AIDA Dance USA

What AIDA Dance USA does

AIDA Dance USA is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in handcrafted, customizable ballroom, Latin, smooth, and practice dance shoes, operated by Kolosov Shoes, Inc. (a privately held New York corporation). The company offers over 30 shoe styles across women's, men's, and children's categories, with more than 2,000 customization combinations covering size, width, heel height, material, sole color, toe box shape, split sizes, and arch support. Standard pricing is $275 per pair with $10-$60 customization upcharges, and custom orders carry a 2-3 month lead time while ready-to-ship inventory ships within one week. The business model combines online sales through aidadance.us with on-site vending at 25+ major U.S. dance competitions annually and a sponsored-couples program covering 40+ professional and amateur dancers.

The company's product surface extends well beyond core footwear into an ecosystem of complementary offerings: AIDA-branded apparel (robes, hoodies, tracksuits), the Michael Chen designer dancewear line (skirts, tops, pants, dresses at $120-$265), and accessories and beauty products via partnerships with SabiChic, Ottante, and Starbody. Service revenue (shoe repair at $40, rhinestone design at $200-$300) and digital gift cards add incremental monetization. Distribution is intentionally direct — no third-party retailers or wholesalers are used — and the company manufactures custom shoes in-house at its Brooklyn facility. The customer base spans competitive ballroom and Latin dancers, social dancers, dance students, instructors, and youth, with competitive dancers as the primary segment and brand-building channel.

Management is led by founder and Managing Director Ilia Kolosov (who built the company from a one-man duffel-bag operation in 2014) and Director of Operations Andrew Sim, both of whom bring direct competitive ballroom experience. The company is privately held with no institutional capital, has no disclosed subsidiaries or parent entities, and operates exclusively in the United States. No AI/ML capabilities, patents, regulatory licenses, or major certifications are disclosed; the competitive moat rests on customization depth, brand recognition within the competitive dance community, and the field-presence distribution strategy.

Name

AIDA Dance USA

Legal name

Kolosov Shoes, Inc.

Website

https://aidadance.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AIDA Dance USA designs and sells customizable handcrafted ballroom and Latin dance shoes directly to competitive and social dancers. Operated by Kolosov Shoes, Inc., it sells through its Shopify website and at 25+ major U.S. dance competitions annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Footwear

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821), Footwear Manufacturing (3162)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Performance Footwear (Running, Training, Court) (CRAAAEAI)

Keywords

• Ballroom dance shoes
• Latin dance shoes
• Custom dance footwear
• Competitive dancewear
• Dance shoe accessories

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Dance Footwear Sales: Primary revenue stream from sale of handcrafted dance shoes for women, men, and children. Includes Latin/Rhythm, Ballroom/Standard, Smooth, and Practice shoe categories. Standard pricing at $275 for most models with customization upcharges ranging from $10-$60 depending on options selected.
2. Dance Apparel & Accessories: Sale of branded dancewear including AIDA robes ($59), hoodies ($49.99), tracksuits ($149.99), t-shirts ($29.99), and bags ($45-$175). Also includes Michael Chen branded skirts, tops, pants, and dresses ranging from $120-$265.
3. Customization & Services: Additional revenue from customization services including rhinestone design ($200-$300), shoe repair ($40), split size upcharge ($50), and arch support add-on ($50).
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in various denominations for flexible gifting options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AIDA Dance USA designs, manufactures (through its manufacturing arm Kolosov Shoes, Inc.), and sells handcrafted ballroom, Latin, smooth, and practice dance shoes for women, men, and children, offering over 30 base styles with more than 2,000 customization combinations across size, width, heel height, material, sole color, and toe box shape. The company complements its footwear with branded apparel, Michael Chen designer dancewear, shoe accessories, tanning/makeup products, and ancillary services such as shoe repair, rhinestone design, and split-size orders, sold through its own Shopify e-commerce site and at 25+ annual U.S. dance competitions.

Product overview

AIDA Dance USA is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in premium ballroom, Latin, smooth, and practice dance footwear and dancewear. The company operates as a single unified brand offering handcrafted, fully customizable dance shoes through their Shopify-based online store. Their product portfolio centers on dance shoes (women's, men's, and children's categories with multiple styles including Latin/Rhythm, Smooth, Ballroom/Standard, and Practice), complemented by a dancewear sub-brand featuring Michael Chen designer dresses, skirts, tops, and pants, as well as AIDA-branded apparel including robes, t-shirts, hoodies, and accessories. The company differentiates through extensive customization options allowing customers to modify over 30 shoe styles in 2,000+ ways (size, width, heel height, material, sole color), and offers services including shoe repair, custom rhinestone design, and split-size ordering. The business model combines ready-to-ship inventory with custom manufacturing (2-3 month lead time for custom orders), and sells directly to consumers via their e-commerce platform while maintaining a presence at over 25 major dance competitions annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Women's Dance Shoes (Latin/Rhythm, Smooth, Ballroom, Practice) Handcrafted women's dance shoes spanning Latin/Rhythm, Smooth, Ballroom/Standard, and Practice styles, with customization across size, width, heel height, material, sole color, and toe box shape; standard price $275 with material upgrades.
• Men's Dance Shoes (Ballroom/Smooth & Latin/Rhythm) Handcrafted men's ballroom, smooth, and Latin/rhythm dance shoes designed for comfort, support, flexibility, and elegant styling; available in 2cm standard or 4cm Latin heel heights; most priced at $275.
• Kids' Dance Shoes (Boys & Girls) Handcrafted dance shoes for boys and girls designed for safe and comfortable use, from first lessons to youth competitions; priced $176–$198 depending on model.
• AIDA-Branded Apparel & Gear Branded AIDA dancewear including robes ($59), hoodies ($49.99), tracksuits ($149.99), t-shirts ($29.99), sweatpants, snapback hats, shoe bags ($45), and duffel bags for warm-up, practice, and casual use.
• Michael Chen Designer Dancewear Michael Chen designer dancewear collection including skirts, tops, pants, and dresses in styles suited for competitive ballroom and Latin performances.
• Dance Shoe Accessories Shoe maintenance and performance accessories including heel protectors, replacement heel tips, replacement straps, AIDA shoebrush, and BP anti-slip spray for grip control.
• Dance Appearance (Tanning & Makeup) Products Competition appearance products including Starbody instant tanning cream, Ottante Starlight Tan shimmer powder, and Ottante hypoallergenic make-up stick foundation for dancers.
• SabiChic Warmup Booties Soft, lightweight warm-up booties designed to keep dancers' feet warm and protected between practices and competitions, helping prevent injury.
• Shoe Repair Service Professional repair service for dance shoes covering straps, buckles, and heel tips at a flat $40 service fee.
• Rhinestone Design (Stoning) Service Custom rhinestone and crystal design service to personalize AIDA dance shoes with half or full heel cup coverage ($200–$300).
• AIDA Dance Gift Card Digital gift cards available in flexible denominations, redeemable across AIDA Dance USA's catalog of shoes, apparel, and accessories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customization options exceed 2,000 combinations per shoe style
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Michael ChencoreTechnology or IntegrationMichael Chen is a designer brand sold through AIDA Dance USA's platform, offering premium dance apparel including skirts, tops, pants, and dresses. The partnership provides AIDA customers with coordinated dance attire options.
• Kolosov Shoes, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationParent manufacturing company Kolosov Shoes, Inc. handles production of custom dance shoes. Returns are shipped to Kolosov Shoes, Inc. at their Brooklyn address. This is the manufacturing arm behind AIDA's custom shoe production.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Capezio: Heritage U.S. dance footwear and apparel maker (founded 1887) selling ballet, ballroom, jazz, and tap shoes through owned retail, wholesale, and DTC channels. Comparable to AIDA as a multi-category dance footwear specialist with strong brand recognition.
• Ray Rose: British dance shoe manufacturer focused on International and American style ballroom and Latin shoes, with strong presence among sponsored professional couples. Direct peer to AIDA in the competitive ballroom footwear category.
• Supadance: UK-based maker of handcrafted ballroom and Latin dance shoes distributed globally. Overlaps directly with AIDA on International Latin/Ballroom competition footwear, premium price points, and sponsored-professional marketing model.
• International Dance Shoes (IDS): UK-based manufacturer specializing in handmade ballroom and Latin dance shoes for professionals and competitors worldwide. Directly comparable to AIDA in product category, customization depth, and target customer (competitive dancers).
• Bloch: One of the most recognized global dance footwear and apparel brands. Bloch offers ballet, ballroom, jazz, and tap shoes and competes most directly with AIDA in the performance dance footwear category across a much broader international distribution network.
• Dance Naturals: U.S. maker of handcrafted ballroom and Latin dance shoes offering made-to-order fitting and customization. Closely comparable to AIDA's customization-driven, DTC-style approach for the competitive dancer.
• Very Fine Dance Shoes: U.S. retailer of ballroom, Latin, and practice dance shoes including its own private-label lines. Comparable to AIDA in U.S. competitive dancer target market, multi-brand retail + own-label approach, and competition vending channel.

Broad incumbents

• Sansha: Global dance footwear and apparel brand offering ballet, jazz, ballroom, and character shoes at accessible price points. Comparable to AIDA in dance footwear category but with a much broader portfolio and mass-market price positioning.
• Discount Dance Supply: Large U.S. dancewear and footwear retailer carrying shoes across multiple dance styles. Adjacent competitor to AIDA for dance footwear purchase occasions, though broader in assortment and more value-positioned.

Emerging players

• Burju Shoes: U.S.-based boutique maker of custom ballroom and Latin dance shoes with strong social media presence and sponsor-driven marketing. Comparable to AIDA's customization emphasis and digital-first brand building.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNRXU-gdMKb0PT380Lf0Oyg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AIDA.Dance.AM
• Instagraminstagram.com/aidadanceusa
• TikToktiktok.com/@aidadanceusa?lang=en
• Pinterestpinterest.com/aidadanceusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aida-dance-shoes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 AIDA Dance USA