purchases and we accept this challenge wholeheartedly. That is why our website www.Dancemania.biz is monitored 24/7 and you can speak to a real person on our orderline +44 (0)1202 604968 each and every day.

Happy shopping!

Zooma: Clothing inspired by Zumba classes at pineapple

Zooma: Clothing inspired by Zumba classes at pineapple

As well as teaching dance in their Dance Studios Pineapple makes very eye catching dancewear, usually in avant garde colours but always with massive pineapple logos and print designs. Since the targeted customer is very young the designs have appeal but there is a new market shaper on the block in the form of the rapidly growing number of Zumba exponents.

Typically those that do Zumba or similar dance fitness are a little bit older than Pineapple's usual patrons, are equally are more mature in their fashion tastes so are less likely to want to wear brightly coloured clothing emblazoned with large logos & motifs. Pineapple has realised this and has launched a new line in dance fitness clothing called Zooma.

Zooma benefits from the years of experience Pineapple has with making performance dance clothing with a great choice of colours and fabrics, but they differ in that they appeal far more to the maturer person seeking an ideal outfit for Zumba dance fitness. Gone are the billboard sized logos and motifs and in is a small understated embroidered label identifying the garment's pedigree.

The Zooma items are light, bright and fun to wear and will soon be the clothing of choice in Zumba classes throughout the land. GET YOURS NOW!
.

How to look & feel great for dance fitness

How to look & feel great for dance fitness

Many women have chosen taking up dancing or dance fitness as their New Year resolution this month and I think that is an excellent choice. The benefits of dance based exercise are well known but some women may not be looking forward to squeezing their bodies in to tight Lycra. The most important point to raise here is that your body shape should not dictate your activities but we acknowledge that many look for help in smoothing down bumpy bits and reining in wobbly bits.

Capezio have come to the rescue with their shape control underwear for dancers. There are 5 garments in the range, all are nude and come in sizes small to large.

High Waist Shape Control Briefs

Great for squeezing in those muffin tops and giving your bum a lift. Transition straps hold them high under your boobs and stops them from rolling down.

High Waist Shape Control Legging

Just like the high waist control briefs but giving total control of your thighs. If you feel your thighs are a little out of control then these are for you.

Shape Control Shorts

Being shorts they don't give an unflattering pantyline under tight fitting pants. These are great if you want localised support around your bum and hips.

Shape Control Bra Top

This bra top holds things close and gives them support. There are no clasps or hooks to bother with so a tight top won't be spoiled with lumpy bits showing through.

Shape Control Camisole Top

For lighter control focused only on your waist. Good support to your boobs is paired with controlling panels for your waist.

These garments not only support and control but compress your body. This can feel awkward until you get used to it but compression has been shown to aid in exercise and recovery, for one thing your muscles shouldn't feel so tired after exercise.

Bloch's Dance Fitness Sneakers

New Zumba fitness shoes arriving in 2012

Everyone agrees that Dance sneakers are better for you than sports trainers during dance fitness, including Zumba. But dance sneakers were made for dance studios and stages where the level of grip is known to the designers of the shoe. But of course dance sneakers are now being worn outside of dance studios and off stage in leisure centres, church halls and even carpetted front rooms. The problem is now that the soles of the dance sneakers are trying to get the right amount of grip on surfaces that they were never designed for.

Bloch have now designed an innovative modular sole that should better handle the complete range of dance surfaces the wearer will find themselves on.

Read about the new, innovative sole design on our blog post New Zumba fitness shoes arriving in 2012.

Also, watch out for the designs that will incorporate this new type of sole: Lightening S0924, Apex S0920, Traverse S0922, Apex Mid S0921 and the Traverse Mid S0923. All exciting sneakers in attractive and vibrant colours.