How to Model for Dancewear Catalogs
My sisters and I always got excited when the dancewear catalogs starting arriving. Living in a dance teacher's house meant we were inundated with them shortly after Christmas. We got a tickle out of looking at the styles and helping Mom choose costumes for the Revue in June. I remember huge boxes being delivered in May from Baum's, Loshin's, and Fina costume companies that meant our dining room would soon be Costume Central where we checked, sorted, and labeled each piece for everyone in the show. One day my dad got to work at the phone company and someone pointed out that he had a sequin in his hair!
As we bagged sequin bodices with matching grosgrain tap shoe ribbons we had cut from a bolt, I could see the pictures from the catalogs in my mind. Many was the time I asked my mother how to become a costume catalog model.
In the past, professional dancers rarely served as catalog models. We didn't recognize anyone in the pictures and decided that it was family members or students from local schools close to the companies' headquarters. Some recent research, however, has cleared up the mystery. Perhaps you have dancers interested in modeling for dancewear catalogs and ads. Help them by passing on these comments from the marketing directors of several major costume and dancewear manufacturers.
Bloch, Inc.
Tamra Shearer, customer service manager for Bloch, Inc. says, "Our models usually come from ballet companies in either Australia or Europe since our main office is in Australia. You can always send a spare portfolio to us to forward onto Australia. This way if they are looking for dancers in the US they would have you on file."
Bloch, Inc., 1170 Trademark Drive, Suite 112, Reno, Nevada 89523.
Body Wrappers
Founder and president, Marie West says, "The dancer needs to send in a photo, live close and be on call. Also there is a test to pass with our choreographer. We are always open to new faces (especially the adults.) Trudy Christ, marketing and public relations director adds, "Most of our models are students at the Vicky Simegiatos Studio in Brooklyn, New York because our in-house choreographer, Matina Simegiatos, teaches there, and we have a nice relationship with them and the students' parents. We also use ballet dancers from School of American Ballet for the Premiere Collection (C) section of our catalog. For our ads we are fortunate enough to have Maria Kowroski, principle dancer at New York City Ballet as our model."
Body Wrappers staff also approach dancers to model for them. "Sometimes one of us sees a dancer and asks her to model for us," says Trudy. "There are lots of issues involved in choosing a model such as, will she fit into the sample and what type of dance is required for the outfit, and is she available when we need her."
Body Wrappers, 1350 Broadway, #214, New York, NY 10018
Capezio
"We are always seeking models," claims Amy Sato at Capezio marketing. "If they like, they can send their headshot, resume (measurements included,) and technical shot to asato@balletmakers.com. If they need to mail their submission, they can send it to the address below at my attention. In addition, I attend many events during the year. I like to scout out model/dancers from these events. Then I can really see their technique capabilities. Capezio needs their models to be trained dancers."
Capezio Balletmakers, Inc., Amy Sato, Marketing Director, 231 W. 39th Street, Suite 611, New York, NY 10018
Eurotard
"At Eurotard, for the last 25 years we have always hired dancers as models for our print work as well as trade show conventions," says Tolbert Yilmaz. "Because our products are designed specifically for dancers, we send emails to dance studios and dance institutions that we are looking for dancer models for our upcoming photo shoots. From those responses, we then interview and hire them. Also, we receive requests from dancers themselves and they send their portfolios. If individual dancers are interested they should forward their portfolio."
Eurotard, 1328 Union Hill Road, Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
Frontline Dancewear
"Frontline, Capezio, and Harmonie are advocates on hiring dancers not just models," says Lauren-Beth Kassinger for Frontline Dancewear. "We want the people wearing our product in our catalogs to feel and look natural. The marketing divisions for these brands scout models at conventions, competitions, and dance studios across the US. We post bulletins often on our websites and in dance retailer stores. Dancers interested in modeling must submit a resume (dance history,) head shot, and body shot. Basic home photos are accepted. We contact the dancers we move forward with only. All other submissions go on file. We review the files before each new opportunity. We hire dancers for catalogs, ad campaigns, fashion shows, and sales meetings."
Frontline Dancewear, lbkassinger@balletmakers.com for address information.
Gaynor Minden
Karen Lacy, dance teacher liaison for Gaynor Minden told me, "At this time, all of Gaynor Minden's models are professional dancers in some of the most renowned dance companies in the country and world. Most of the models are in American Ballet Theatre: Gillian Murphy, Kristi Boone, Erica Cornejo, among others."
Gaynor Minden, Inc., 140 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
Harmonie Dancewear
"Harmonie is always looking for models," says Sylvie Mesnier, vice-president/designer at Harmonie Division of Ballet Makers, Inc. "We are very 'ballet focused.' Our targeted audience is 14-20 year old ballet professional dancers or an aspiring dancer, very serious about ballet." Harmonie is looking for a particular body type of dancer. "Long arms, long legs, and a ballerina look are a plus for us. Ballet is hard work so Harmonie is always designing garments thinking that the dancer needs to feel and look good. It must show on our pictures, we like our models to look happy and show their passion for dance!" Sylvie says that dancers are welcome to send resume and pictures to her any time.
Harmonie/Capezio Showroom
Attention: Sylvie Mesnier, Head Designer
231 West 39th Street
New York, NY 10018
Mirella, Inc.
Director of Sales for Mirella, Inc., Francisco Chateaubriand tells us, "Virtually all of our models are
well-known dancers, usually soloists or prima ballerinas for well-known companies. So, right now, there aren't many opportunities for students or young dancers to appear in our catalogs. We may begin a program for modeling opportunities on our website...
something we're looking at for 2007."
Mirella, Inc., 3125 Western Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98121
Prima Soft
Marlena Juniman, Vice President of Prima Soft Dancewear reports, "Coincidentally, we are in the process of putting together an advertising
program. This is for the purpose of selecting dancers to model our dancewear. As we have not decided on the final details as of yet, several ideas are being considered. In general, our goal is to enlarge the participating
pool from local dancers to nation
wide talent."
Prima Soft, 213 Old York Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046.
Revolution Dancewear
Jackie Swope, National Sales Manager of Revolution Dancewear explains that they choose studios to work with because they are a wholesaler and do not sell directly to the public. "We believe that those representing our products best are the ones who wear our products on a daily basis. Therefore, all of our models come from the studio owners we work with every day. Many of these studios help us out with product testing, and we work with the studio owner to determine which dancers would work best for the catalog."
Revolution Dancewear, 2105 Johns Court, Glenville, IL 60025.
Star Styled Dancing Supplies, Inc.
"Our catalogue models are chosen by our Art Director from the top ballet schools in the Miami-Dade County and Broward County areas. If they study in south Florida, they may forward their studio's name, and their full name, and the information will be forwarded to our Art Director," says Donna Wood-Beney, Director of Marketing.
Star Styled Dancing Supplies, Inc., P.O. Box 119029, Hialeah, FL 33011-9029.
Weissman's Designs for Dance
"All of our models are real dancers!" exclaims Stacey Fish, Marketing Coordinator for Weissman's Designs for Dance. "We feel it is important to show our products in movement. We accept applications from dancers year-round, and models usually range from ages 4 to 25 years old. We look for proper technique and outgoing personalities!" Applications can be downloaded at www.DesignsforDance.com/ModelSearch
Weissman's Designs for Dance, 1600 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110.
Joy Held is a dance and yoga instructor and author of Writer Wellness, A Writer's Path to Health and Creativity from New Leaf Books, 2003. Contact her at yogajoy@charter.net.