Foot the Bill: Limited-Edition Vans Sneakers Designed by En Pointe Dance Studio
From pointe shoes to gym shoes, ballet can step into any industry to make an impact.
En Pointe Dance Studio has collaborated with Vans to design unique sneakers that will be sold for a limited time to benefit the small studio. In an Instagram live interview, the studio’s founder, Brandi Chapman, shared details about the limited-edition sneakers.
The partnership was sponsored by the Vans “Foot the Bill” initiative, which was created to help small businesses create an income during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each week, a selection of small businesses are chosen to participate, designing a unique shoe and t-shirt that will be sold by the popular athletic shoe brand. All net proceeds from the sales will go directly to the business.
“This is once in a lifetime. I never dreamed of something like this happening to me,” said Chapman in the Instagram interview. En Pointe Dance Studio, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has had its fair share of tough breaks.
Photo: Ballerinas from En Pointe Dance Studio in Baton Rouge, LA; shot by Brittany Jacobs
In August of 2016, the entire studio was destroyed in a flood. In October 2019, the studio lost a student to suicide. Today, the studio continues to teach socially-distanced and virtual classes to its students, but like many other small businesses suffering during the pandemic, any amount of income is a blessing, even if that means breaking into different industries.
“People like you and Brown Girls Do Ballet have been able to move into retail spaces during the pandemic and I’m excited about that,” said Takiyah Wallace, founder of Brown Girls Do Ballet, during the Instagram interview. “I think dancers want to see themselves outside of just social media but in brands that they regularly buy.”
In February, Brown Girls Do Ballet was highlighted by Tieks by Gavrieli as part of their Black History Month campaign promoting organizations that are geared toward the empowerment of Black women. The children’s clothing line, Janie and Jack, also collaborated with Brown Girls Do Ballet, selling one-of-a-kind shirts sporting the organization’s logo. Sponsorships and promotions like these can go a long way for small dance studios, helping to cover the cost of dance training, college scholarships, dancewear, and more.
Related: Tieks Highlights Brown Girls Do Ballet for Black History Month
Consumers also benefit from these collaborations, as they offer the opportunity to wear well-known brands while representing purposeful causes. En Pointe’s sneaker design is stamped with powerful words used to describe the studio and its dancers. The limited-edition shoes can be fully customizable using the Vans Customs platform, allowing those who purchase them to exercise a considerable amount of creative freedom of expression.
To create your custom pair of Vans x En Pointe Dance Studio sneakers, click here. Hurry! There will only be 1,000 pairs sold.
Want to learn more about En Pointe Dance Studio? Follow them on Instagram! Check out our recent episode of Relevé on Facebook, where Brandi shared the studio’s background and comeback story.