Whether you’ve just signed up your daughter or son for a toddler dance class, your child is on their way to being the next lead in Swan Lake, or you and your partner are taking your salsa lessons to the next level, you may find yourself in need of dance clothes or shoes. Here is a list of the locations our Mamas recommend for fulfilling all your dance clothing needs.
Shops in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Dance Centre
Marnixstraat 342-E, West and online
Not only is the Dance Centre widely recommended on the Amsterdam Mamas Facebook group as a dance school, the Centre has an assortment of shoes (ballet, tap, jazz, sneakers); girls and boys clothing including pants, leggings, leotards, tutus; as well as options to buy sets of clothing. With a location on Marnixstraat in West and an online webshop, this store often serves as a one-stop shop for many an Amsterdam Mama.
Open weekdays from 09:00 to 22:00 and weekends from 09:30 to 17:30.
Pointe Netherlands
Lauriergracht 71, Centrum and online
“A gorgeous shop with beautiful products!” says one Amsterdam mama. This shop is often recommended when proper pointe ballet shoes are needed and offers different models of shoes to fit different feet. Very knowledgeable and attentive staff. Be sure to check out the beautiful pointe-shoe wall when you are there.
Open Tuesday to Friday from 13:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00.
Danswinkel Amsterdam
Bilderdijkstraat 128, West and online
With many of the top brands for dance clothing and shoes, this shop offers a beautiful selection of items both in the shop and online. Danswinkel also partners with dance schools in Amsterdam. Be sure to check out their website for a 10% voucher for use in the store or online.
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 17:00.
Decathlon
ArenA Boulevard 101, Zuidoost and online
As one mama put it, “they have everything and at really good prices.” Decathlon has a wide range of items related to dance. Their selection focuses on ballet and modern dance and includes pointe and demi-pointe ballet shoes, modern dance shoes, all types of clothing, and various accessories for children and adults. One advantage, you can shop for other sports clothing while there.
Open weekdays from 09:30 to 21:00 and weekends from 09:30 to 19:00.
Flevo Dance Wear / Sansha Store
Rozengracht 162, West and online
Since 2014 Flevo Dance Wear has partnered with the brand Sansha, specialising in that brand while continuing to also sell over 25 different brands of dancewear. This shop is also able to order special orders for groups or individuals and can create items made to order. They offer women’s, men’s and children’s dance clothing and shoes for a wide variety of dance styles. They also have an online webshop.
Open Tuesday through Friday from 13:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 12:00 to 17:00.
Nico’s Dansartikelen
Ferdinand Bolstraat 146, Zuid
A niche store, Nico’s has a special focus on both shoes and clothes for ballroom, salsa, tango, latin, tap, flamenco, and folk dancing. They carry primarily adult sizes (some bigger kids need this) and have an exceptional selection for men in those areas. They carry paint for satin shoes and also second-hand dance clothes, primarily adult sizes. In operation since 1971, it is one of Amsterdam’s oldest dance shops. Note that as of mid-2017, Nico’s is a cash-only establishment and offers only store credit for exchanges.
Open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00.
Online Only
This online shop has more or less everything related to ballet. Think tutus, stockings, leotards, and leg warmers, as well as ballet-themed necklaces, backpacks and headbands for your favourite ballerina. This shop has been recommended by Mamas on the Facebook page as an inexpensive shop that has sizes started from size 92 (~3 years) and ballet shoes as small as size 22. They also have a small selection of jazz shoes, sneakers, and clothes.
This article has been compiled from the recommendations of our members on the Amsterdam Mamas Facebook Group.
Chloe de Roos Feinberg
Chloe de Roos Feinberg has worked for a number of small and large NGOs and social enterprises over the course of her career. Having lived in the Netherlands for over six years, she has experienced living life in the heart of the city as well as a (brief) stint out in the countryside. She recently moved back "home" to Amsterdam with her husband and two kids.
