Get your dancing gear and hit the dance floor
When I fell in love with dancing two years ago, I didn’t really care about what to wear for my dance lessons – common sneakers, a top and sweatpants were enough for me. However, as I got more serious about my new hobby, I felt the need to get some professional dancewear. In Kyiv the assortment appeared to be so large, and prices so different, that I realized one thing – before going shopping for dancewear, one should be confident about the style of dance he or she is going to practice.
As I was checking the Internet for dancewear stores, I came across a number of places selling outfits for ballroom and Latin dances that have become highly popular after the famous TV-show “Tantsi z Zirkamy” (“Dances With the Stars”). Some of the shops, like Engagement, Vizana-Dance or Vsie Dlia Tantsev (Everything for Dancing), offer practical dancewear for everyday use, yet the selection of outfits is limited to warm up suits and tops, while the rest of the assortment is dedicated to ballroom and Latin dancing skirts, shoes, accessories, fabrics, and cosmetics. Such shops as Galex sell only dance shoes, so it’s also not the best option.
Trying out various dance studios I noticed that all beginners are fascinated with Grishko brand products, and don’t even care to visit any other dancewear shops. However, instead of going after the famous brand, one should choose the outfit according to its quality, not its label. Also, keep in mind that the prices at Grishko are twice as high as at any other place. Grishko sells lots of theater costumes and shoes that are hard to find in Kyiv, but if you are not a professional performer there is no need to spend a fortune on simple shorts or tights.
There are three good shops near Zoloti Vorota metro – Dancer, Butterfly, and Grand Prix. The assortment in each is practically the same and it was rather difficult for me to choose the best among them. Because Dancer is situated in the same building as the Kyiv Opera Theater, I assumed that this store would probably have a lot to offer. However, I was a bit disappointed. The place didn’t even look like what you would call a “store” – it was comprised of a wardrobe, one hallstand and a chair for the assistant, placed right in the theater’s waiting hall. There was no possibility to try anything on, and as I got to know later, the prices for sheer trifles like ballet slippers and warm ups were around Hr 10 higher than in other stores.
Butterfly, on the other hand, impressed me a lot. The shop has lots of accessories, with plenty of shopping space, and amiable assistants. Its location, not far from Karpenko-Kariy Theater University, gives it some special artistic feel. However, its location also has a minus. As it’s placed at the very bottom of Yaroslaviv Val, you’ll have to take a long walk or take the bus to get to the shop.
Grand Prix was the last place I visited, in search of the ultimate dancewear store, and it also turned out the one to win the Best Of title. Grand Prix is a chain with three shops in Kyiv, which makes it accessible to all. The entrance to Grand Prix at Pushkinska was easy to spot – from far away I noticed a signboard with two pink pointed shoes over the entrance.
Despite the fact that the shop is rather small, you can find absolutely everything necessary for ballet, modern, popular, ballroom, Latin, and folk dancing, including gym shoes, leotards, unitards, and accessories for acrobatics and gymnastics. The amount of accessories is also stunning – Grand Prix has everything from bags and training mats to jewellery. As most of the assortment of the store is conveniently arranged on hangers, it makes it easier to choose the fabric and style of your future outfit, which you can then try on at a fitting room. Prices also appeared among the best in the city – ballet slippers cost only Hr 25, while the assortment of brands is practically the same, as in the abovementioned stores, including Grishko and Grand Prix’s own brand.
Grand Prix (11 Pushkinska, 278-6422; 29 Drahomanova, 592-7072; 4A Dankevycha
