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DANCE All for the love of dance

DANCE

ALL FOR THE LOVE OF DANCE

By Rossella Arena

Dance is a much-loved sport and a constant source of inspiration for people of all ages. Let’s discover the latest products dedicated to dancers and dance fans.

Dance has always been one of the most loved and practiced sports activities. It is also an art form, capable of inspiring discipline, elegance, freedom and fun in those who practice it. Here are some companies and products dedicated to people who are inspired by or engaged with dancing.

Non posso, ho danza (I can’t, I have

dance) is a clothing and accessories brand that caters to professional dancers and dance lovers. It was born from an idea by Carlotta Pia, dancer and ballet teacher, in collaboration with parents Roberto Pia, fashion designer for thirty years and Rossella Michelini, copywriter. Sales are mainly concentrated on e-commerce but the brand is distributed in Italy, Europe, Mexico and Japan. Their success is mainly due to the stylistic choice not to confine the products to the rehearsal room, the daily life of the studio or the work of the dancer. The main line is Dance Wear but also Street Chic, which makes it flexible for use by dancers at any time of the day (school, free time, evening, at the theater, etc).

The products are also chosen by dancers’ parents, former dancers, teachers and simple supporters of dance or e-brand. The age range is broad, from 7 years up to adults, with a focus on the 10- 22 target. In addition to the sportswear lines there is a Bags Collection, with bags dedicated to the sport and with a choice of products ranging from industrial to artisanal. The brand is currently expanding with the development of a Home Decor line, for which the creators are currently looking for licensees. For now it includes complete style guides with logos, images and phrases, which express and evoke a deep love of dance. For the new fall winter 2020/2021 dance wear collection, the brand has chosen soft and elegant colors such as white and pink, in combination with black.

Tutete is a brand for the very young, created in Spain in 2007, an extremely successful endeavor. The company initially started by selling personalized pacifiers: today it offers over 3500 customizable products of various types, for children from 0 to 6 years old. In recent years they have expanded to over a thousand physical stores in Spain, Italy and Portugal and have become exclusive distributors of other brands. Tutete give a lot of space to dance-themed products, both through a line based on their logo that portrays a little dancer, and through the products of Non posso, ho danza (I can’t, I have dance)

Tutete

some of the brands they collaborate with, such as Mimi & Lula and Micumacu.

Aisy Dance is another Spanish brand, focused on professional clothing for dancers. Its strengths are sustainability (it uses organic and certified fabrics) and stylistic research, attentive to the small details that embellish the classic dancers’ garments. In the new collection there are the Odette leggings, characterized by cute bows on the ankles, the Swanilda leggings, the classic Myrtha body with criss-cross

gusset on the back, the Clara tulle trouser skirt, and the Kitri combined body.

Dance-related images are also very effective on stationery products. The Legami company is well versed in this field, and has chosen the refined photographs of Mark Olich, a Russian photographer whose work is focused on the worlds of theater and dance, for its 2021 Ballet calendar. His shots show both stage performances and backstage emotions with great skill. Ballet and its fascinating stories are also well represented in children’s books. An interesting novelty is Boys dance! by John Robert Allman with illustrations by Luciano Lozano, published by Doubleday Books. The book was produced in collaboration with the American Ballet, with the direct contribution of the company’s dancers. They wanted to publish a book that expressed male pride in dedicating themselves to the passion of dance that would be supportive of young people in approaching this sport with confidence.

Another important novelty for young dancers is Bunheads, by dancer and author Misty Copeland, with illustrations by Setor Fiadzigbey, published by GP Putnam’s Sons Books. This is the first in a series of illustrated books inspired by Copeland’s personal and professional journey. The journey begins by narrating the discovery of her love for dance through

the Coppélia ballet. It’s an encouraging story not only for dancers but also for anyone looking to try something new, as Misty auditioned for the role of the lead character Swanilda, having never danced beforethen. And finally, the bestseller I’m a Ballerina, written by Sue Fliess and illustrated by Joey Chou will be published in Spain by Little Golden Book, released under the title Soy Bailarina de Ballet in October 2020.

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