We
have chosen the professional line of Bloch as our footwear of choice, we know
once you have tried these shoes and dance sneakers you will appreciate the quality
and always want to use these shoes for dancing. Please call Nari or Gina for
details on shoes and clothing and and pricing and availability. A
brief history of Bloch's : Jacob Bloch made his first pair of pointe shoes
in 1932. Russian born, Jacob arrived in Australia in 1931 at the height of the
Great Depression and began making shoes by hand in the workshop where he lived.
Jacob loved watching ballet and visited many dance studios. At one such studio,
he noticed a young dancer who was having trouble staying on pointe. Jacob promised
he would make her a better pair of shoes. And so he did.
Jacob’s reputation
for making good dance shoes spread rapidly. In the late 1930’s many overseas ballet
companies toured Australia. Among these, was De Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet,
the original Ballet Russe. Jacob made shoes for Spessiva, Baranova, Riabouchinskaya,
Toumanova, David Lichine and many others, all to their own specifications.
Today Jacob’s family is still listening to dancers. “We work with professionals”
says David Wilkenfeld, Jacob’s grandson, who is Managing Director of Bloch International.
“The most important part of the design phase is combining both function and aesthetic
to meet the dancers needs.” In addition to shoes, Bloch makes a comprehensive
range of dance apparel and accessories designed specifically for dancers. “Working
with the dancers is an essential part of designing garments that will perform
well, enhance movement and feel great.
Our greatest pleasure is when dancers
tell us they love our products.” | |