“You better kiss that card,
it’s about to get hurt.”
We get a lot of different reactions when it’s time to ring
up. It’s pretty common for dancers and their families to find themselves
spending $100 or more when they shop at Footlights. Some parents sigh. There’s
always the “You owe me.” Some parents even request not to hear the transaction
totals. My personal favorite is always the volunteered “Thank you” from those
of you who truly appreciate the sacrifice your parents are making.
Let’s face it: dance is an expensive hobby.
So what can you do about that? Well, as much as Ms. Joy
appreciates your business, I’ve compiled a list of some things you can do to
help you stretch your supplies and allow your wallets to recover a little
between trips to the store.
Buy in bulk.
Did you know that Ms. Joy gives a 20% discount on pointe
shoes when you buy 5 pairs? That’s equivalent to getting one of those pairs for
free. Ok, for younger dancers, that’s a hard commitment to make. Your foot is
still growing, your foot is still developing and getting stronger, and you
probably haven’t found the pointe
shoe, yet. It is still a good idea to buy at least two pairs.
Pointe shoes, if you didn’t know, are pretty much papier-mâché,
except with fabric—layers of fabric and glue, susceptible to deterioration. A
pointe shoe’s worst enemy is moisture. Sweat. We’ve gotten a whiff of some of
your worn pointe shoes. Yes, pretty, graceful prima ballerinas can sweat like
pigs. By purchasing additional pairs of pointe shoes, you can alternate pairs,
allowing them to dry out more completely, and they break down less quickly.
Also, if you don’t already, grab a mesh bag to store your
shoes in and always, always, always
remove your toe pads.
Another reminder that was mentioned last month, we do group
orders, at a 20% discount (25% if the order is over $1,000). If your studio
doesn’t already take advantage of this option, ask them to. In addition to the savings, it ensures that
you are getting the brand and style shoe and apparel that your studio prefers.
If the studio isn’t interested, round up some of the other families to see if
you can collaborate together. Call the store for details and requirements for
group orders. Group orders are not limited to pointe shoes, but the 5 pair
discount is.
Get the right,
customized fit.
First time pointe dancers usually find themselves growing
out of their shoes before the shoes die. Parents are aghast when the next year
their daughters start announcing the need for new shoes in a few months, rather
than six months, especially when their foot isn’t growing as fast. We’ve all
had to navigate the phone calls from perturbed parents who believe the shoe is
defective for breaking down so quickly. The explanation is simple: your
daughter’s foot has gotten stronger.
Pointe shoes are designed to last about 12–15 dance hours.
If you dance one hour a week en pointe, you can expect, well hope, for them to
last about 3–4 months. But for some dancers (like Ms. Heather and her banana
foot), they last for a month, a week, a class.
Choosing which shoe is the best fit will depend on toe
length, foot shape, arch, depth, strength, and even how a dancer works the shoe
or the type of movements being performed, and more. And sometimes we’ll
consider comfort, too. Lol.
It does not depend
on brand or price!
Sure it’s preferable to only have to pay the $66 on a Bloch
brand pointe shoe, over Suffolk Pointe’s $95. But if on your foot, a European
Balance breaks in half the time of a Prequel, that’s $37 extra you’ve just
spent.
It’s nice to want to support the sponsor company of your
summer intensive, it’s cool to have the newest styles, and of course, we want
what she has! You just can’t think that way, though. The wrong shoes will hurt,
die, and could cause long-term problems to your feet.
You can also customize your fit with the placement of
ribbons and elastic, what kind of padding you use, or manipulating the shoes. While
offer sewing, tacking, and deshanking services at Footlights, it is always
cheaper to purchase sewing kits and perform these tasks yourself. Before doing
anything permanent to your shoes, seek the advice and instruction of an
industry professional. Ask our fitters about what options you have for
extending the life of your shoes.
Trust us.
We really cannot reiterate this enough. We’ve met many a
pointe dancer who will fight us on the fit, only to complain later. Just
because a shoe worked before doesn’t mean it still does. Even if we put it on
and it still looks good, it’s recommended to try on several pairs. Your feet
change. We hate being told we’re bad fitters because a dancer didn’t take our
advice. Or funnier, because we didn’t, shall we say, coerce them into taking
it.
One common reason for the differing opinions is: you have
been dancing in a broken in shoe. The one you’re buying isn’t.
It is also disheartening to have parents announce that one
of our fitters is incompetent because this time we recommended this shoe and
last time we went with that one. Finding the right pointe shoe is trial and
error because you never know how a shoe will break in. You can expect to
collect several pairs of shoes worn hardly at all in the process. You can also
expect to switch shoes regularly.
Trusting us doesn’t stop with pointe shoes. Ballroom dancing
is gaining popularity, and unfortunately the shoes just look so much like
regular dress shoes that dancers expect them to fit the same. Suzanne, our
resident Ballroom guru, constantly refers to Kristie Alley’s fall on DWTS as a
perfect example of what can happen when your shoes don’t fit.
Parents, we know you want room to grow in your little one’s
shoes and apparel. We consider this in recommending a fit. Something else we
consider is the movements your dancer is making, and how the fit will change
with foot positioning.
We’re very familiar with the merchandise, even more than the
manufacturers might be. Forget the sizing charts on the back of a tights
package. At 35 lbs. move your child into the 8–12 sized tights, and at 90 lbs.,
your child is ready for Adult tights.
Replace and reuse the
parts.
Tap, Ballroom, and even some Character Shoes can cost as
much as some pointe shoes. Luckily, those shoes can last a lot longer, and the
parts that do wear can be replaced. We sell taps and suede to replace, or
alter, the soles of your shoes. We do not actually perform the switch; we’re
not trained nor equipped to do that, but any cobbler can fix up your shoes. We
have one in Frederick whom we refer our customers to, but any local cobbler
should be qualified.
Oddly enough, with pointe shoes, I’m suggesting you do that
opposite. Reuse those few detachable items: ribbons, elastics, and padding. If
they’re still in good quality, why throw them away? Cut the ribbons and
elastics off the old pair and sew them on the new pair. Toe pads can be washed,
so if the problem is merely that they are a little funky, hand wash and air
dry.
Guard your things.
I hate to say it, but some of the smoothest sales are for
those who have lost a shoe. We know the brand, the style, the size; we just
need another one. Piece of cake. But we really do dislike that that is what
brought you into the store that day. There’s no graceful way to say it…it sucks
to lose your things. (Or worse have it stolen.) That is why, for even your
littlest dancer, get a dance bag big enough to hold everything. Everything has
a place, everything is hidden from greedy frenemies; everything is there. When
things get left out to the side, they are easily left behind, eaten by the
clutter of everybody’s things, can be misidentified as someone else’s, or even
become damaged.
Garment bags for costumes are also a good idea.
“Like” us.
Stay in the know about our sales. We wish we could give
everyone discounts all of the time, but then it wouldn’t be a discount. We do
offer many other ways to save money. Some weeks we run daily specials and we do
have annual sales. By signing up for our emails, “liking” us on Facebook, and
following us on Twitter, you’ll know exactly when those sales and promotions
occur. Often, I’ll find out the same day as you, so calling the store isn’t
really going to yield results.
Last summer, we instituted our Footlights Incentive Points
Program, of FIPP. Pre-tax totals on transactions during a three-month interval
are converted into points. During the fourth month, a coupon is emailed out
based on how many points have been accrued. It’s a way for us to rewards our
best costumers for their loyal patronage, and to say thank you to those of you
who don’t shop as regularly. We are in the midst of an accrual period, so sign up
online or in-store today to earn your FIPP points.
We’ve started offering Facebook specific, limited offers,
too, so make sure you find on there to take advantage of all of your saving
opportunities.
There you have it, six great ways to save on your sales,
brought to you Off the Sales Rack.
