@%(!**&$# Capezio

[2 Left Feet]

 

What on earth is up with Capezio these days!?! I ordered two dancebelts from Discount Dance. I ordered the same style, same size I've gotten for 4 years now. I threw one of the new ones into my dance bag and headed off to "Nut" rehearsal yesterday. I got to the studio and went to change. I started to put on the new dancebelt and

 

HELLO!!!

 

Nowehere near the size it said it was on the tag. I couldn't even get it over my thighs. And, No, I haven't gained weight. In fact, I've dropped five pounds since rehearsals began.

 

What is going on with these people? There seems to be no regulation as to what consititues a large for whomever makes these things. This thing is a small at best but its clearly labeled "large".

 

I thought I was going to die yesterday. I had to wear sweat pants all day because I didn't want to be seen in tights without a dance belt. I probably lost another 5 pounds in sweat yesterday.

 

I can only return one of them because my roommate threw out the trash with the bag for the other dance belt. And it pretty much means I can't go to a discount place to buy these things anymore. I'll never know for sure if they made it correctly or not. So, it means paying full price or dealing with sending back improperly made clothing each time I order something.

 

I'm ready to give up on Capezio.

[Fred]

Looks if the Russians is not the only ones with qulity controll, the Americans follows in their footsteps. The Russians got problems with their pointes and the Americans with their clothes.

 

Freddie

[BarreTalk]

At least now I know I'm not the only one who thinks Capezio's sizing borders on RANDOM.

 

I feel like a male version of Goldilocks when I buy a new Capezio dance belt.

One will be too large

One will be too small

And one will be just right

[Mel Johnson]

That's one reason I go to a major dance outlet PERSONALLY, or straight to Capezio, and get them two or three at a time. I never ever want to shop for something so close-tolerance by long distance.

[Henrik]

MAYBE THAT IS MY PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU, 2 left feet, you just made my day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I just bought a new pair, as you, the same size as I have used the last.. um... 4 years or so (im 18 )but I thought it was so small.. but untill now, I have just thought it must be me that is a little wierd and just squeesed it in.

Now I can get a new pair with cleen conscience!

 

 

By the way, I was looking over the smilies, and suddenly saw: look, its me doing sautes in "girl speed" (I hate beeing the only boy, noone ever pitces the music down on the short exercises, like warm ups with sautes etc)

[2 Left Feet]

Maybe I should forward this link to Capezio. Maybe they'll finally review their quality control policies.

[MJ]

Ed, others,

 

I buy my DBs from the capezio outlet, some of them absolutely fall apart in the washer. The nice wide belt offers a lot of support, but quality is non-existant.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all the Muhrikens!

 

Mike

[BarreTalk]

Let's dust this old topic off, to reflect new information...

 

Preparing for Adult Dance Camp this summer, I purchased 3 new Capezio quilted dance belts (online, since no stores in Denver had any). In light of my previous comment that their sizing was random, this might seem like an unwise purchase, but I like Capezios and in the interim, I'd purchased others with no more problems.

 

When they arrived, the elastic waistband on all 3 was - unstretched - at least 1.5" - 2" tighter than my others. I have a 30" to 31" waist, and my girth is normal. You would certainly think a medium would be just fine (as it has been in the past), but NO they were unwearable.

 

One night at dinner during dance camp the topic turned to dance belts (heaven only knows how we got to that point). One fellow camper said he thought Capezio had revised their sizing and the new tiny size was their new standard (he'd given up on Capezio entirely). I mentioned that Capezio of all companies shouldn't have sizing problems because they make shoes and shoe sizes have to be made to a real standard.

 

It turned out that another camper lives across the back fence from the president of Capezio and promised to take our complaint to the top. I've been hoping to get a letter or phone call from him, but after giving it more than a month, either the camper decided discussing men's underwear with her neighbor wasn't such a good idea, or the guy just doesn't care.

 

Last weekend I was in San Francisco working and had the opportunity to drop into a local dance store. They had a rack of dance belts of all brands hanging out. Guess what? Their Capezio mediums were too small, their larges way too big! And I walked out with a couple of Harmonie dance belts (medium) to start my boycott of Capezio. I'll be sending an edited version of this letter to Capezio so when their profits drop by $40 next year, they'll know why.

[Guest jdavidb]

I mentioned that Capezio of all companies shouldn't have sizing problems because they make shoes and shoe sizes have to be made to a real standard.

 

Shoes seem to be random sized too, or they at least require decoding from one brand to the next. I haven't had any kind of Capezio shoes, but I have had Bloch size 9, Grishko size 11E and Fuzi size 45 in shoes. Shoes are crazy too. Maybe I should get Capezio shoes.

 

The very first Capezio dance belt I ever bought was the right size, and it's the only one I've ever had. I bought that at a real life retail store. They have to get those from the back at the store I went to, so I guess the seller handed me the right one based on being able to see me there in person.

[JRB]

Knock,Knock, Excuse me sirs. I am a new retailer and just wanted to let you know that Harmonie is owned by Capezio. When you purchase from Harmonie it stll ends up in Capezio's bank account eventually. Oh, by the way I do read your comments so I can be a better store for you guys. It will take time for me to build up any inventory but I am trying.

[Mel Johnson]

Capezio has always sourced out dance belt manufacture. Back in my student days, I would go to the Capezio store and buy them, and they always came in a box untouched by the name "Capezio".

[2 Left Feet]

I've started using Bloch dance belts. They use American sizing, so a 32 is a true 32, though some retailers insist on referring to them as Small, Medium and Large. You can order direct from Sansha and get the correct size. They're a lot more comfortable as well.

[BarreTalk]

I wrote to Capezio yesterday and received a prompt reply from

Brianne Rufino

Online Strategy/Operations Coordinator

 

Here's what she says:

 

"Dear Scott,

 

Thank you for your inquiry. We did have a defect with our dance belts and I was assured by our designer that it had been fixed. All new dance belts should fit properly."

[BarreTalk]

I am a new retailer and just wanted to let you know that Harmonie is owned by Capezio.  When you purchase from Harmonie it stll ends up in Capezio's bank account eventually.  Oh, by the way I do read your comments so I can be a better store for you guys.  It will take time for me to build up any inventory but I am trying.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Please keep us posted on the progress of your store. It is incredibly frustrating trying to buy men's dancewear. On one hand you feel like you should support local businesses, but when their inventory is minimal or non-existent, it's a lot easier to just call Fern at Backbay Dancewear in Boston and tell her what you need. She always comes through!

 

There is one store in Denver whose normal response to a request for - say - a pair of medium black tights is always something to the effect of

"gee, we have trouble keeping those in stock. We do have a pair in extra large in back".

If they "can't keep them in stock" a smart retailer would order more!

 

Thanks for the update that Harmonie is owned by Capezio. I don't mind putting money in their bank account if they sell me something I can wear.

[BarreTalk]

I mentioned that Capezio of all companies shouldn't have sizing problems because they make shoes and shoe sizes have to be made to a real standard.

 

Shoes seem to be random sized too, or they at least require decoding from one brand to the next.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought long and hard before using the shoe analogy because (as you point out) they do require decoding. I'm a 8.5 in US street shoe, which translates to 42 in Euro sizing, which means I wear a Bloch size 7, or a Sansha size 12.

 

However, once decoded, the sizes remain consistent, and that was my point.

 

(Time for a party with lots of balloons. This is my 250th post on Ballet Talk!)

Edited September 9, 2005 by BarreTalk