The Dance Sock Story

Hello there!

My name is Jenna, I am a dance teacher and studio owner in a gorgeous little country named New Zealand. 

I founded my dance school 21 years ago and currently have a role of around 500 lovely girls and boys. We teach ballet, jazz, hip hop and contemporary, from preschool through to teacher training programmes. 

Just over a year ago, during one of our teacher training sessions the Student Teachers and I were discussing ways to successfully use an ‘imagery’ to help teach very important (but sometimes boring) dance technique. 

For example: Have students picture a ‘family of mice’ living under the arch of their foot, explain to the dancer how to lift their arch off the mice -  so not to squash our little mice friends. (This corrects rolling ankles if done properly). Once the children understand - teachers can then use the saying “Don’t squish the mice!” to quickly have the dancer correct their own foot. 

The student teachers and I then chatted about how helpful it would be to have an actual pair of socks with visuals marks children can see and touch rather than just imagine, and It was then I decided to make a mock pair and see how children responded.

Fast forward to the following Wednesday - Grade one ballet - barre work time - all eager to be leaping and spinning in the center - not at the barre… (again!)

“I need a model!” I say and whip out my mock up sock.

(Now for a giggle - check out the picture of the actual sock I had made that weekend…)

I had honestly never seen the girls so interested in barre work, I could even hear their brains ‘click’.

“Oh that’s where my foot should be placed - I never knew that!” said one (I had been explaining and demonstrating this placement for a good few weeks already!).

“Helpful, it’s sooo helpful” the girls kept repeating! “You should name it the Helpful Sock” they said.

 Next, I searched the market and couldn’t believe there was nothing I could find like this already.

I then went ahead and passionately designed 10 special features to assist dance teachers in class and students practicing at home. It has taken a year to develop the design which incorporates a lifetime of dance teaching tricks. 

The positive feedback from students, parents, dance teachers and professionals in the dance world has already been so positive. It has really encouraged me to share these designs with you. Teaching dance is my passion, and I hope the socks help others fall in love with learning to dance. 

Jenna x