COLLABORATIONS
TEDI x INTERNATIONAL DANCE SHOES
We proudly work in collaboration with International Dance Shoes, one of the leading manufacturers of professional Ballroom and Latin dancing footwear. This alliance was formed based upon a mutual desire to promote more widespread diversity within the ballroom dancing industry, and to ensure that there is equal representation within all product line availability. Together, we are proud to have expanded upon International Dance Shoes' Nude Collection by creating nude colour options for people with darker skin tones.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL DANCE SHOES
ONE OF THE LEADING MANUFACTURERS OF BALLROOM AND LATIN DANCING FOOTWEAR
International Dance Shoes is British family owned business that is irrefutably established as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional Ballroom and Latin dance shoes. With over four decades of experience in the design and production of exceptionally handcrafted footwear for men, women and children, International Dance Shoes has become synonymous with products of unparalleled quality, comfort and aesthetic appeal. With clientele ranging from Professional Ballroom and Latin dancers with multiple World Championship titles to individuals admirably pursuing dancing as a pleasurable pastime, these dance shoes have become the products of choice for people of all ages and all levels, all around the world.
International Dance Shoes can be seen gracing the floors of venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Blackpool Tower and the Empress Ballroom, and are also featured on numerous popular television programs such as Strictly Come Dancing in the United Kingdom, as well as Dancing with the Stars in the United States. International Dance Shoes was also awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in the year of 2020.
OUR COLLABORATIVE VENTURE
TWO DARKER SKIN COLOURS ADDED TO INTERNATIONAL DANCE SHOES' NUDE COLLECTION
The most commonly worn female Ballroom and Latin dance shoe styles around the world are made in a variety of nude skin colour options. Because of their ability to create a seamless extension of a dancer’s leg line, all whilst simultaneously complementing a myriad of different costume choices, International Dance Shoes' Nude Collections are the most beloved products of choice amongst social and professional dancers alike. That being said, within the field of professional Ballroom and Latin dancing footwear, it is very uncommon to find nude colour options for people with darker skin tones. In order to rectify this inequitable practice that is so commonly found within the field, The Equal Dance Initiative and International Dance Shoes have worked in collaboration to add two darker nude colour options to International Dance Shoes' Nude Collection. These new colours are now available in female Ballroom, Latin and American Smooth dance shoe styles, and are referred to as Cocoa and Espresso.
LIGHTEST SKIN COLOUR OPTION WILL NOW BE REFERRED TO AS PEACH, NOT FLESH
In addition to the expansion of International Dance Shoes' nude product line availability, we have also worked in collaboration to rename their lightest nude colour option. As is prevalent within almost every facet of the ballroom dancing industry, it is a very common practice to refer to the lightest of skin colour options using the term "Flesh." Upon analysis of this term as it is used within this very context, we were inevitably inspired to ask ourselves the following questions— if the lightest shade of skin tone products are consistently referred to as flesh, then what are all of the other skin tone options considered in comparison? Why has this terminology historically been used as a way in which to make reference to lighter nude colour options rather than all nude colour options more broadly?
Upon analysis of this questionable practice within a larger sociopolitical framework, The Equal Dance Initiative and International Dance Shoes have strongly come to believe that the word “flesh” should not be used as a way in which to represent one singular skin colour alone. As a result, International Dance Shoes' lightest nude colour option will now be referred to as “Peach” rather than "Flesh." We hope that this minor adjustment will even marginally contribute to a more equitable, fair, and just representation of people of all walks of life.