The Dance Store

What The Dance Store does

The Dance Store is a privately-held, Los Angeles-based specialty retailer of dancewear and dance shoes operating primarily through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront powered by the Lightspeed platform, with a complementary brick-and-mortar fitting operation. The catalog is anchored on professional pointe shoes carried in twelve major brands (Bloch, Capezio, Freed, Gaynor Minden, Nikolay, R Class, Suffolk, So Danca, and others), and extends across ballet/tap/jazz/character footwear, women's, men's, and children's apparel (leotards, tights, skirts, warm-ups, separates, and a Curvy size line), accessories, and studio uniform programs tied to five named dance academies.

Revenue is generated through one-time unit-priced retail sales at variable price points (pointe shoes $80-$170, leotards $28-$300+, dance shoes $30-$300+, dance bags $6-$52), supplemented by digital gift cards and a paid in-store pointe shoe fitting service. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the owned website, with top-of-funnel awareness driven through Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (@thedancestorela) and a mid-funnel email newsletter.

Customer segmentation is split between individual dancers (primary) and dance studios/schools (secondary). The company is founder-owned (Jenny Roman), employs 11-50 people, has no disclosed funding, parent entity, or M&A activity, and has not publicly disclosed revenue. There is no evidence of proprietary technology beyond standard Lightspeed storefront functionality, no mobile app, and no AI/ML features.

Name

The Dance Store

Legal name

The Dance Store

Website

https://thedancestore.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Dance Store is a Los Angeles-based specialty dancewear retailer selling pointe shoes, footwear, apparel, and accessories from twelve professional brands direct-to-consumer via a Lightspeed-powered e-commerce site, with in-store pointe shoe fitting services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Dancewear Retail

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Footwear Retail (Dance, Skate, Cleats, Bowling, etc.) (CRAAADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Footwear Accessories & Care Retail (Insoles, Laces, Shoe Care) (CRAAADAL), Yoga, Pilates & Studio Wear Retail (CRAMACAE)

Keywords

• Dancewear retail
• Pointe shoes
• Ballet apparel
• Dance footwear
• Studio uniforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Direct retail sales of dance apparel, shoes, and accessories to consumers through e-commerce website. Products include pointe shoes, ballet slippers, dance wear, accessories, and studio uniforms. One-time transaction-based purchases with no subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Dance Store is an online specialty retailer that sells professional dancewear, dance shoes, and accessories from leading brands such as Bloch, Capezio, Freed, Gaynor Minden, Nikolay, R Class, So Danca, and Suffolk. Its product range spans pointe shoes, ballet slippers, tap and jazz shoes, women's, men's, and children's dancewear, studio uniform programs, and dance accessories. The company also offers in-person pointe shoe fitting services and digital gift cards.

Product overview

The Dance Store is a specialty dancewear retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of dance products and services. The core offering centers on professional pointe shoes from 12+ major brands (Bloch, Capezio, Freed, Gaynor Minden, Nikolay, R Class, So Danca, Suffolk, and others), complemented by dance shoes across multiple categories (ballet, tap, jazz, character). The product line extends to women's dancewear (leotards, skirts, tights, warm-ups, separates, curvy sizes), children's dancewear, men's and boys' dancewear, and accessories (dance bags, pointe accessories, hair accessories). The store also offers studio uniform programs and services including gift cards and professional fitting appointments for pointe shoes. Built on the Lightspeed e-commerce platform, the company operates as a brick-and-mortar and online retailer serving professional dancers, dance students, and dance studios.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pointe Shoes Professional pointe shoes for ballet dancers, offered across 12+ brands including Bloch, Capezio, FR Duval, Freed, Gaynor Minden, Merlet, Mirella, Nikolay, R Class, RP, So Danca, and Suffolk, with the category containing 127 products.
• Dance Shoes Ballet, tap, jazz, and character shoes for women, men, and children, offered in 67+ products from brands including Bloch, Capezio, So Danca, Freed, Sansha, and Gaynor Minden.
• Women's Dancewear Women's dance apparel including tights, skirts, leotards, warm-ups, separates, and curvy-sized items from brands like Bloch, Capezio, So Danca, Nikolay, and Wear Moi, with the category containing 171 products.
• Children's Dancewear Dance clothing and shoes for children including ballet shoes, jazz shoes, tap shoes, leotards, tights, warm-ups, skirts, dresses, and separates, with 85 products in the children's category.
• Men's and Boys Dancewear Dance attire for men and boys including tights, dance belts, and tops from dancewear brands.
• Dance Accessories Dance accessories including dance bags, pointe accessories, hair accessories, ribbons, elastics, toe pads, rosin, and training tools from brands like Dux Dance, Nikolay, Capezio, and Suffolk.
• Studio Uniforms Dance studio uniform programs from DADA, Marat Daukayev, 8 Count, Wanna Dance, and YADA, offered for dance schools and studios.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in various denominations for purchasing dance supplies and dancewear.
• Pointe Shoe Fitting Service In-store fitting service for pointe shoes and dance shoes to ensure proper fit for dancers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BlochcoreOthersMajor dancewear and dance shoe brand carried in the store. Products include pointe shoes, ballet slippers, dance bags, and apparel accessories.
• CapeziocoreOthersLeading dancewear brand providing pointe shoes, tights, dance shoes, and accessories.
• FreedcoreOthersBritish dance shoe manufacturer specializing in pointe shoes and ballet slippers, highly regarded in professional ballet.
• Gaynor MindencoreOthersAmerican dance shoe company known for innovative cushioned pointe shoes with lasting memory foam technology.
• NikolaycoreOthersRussian dancewear brand providing pointe shoes, dance accessories, training tools, and dance wear.
• R ClasscoreOthersFrench dance shoe manufacturer specializing in handcrafted pointe shoes with unique designs.
• So DancacoreOthersInternational dancewear brand providing dance shoes, leotards, warm-ups, and dance accessories.
• SuffolkcoreOthersAmerican dance shoe brand known for innovative pointe shoe designs including the Reign and Stellar collections.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gaynor Minden: Premium US pointe shoe brand known for patented elastics and cushioned construction, carried by The Dance Store and sold direct via its own e-commerce site to professional and pre-professional dancers.
• Discount Dance Supply: The largest US multi-brand dancewear and dance shoe online retailer, directly competing with The Dance Store across the same product categories (pointe shoes, ballet, jazz, tap, leotards, tights, accessories) and serving the same individual dancer and studio customer base.
• Bloch: Major global dancewear brand and key supplier to The Dance Store, with its own DTC site covering pointe shoes, ballet slippers, tights, and accessories. Competes with The Dance Store for the same dancer customers and brand shelf space.
• Capezio: Iconic US dancewear brand and core supplier of The Dance Store, with a sizeable direct-to-consumer e-commerce and retail store presence. Overlaps directly on pointe shoes, ballet slippers, dancewear, and accessories, and competes with The Dance Store on the same end consumer.
• Suffolk: American pointe shoe brand featured at The Dance Store (including the Reign and Stellar lines) and selling directly online to the same pre-professional and professional ballet dancer segment.
• Nikolay: Russian dancewear and pointe shoe brand stocked by The Dance Store, with a growing direct-to-consumer site that targets the same professional and student ballet customer base in the US.
• Freed of London: Handmade-in-London pointe shoe and ballet slipper manufacturer whose products are stocked by The Dance Store. Operates DTC channels globally, including US shipping, and is one of the most prestigious pointe brands in professional ballet.
• So Danca: International dancewear brand offering pointe shoes, leotards, warm-ups, and accessories, carried by The Dance Store and competing through its own DTC channels to the same dancer audience across multiple price points.

Others

• Lightspeed Commerce: E-commerce and point-of-sale platform provider that powers The Dance Store's online storefront. Adjacent technology enabler rather than a competitor, but its roadmap and pricing directly shape The Dance Store's digital capabilities.

Emerging players

• Sansha: Dancewear and dance shoe brand with growing US DTC distribution and a strong value-price positioning that overlaps with The Dance Store's lower-priced jazz, tap, and ballet offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thedancestorela
• Facebookfacebook.com/Thedancestorela
• Instagraminstagram.com/thedancestorela/?hl=en
• Xx.com/thedancestorela
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dance-store

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Dance Store