Hosted annually in a historic fortress-turned-convention-center, Danzainfiera in Florence, Italy, is one of Europe’s largest dance trade-shows. With its extensive program of talks, performances, and master classes, the event attracts a wide range of attendees, from aspiring dancers to industry professionals.
For its 19th edition this February, over 80 brands (more than half from outside Italy) showcased their latest products. According to event literature, more than 500 buyers traveled from across the globe—marking a 16 percent increase from 2024—all eager to explore new offerings and decide what they might like to stock in their stores back home. Outside of the commercial show, 60 schools were present in the training and entertainment area, meaning that, in total, there were 20,000 attendees, including over 100 accredited journalists, 760 teachers, and over 10,670 dancers.
DRN took a walk-through—here’s what caught our attention.
Superlight Technique Slippers
While Gaynor Minden is renowned for its durable, lightweight pointe shoes crafted from advanced polymers, at Danzainfiera the brand proudly showcased its soft technique slipper, the Liberty. Designed by dancers for dancers, this new shoe reflects the freedom of movement enabled by its stretch-canvas material. It also features impact-absorbing, micro-thin cushioning and precise pleating to ensure a smooth, flat fit underfoot. At the trade show, Sophie Boardman, Gaynor Minden’s managing director and VP of products, emphasized that the Liberty comes in a single width that comfortably fits 80 percent of dancers. This is great for retailers, as it eliminates the need to stock a wide range of hard-to-sell sizes.
Currently, Liberty shoes are available in Light Pink and Natural 2.0—so named to reflect that a broader range of natural skin tones will be released in the future—in U.S. women’s sizes 4 to 13 and 4 to 15, respectively. Black and white options will be arriving in time for back-to-school season in sizes 4 to 15, and additional colors are in development.
Stylish, Yet Supportive, Sneakers
While best known for its pointe shoes, Bloch has spent recent years expanding its footwear offerings, from commercial heels to Argentine tango shoes. At Danzainfiera, the brand also showcased Kix, its new sneaker model that blends the sleek aesthetics of sportswear with the technical functionality of dance shoes. Featuring a unique triple-layer cushioning system and impact-protection foam at the heel, the sneakers promise to be both supportive and lightweight—ideal for both the studio and the street. Additionally, Kix come with interchangeable white and color laces (matched to the shoes), allowing for customization.
According to Bloch’s head of marketing, Holly Tudor Miles, Kix sneakers have been receiving enthusiastic responses from U.S. cheer teams, making it a promising option for retailers looking to diversify their offerings beyond ballet.
Dancewear for Adults
Since 1936, Freed of London has had a close partnership with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), a global leader in dance education and training. Recently, the British brand unveiled a complete redesign of RAD uniforms, which they say is the first overhaul since 1990. The new collection blends classical elegance with a modern aesthetic and utilizes modern performance materials. Colorwise, it features soft, pale shades for younger students and deeper hues for those in vocational training.
A standout feature is Freed’s first-ever uniforms for Silver Swans, the RAD program for dancers over 50. These uniforms include classical leotards with modest bodice cuts and three-quarter-length sleeves, as well as leggings and tunics for those who prefer a more relaxed fit. With the growing demand for adult dancewear and the difficulty many face in finding suitable options, these products could be a valuable addition to your stock, whether or not you have a Silver Swans teacher in your area.
Pointe Shoe Innovations
Pointe shoes are the bread and butter of most dance retail businesses, so it makes sense that they took center stage at Danzainfiera. Só Dança promoted Alina, which features a pioneering interchangeable-shank system. Available in four styles—two launched last year and the third and fourth were announced at the Prix de Lausanne earlier this year—it offers four shank options ranging from soft to mega-hard, with both full and three-quarter lengths. This versatile design maximizes customization while helping retailers streamline inventory by minimizing excess stock.
Bloch’s latest developments in this category include its Etu pointe shoe. By combining modern technology in the toe box with traditional materials elsewhere, Etu aims to retain the benefits of a classic pointe shoe—including flexibility—while enhancing durability.
Devilishly Detailed Designs
While basic, minimal dancewear will always have its place, several brands at Danzainfiera made a compelling case for intricate, detailed designs in a wide range of colors. French brand Repetto showcased delicate leotards that combine fabrics like lace and mesh in soft, pastel shades. Meanwhile, Italian brand DellaLo’ Milano marked its 10-year anniversary with a special range of products. Founded by Lorella Ferraro, a former dancer at Teatro alla Scala, the brand creates hand-finished garments with intricate embroidery, including its signature daisy logo. While the company has been shipping to the U.S. for four years, from the beginning of 2025 it has started several new partnerships with retailers in the country and is looking to ship even more in the future. This provides an exciting option for retailers looking to offer unique pieces that will stand out at auditions and recitals.
Portugal-based brand Ballet Rosa similarly showcased its fashion-forward designs, including its La Cité collection. Dedicated to “avant-garde expression” according to posts on the brand’s Instagram, this line features leotards adorned with continuous line drawings, many of which look like abstract faces from Picasso paintings. Fittingly, many pieces are named after renowned modern artists, including Braque and Cézanne. Apparently, nearly every dancer at Ballet Rosa’s photo shoot wanted to take one home, so while the leotards might not be the best choice for young dancers with strict uniform requirements, they’re certainly eye-catching for professionals seeking distinctive, art-inspired attire.
Items to Upsell
It wasn’t just the major products that caught our attention; several smaller items also presented excellent upsell opportunities. For example, Nikolay showcased everything from pointe shoe keyrings to plush toys of their feline mascots—ideal gifts to get in stock in preparation for holiday seasons. They also had more practical items like their premium sewing kit, designed with a magnet to keep all contents securely in place.
Elsewhere, emerging brand Les Cygnes exhibited its pointe shoe shellac—a hardener designed to extend pointe shoe life. Packaged in 2-ounce bottles with easy-to-use applicators, the product was developed by dancer Kate Griffler, who wants to make ballet more accessible for those who can’t afford to frequently replace their pointe shoes.
At the show, Griffler highlighted that the shellac is made from organic materials, in addition to being safer and less impactful to the feel of the shoe than Jet Glue. She says she has received enthusiastic feedback from those who have tried it so far—veteran retailer Victoria Lyman Guimarães even stopped by Les Cygnes’ booth to mention how much her customers love it. The product may require some customer education and a financial investment, as the solution contains alcohol, which is subject to dangerous-goods tariffs. But, it could be worth it to gain your customers’ trust by showing you have their best interests at heart.
Emily May is the editor of Dance Retailer News.