Meet The Shoe Room at Canada's National Ballet School - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

06 Nov, 2021

Shop: The Shoe Room at Canada's National Ballet School
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Expertise: Pointe Shoe Fittings

What is your background and what led you to start your business?

The Shoe Room, a ballet boutique based in Toronto Canada, was founded in 1998 by Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) to share our pointe shoe fitting expertise with the broader community. All proceeds from The Shoe Room are returned to NBS to support programs that offer meaningful dance experiences to youth in the community in need, support the wellness of seniors in all states of health, and ensure that talented youth can realize their full potential regardless of financial barriers.

What keeps you going and doing what you're doing as a dance shop?

At The Shoe Room, giving dancer’s access to the best and most inclusive tools at every stage of their dance career is something that is extremely important to us. Whether it’s fitting a dancer in their first pair of pointe shoes or educating the community on the importance of proper fit; we pride ourselves on spreading the message that there is no wrong size, shape, or color in ballet, and that is the basis of everything we do.

The Shoe Room at Canada's National Ballet School

What do you love most about providing dancewear to your community?

Creating a magical shopping experience for dancers, from hair pins to pointe shoes! Our state-of-the-art pointe shoe fitting rooms transport dancers to #PointeShoeHeaven and is a real treat after all of their hard work and dedication. Seeing their excitement after they’ve found their perfect pair of pointe shoes is heartwarming! Expanding our collection to be more inclusive is something that has always been important to us, and we are fortunate to source and have access to so many wonderful brands with that same goal.

What are some favorite brands that your store carries, and why?

We love all of our brands! Every brand we carry at the boutique allows us to provide each member of our community with what they need.

What sets your store apart from other dancewear retailers, and why?

Here at The Shoe Room, we carry Canada’s largest collection of pointe shoes, over 8,000! Our state of the art fitting rooms allow us to create an unforgettable experience for dancers shopping for their first or fiftieth pair of pointe shoes. We’re always looking to expand our collection to ensure we have something for every dancer who visits us at the boutique. Our expert fitters help dancers within the community and around the globe with our Virtual Pointe Shoe Fittings. This tool was something we relied on heavily during the last year when our doors were closed.

Are there any new dancewear and/or accessory trends you’ve noticed lately?

Higher leg lines and monochromatic looks! There are so many amazing leotards that are elevated by a matching skirt!

What are some of your best-selling products?

Truthfully, ribbon and elastic! But pointe shoes, tights, and ballet slippers round out the top 5!

Pointe Shoe Wall at The Shoe Room at Canada's National Ballet School

A lot of dancers struggle to find pointe shoes that fit correctly and flatter their feet. Do you have any advice for finding the perfect pair of pointe shoes?

We always suggest having a fitting with a trained pointe shoe fitter in your area. It’s important to not give up or get discouraged if you don’t find “the one” right away! There are so many brands and styles out there, we guarantee there will be something for you. Remember that feet can change and if something hasn’t worked in the past, you may feel differently about it now, so be open to trying everything you can! If you have limited access to trained fitters, we offer a Virtual Pointe Shoe Fitting and worldwide shipping. Our experts will use your provided information to select shoes from our 8,000+ collection that will work best for you!

In your opinion, is there a “must-have” item for any dancer?

Every dancer needs a well-stocked dance bag! Extra hair pains, toe accessories, a full water bottle, and tights are all musts. Fill a pouch with small scissors, Band-Aids, and hair spray for those just-in-case moments and don’t forget to throw in your pointe shoes after you’ve aired them out!

What made you make the decision to carry Pointe Paint?

PointePeople’s Pointe Paint was one of the first products on the market that made it easy for dancers to paint their pointe shoes at home. The variety of colors and mess-free application made the decision to carry Pointe Paint easy!

What’s one thing you want customers to know about you and/or your store?

We’re here for you! Everyone that works at The Shoe Room genuinely cares about the dance community and our primary focus is to make sure all dancers have access to what they need to be healthy and successful in their dance career. Our team has a deep understanding of ballet (we love it!), and we want to share as much information as we can with you.

The Shoe Room at Canada's National Ballet School

Is there anything else you'd like to share with the PointePeople community?

To stay up-to-date on everything happening at The Shoe Room, follow us at @nbstheshoeroom on Instagram and Twitter and join our En Pointe Program to receive special offers and promotions, new collection information, and the latest boutique news! We offer worldwide shipping and our entire collection is available to shop at www.theshoeroom.ca!