dancefanatic Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Firstly, I sincerely do not mean this post to be unsympathetic to the situation in Ukraine and the resultant sanctions on Russia, as I really feel for everyone on both sides, particularly the ordinary people like me who have had no say in what is going on and will continue to be used as pawns. Secondly, my eldest DD wears Grishko pointe shoes which have been difficult enough to get hold of since Brexit and Covid lockdowns, and I imagine they will be absolutely impossible now. Plus, ethically, I would prefer not to buy them for her at present. My DD has gone through a number of makes over the last few years and now I have asked her to look for an alternative. She would like to try So Danca pointe shoes but I can't seem to find any stockists online and don't know of any fitters either. Do any of you lovely folk know of a shop that does fit them, preferably near Birmingham or London, that we could try? Many thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Firstly, I don’t know that So Dança even make pointe shoes? I can only find flats and jazz shoes on their UK website. Secondly, I can’t find any evidence to suggest whether Nikolay Grishko is a Putin sympathiser, or that boycotting Grishko shoes on ethical grounds will hurt anyone except the people in the factories (Moscow, the Czech Republic or China, depending where UK shoes come from), the distributors and the stockists. I know Dancia in London, Leanne at Straight to the Pointe and Just Ballet all stock Grishko. If you really can’t get hold of your daughter’s model then I’d take a trip to London to try other makes at Dancia, Bloch (across the road) or Freed at St Martin’s Lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neverdancedjustamum Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 22 minutes ago, dancefanatic said: Firstly, I sincerely do not mean this post to be unsympathetic to the situation in Ukraine and the resultant sanctions on Russia, as I really feel for everyone on both sides, particularly the ordinary people like me who have had no say in what is going on and will continue to be used as pawns. Secondly, my eldest DD wears Grishko pointe shoes which have been difficult enough to get hold of since Brexit and Covid lockdowns, and I imagine they will be absolutely impossible now. Plus, ethically, I would prefer not to buy them for her at present. My DD has gone through a number of makes over the last few years and now I have asked her to look for an alternative. She would like to try So Danca pointe shoes but I can't seem to find any stockists online and don't know of any fitters either. Do any of you lovely folk know of a shop that does fit them, preferably near Birmingham or London, that we could try? Many thanks, I would love to know about this too as I’m interested to see what So Danca pointe shoes are like (DD loves their split sold canvas shoes). Hopefully someone knows a stockist. It’s the same for Suffolk pointe shoes! Very hard to find a local stockist even though I think they’re made in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Highly recommend going to Dancique in Birmingham! They have lots of makes and I’m sure they’ll find the right pointe shoes for your daughter 🩰 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancefanatic Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 22 minutes ago, Anna C said: Secondly, I can’t find any evidence to suggest whether Nikolay Grishko is a Putin sympathiser, or that boycotting Grishko shoes on ethical grounds will hurt anyone except the people in the factories (Moscow, the Czech Republic or China, depending where UK shoes come from), the distributors and the stockists. Anna, the question is more that the UK are refusing imports from Russia, or at least that is my current understanding. And I have orders for her particular shoes that stretch back to November/December last year as they are just so very difficult to get hold of anyway. And yes, So Danca do make pointe shoes (for the US market definitely!) and have for a while but I just can't find a stockist in the UK online! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancefanatic Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 1 minute ago, Dancing unicorn said: Highly recommend going to Dancique in Birmingham! They have lots of makes and I’m sure they’ll find the right pointe shoes for your daughter 🩰 This is our usual fitter and my DD has been through pretty well everything Sarah stocks! But I'll speak to Sarah and get my DD down there shortly. But thanks for suggesting them 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farawaydancer Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 11 minutes ago, dancefanatic said: Anna, the question is more that the UK are refusing imports from Russia, or at least that is my current understanding. And I have orders for her particular shoes that stretch back to November/December last year as they are just so very difficult to get hold of anyway. I don’t think they’re actually shipped from Russia are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 11 minutes ago, dancefanatic said: And yes, So Danca do make pointe shoes (for the US market definitely!) and have for a while but I just can't find a stockist in the UK online! If anyone in London does do them, it’s likely to be Dancia on Drury Lane. 👍🏻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancefanatic Posted March 2, 2022 Author Share Posted March 2, 2022 Thank you AnnaC, I think a trip to London when she's home for her next exeat weekend is in order! Farawaydancer, I've no idea exactly where they ship from or where they are currently made, other than knowing they are Russian. I know they have 3 or 4 factories outside of Russia in the EU but.... I can just see it getting even harder to get hold of them! I just need a shoe for her that is longer lasting than Freeds (which she does also use) and Bloch. She has the feet that kill Gaynor within an hour so we avoid those and doesn't like Merlet which she can also kill quickly. I really hate what I call her pointe shoe habit! Think most of you with DDs will feel the same, I'm sure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjdb Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Hi dancefanatic, I'm not sure if Becky at The Dancers Room in Lichfield supplies So Danca pointe shoes but she does have a huge sellection of pointe shoes at the shop. I would highly recommend their service. Mj 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummy twinkle toes Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) So Danca have a U.K. number on their website so might be worth calling to check stockists. 0131 516 9950 https://www.sodancastore.com/ They do say they ship from US but not ideal for pointe shoes which need fitting and customs charges. Suffolk pointe shoes have a contact address in Earl Shelton in Leicestershire but I only ever found a few in the Capezio store in London but they no longer have them. They seem to be very popular in the US: https://www.suffolkdance.com/contact Edited March 2, 2022 by Mummy twinkle toes More detail 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swanprincess Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 Mummy Twinkle Toes, Suffolk pointe are no longer based in Earl Shilton- Mark Suffolk moved to America in about 2015. I think perhaps there is still a Suffolk factory there but they don’t do pointe shoe fittings there any more. (I have fond memories of being fitted for shoes by Mark Suffolk at his factory in Earl shilton in summer 2014!! But since he left the UK I have struggled to get hold of Suffolk pointe shoes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummy twinkle toes Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 7 minutes ago, swanprincess said: Mummy Twinkle Toes, Suffolk pointe are no longer based in Earl Shilton- Mark Suffolk moved to America in about 2015. I think perhaps there is still a Suffolk factory there but they don’t do pointe shoe fittings there any more. (I have fond memories of being fitted for shoes by Mark Suffolk at his factory in Earl shilton in summer 2014!! But since he left the UK I have struggled to get hold of Suffolk pointe shoes) Yes, it is a shame as always useful to have a different brand to try. Yes, I believe it is a factory contact. It is on their website still but I haven’t seen any in the U.K. for around 6 years. I asked about a year ago in Capezio if they still had them but the sales assistant didn’t remember stocking them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Essex Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 I’ve heard that Mr Grishko is Ukrainian and his workers are from all over the world. Leanne of straight to the pointe has fantastic stock of Grishko and she’s an amazing fitter. She’s in Essex but does mobile fittings too. I’d highly recommend her. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paris en pointe Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 02/03/2022 at 22:56, Mummy twinkle toes said: Yes, it is a shame as always useful to have a different brand to try. Yes, I believe it is a factory contact. It is on their website still but I haven’t seen any in the U.K. for around 6 years. I asked about a year ago in Capezio if they still had them but the sales assistant didn’t remember stocking them. Hello! I’ve just been fitted in Suffolk’s by Mandy at Pointe Pura (Findon, West Sussex). I think ‘Devoted to Dance’ in Exeter stock So danca pointe shoes and also stock Suffolk’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Hello Paris en pointe and welcome to the Forum! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paris en pointe Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 2 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Hello Paris en pointe and welcome to the Forum! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurora3 Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 I have heard Grishko can still be ordered! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhereToNow Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 My DD is a Grishko only girl. I know Devoted to Dance have a fair amount in stock. It would be worth a chat with him if you’re struggling to find them 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancefanatic Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 On 12/03/2022 at 12:04, ally6684 said: My DD is a Grishko only girl. I know Devoted to Dance have a fair amount in stock. It would be worth a chat with him if you’re struggling to find them 🙂 Thank you! I have shoes on permanent order with Devoted to Dance but he doesn't have any in my DD's size in at the moment unfortunately 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletChild Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 Also struggling to get Grishkos, tried so many alternatives and DD just doesn’t like them, she’s always worn Grishko and she likes a hard shoe which fits tightly. Finally found a pair of RP similar but only lasting her a class and also not readily available. She has assessments and end of year show coming up and she’s on her last pairs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancefanatic Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 23 hours ago, BalletChild said: Also struggling to get Grishkos, tried so many alternatives and DD just doesn’t like them, she’s always worn Grishko and she likes a hard shoe which fits tightly. Finally found a pair of RP similar but only lasting her a class and also not readily available. She has assessments and end of year show coming up and she’s on her last pairs! We're still on the search for an alternative to my DD's beloved Grishkos. She tried Gaynor Minden and that was a big fail. She hates the gel liner made into the shoe plus she couldn't get the right width as her foot is so compressible, she was falling down into the shoe as soon as she went on pointe, despite wearing her usual padding and the GM wing padding insert. This weekend she had yet another fitting and has decided to try a pair of R-Class RC22 with a hard shank. She's hoping they will last her as long as her Grishkos so between 2-3 weeks - I'll have to report back on that but when she can kill a pair of Freeds in an hour and Blochs in 2-4 hours, I'm not convinced! The R-Class are Russians but made in Bulgaria so not subject to any sanctions. Certainly Dancique in Birmingham report they have not had any supply issues with them. Perhaps worth a try for your daughter? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalletChild Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 10 minutes ago, dancefanatic said: We're still on the search for an alternative to my DD's beloved Grishkos. She tried Gaynor Minden and that was a big fail. She hates the gel liner made into the shoe plus she couldn't get the right width as her foot is so compressible, she was falling down into the shoe as soon as she went on pointe, despite wearing her usual padding and the GM wing padding insert. This weekend she had yet another fitting and has decided to try a pair of R-Class RC22 with a hard shank. She's hoping they will last her as long as her Grishkos so between 2-3 weeks - I'll have to report back on that but when she can kill a pair of Freeds in an hour and Blochs in 2-4 hours, I'm not convinced! The R-Class are Russians but made in Bulgaria so not subject to any sanctions. Certainly Dancique in Birmingham report they have not had any supply issues with them. Perhaps worth a try for your daughter? I’m sure she tried R class at one point and found them too soft. I’ve messaged a couple of people mentioned on here to see what the alternatives are but it’s getting to crunch time with assessments coming up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing unicorn Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 Hiya Dd has always been a GM girl, started pointe with Grishco but soon went over to GM, sounds like same feet as your dd Dancefanatic, but with very narrow heels! Dancique spent hours getting her the right fit! Anyway, last visit to Dancique dd decided to find a change and was fitted with Merlet! She loves them, ordered another pair this week with a soft and a medium shank in the box! Never thought we’d find an alternative! Finally now have 2 makes she can switch between 🩰 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissL Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Please be rest assured Grishko as a company are thriving. There were backorders due to COVID related issues (some other brands also faced this issue). Mr Grishko is Ukrainian indeed and the work force are many nationalities. Shipments are still fine (exported usually from the Prague distribution) and indeed sometimes from Russia. Retailers can still order with no problems. Of course like any brand, if something is out of stock at distribution it will need to be made but the factory are catching up with the backlog now and doing great at it. Plus, it helps if retailers can check what sells the most for them and order in advance to have enough on their shelves coming into stock to cope with demand if possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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