Dancer's Image

I called recently looking for a particular brand of pointe shoes. (this store was the 7th i called) the owner put me on hold for a minute and then after realizing she didnt have it in stock started in on a long speech berating the distributer (Capezio in NY) and how she can actually make better point shoes than they! she also compared buying pointe shoes to ""open sex"" ?!. I was disturbed but amused at how she just went on and on. amazing she is still in business, she's very condescending, blunt, rude, gives long winded speeches about her daughter being a dancer and how well she knows pointe shoes. she could probably make more money having her own reality show. its worth it to travel outside your area for really good service on dance shoes. three fantastic places that offer great customer service, reasonable prices and spacious stores are Damien's Dancewear in Chelmsford, MA, On your Toes Dancewear in Peabody, MA and Toe, Tap & Tights in Salem, NH. The woman at this place really needs help,. she does not have any social skills whatsoever. the lowest rating I could put on this website is 1 because i didnt have a choice to be a ""negative"" more

I like getting the dance wear over there. I don't like the people there though. I was getting ready for pointe and I tried on pointe shoes. She said I don't look like a ballerina. Who the f*** wants to know if imma ballerina. I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE IM GOING TO HIGHSKOOL!!?!?!?! There fore what to do with life! more

My sister and mother first walk into this location to get dance shoes for my sister's school play. My sister comes back home with $74.00 dance shoes. Mind you mother is very upset for having to pay so much dance shoes that she has me look up other shoes online. I come to find the exact same pair for $52.00 including shipping on a popular trusted dance website. They go back to the store to get a refund, and my mother comes back home very furious with a piece of paper that states store credit of $74.00. My mother says what am I suppose to do with this? She is so upset with their whole system/policy that states no refunds. My mother refused to go back to this store and my sister asked me to go back. I went to this store, mind you this is the 3rd time back to this store in the same week. I get to speak to owner, who is a older woman, who begins to speak down to me in a very rude manner. Im a college student that doesnt take any of this attitude and just wants to get the shoes and get out. I explained to the owner the situation, and she states. ""So what do you want me to do?"" We are obviously forced to spend this ridiculous store credit, of course we are back to get these overly priced dance shoes. She asks for the shoe size, and comes back with the shoes. And right before we leave my sister sees that the size is too big. I tell the owner that its the wrong size, and she becomes very snappy and angrily responds, ""Well dont you know dance sizes are different!!! She told me the wrong size!! I respond, ""We are not dance professionals and have never purchased dance shoes before, stop being so rude"" She never apologized and just brought a smaller size. My sister tried it on and it fit finally. Afterwards she basically rushed us out of her store and walk away. I have never been so disrespected, and dissatisfied with such bad customer service in my life. I would never return to this store again. Bad service = bad reviews PROS: Nothing CONS: Rude service from the owner, overpriced everthing more

While the owner can sometimes be curt, she is very helpful and informed. All of the staff are kind, and spend as much time with you as you need. They know what all the local dance studios require for classes, making the shopping experience that much easier. They have a large selection, and visits there are always easy. more

I have always been looking for something a little ""different"" than what everyone else was wearing for my daughter. Dancer's Image always came through with the best selection of leotards and warm ups in the Boston area. It also carries a nice selection of books and videos. It has been thirteen years...I keep looking around for something else...but in the end... I am back at Dancer's Image where they can answer my questions and satisfy my desires for great selection!!!! more

Don't go there if you don't want people being rude to you. I don't know - how she is still in business. I won't show up there under any circumstances! more

I have been going to Dancer's Image since I started dance and I have not ONCE had a bad experience with Paula, the owner. She has been nothing but helpful and I am always very happy with the selections she has pulled for me. All of the employees are very educated and they know what they are talking about. People have got to think about how many people these women have to work with throughout the entire day, so they might be a bit impatient, but it really isn't anything personal, so don't take any criticism literally. They have such a huge selection of shoes, as well as apparel and accessories. I would definitely recommend that people in the area go to Dancer's Image because they will get what they are looking for. Pros: Very good service and amazing products Cons: Very squished inside more

My daughter in a freshman at the Boston Conservatory. When I arrived for parents weekend she told me there were no dance stores in the area. I went on line and found Dancers Image right outside of Boston. Her store is oneof the best equipped stores I have ever been into. Paula spent over one hour working with my daughter to help her get fitted into pointe shoes that would be better for her career. She gave us many suggestions and contacts in the Boston area that would benefit my daughter and her career. The personalized attention and service were superior to any dance store I have been too and with a ballet dancer, I have been to a lot. Although my daughter has been dancing for 14 years they were still able to share with her things she did not yet learn. AWESOME!! Pros: Pointe shoe fitting more

My daughter is starting her second year of dance and going to Dancer's Image makes her feel special and ""part of the club"". The staff help us find things quickly (thank goodness), they make the older brothers feel welcomed (with cookies) as they stand around looking embarrassed, and their stories make my daughter feel like she is part of a larger community. A community of dancers and artists. Pros: full of everything; helpful staff more

I have been going to Dancer's Image for 7 years for my two daughters' dancing needs. While the owner can be temperamental, she really cares about getting the right shoe fit for every customer and will take whatever time it takes to find it (which is great if you are the one being fitted, not so great if you are the one waiting in line). Today I took my girls in for their fall fitting. I had with me two unused pairs of dance shoes that we had bought a year ago but which were never used. Despite the fact that both shoes had been discontinued and I did NOT have my store receipt, Paula took them back graciously. I had been bracing myself for bad news, but was delighted by the way she handle it. Many store owners would have said tough luck and sent us on our way. I say the good definitely outweighs the bad. more

i was having a hard time with pointe after 4 years and i didnt know why it turns out i was being fitted with a size too big at labrie and that is dangerous. even if it is more expensive miss BalletMom price shouldnt matter if you want to have less pained fett and be freakin' safe mean god its not that bad there and misses Emmaliner02 and jballett paula just wants to help you and she is proud because her daughter dances professionally in europe actually in freakin' russia give the store a chance because no matter how you put it the store and paula and her staff all are VEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY helpful dont listen to other reviews just go there!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pros: amazi nly helpful and thourogh fittings Cons: kind of short tempered more

I have been going to Dancers Image for at least the last three to four years, and my honest opinion is that the store's customer service has improved, but still needs a lot of work. I go there only for the convenience of being next to the Boston Ballet studio where my daughter takes her lessons and for the fact that they generally are very familiar with the requisite attire for the various classes. If I had the time, I would definitely look elsewhere. I agree with a previous reviewer that the store is very cramped and the owner can sometimes be very condescending and impatient. Other staff members, however, are and have been very pleasant and helpful. I also agree that prices are generally pretty high. Again, if one has the time, look elsewhere, such as Capezio's in Wellesley. Dancer's Image is really a shop for bratty little princesses who need their things ""right away,"" forcing their moms to have to patronize it. more

I had the unfortunate experience of dropping into this store recently for a number of items. I had many complaints. First, the store is horribly cramped, and it is very difficult to find anything. The merchandise is very overpriced; I found similar (if not higher) quality items down the street at the Capezio shop in Wellesley last year. I can buy a pair of tights at Capezio for LESS than half of what I paid here. But the worst part of the visit, by far, was the rude shop attendant I dealt with. She was unbelievably pushy, and would NOT allow me to simply browse! I told her right up front that I was ""just looking,"" but she kept pestering me and pestering me, insisting that she knew what I needed. She certainly did NOT know what I needed! I would start to explain, and she'd simply cut me off, and pull out irrelevant (and very expensive) items for my consideration. I still regret having handed this woman any of my money, but I was desperate, and didn't have time to go anywhere else. I left the shop with the bare minimum of merchandise possible (and still spent $100!). I was very angry at how I was treated; being in that shop was certainly a test of my ability to ""be the bigger person"" and not rip into this woman! Never again. Pros: Conveniently located Cons: Rude owner, very high prices more

I am visiting family in boston and when I checked out this morning from the hotel left my slippers and a few tights in the hotel room. The hoteI was not able to locate my stuff yet and I had to get going. I found this store on citysearch , I assume the woman who answered the phone was the owner because when I asked if she had a website her reply was "" i took it down"" and silence! I was in shock how an owner would reply to that, then rudely asked what I was looking for, I stated I havent been dancing for the past week and forgot a few things. Excuse me but what a horrible woman she was on the phone. Awful. We briefly chatted because she wouldn't shut up about her daughter dancing how she was attending some event. As I do dance for a well know company in canada she asked me "" who are you"" I was stunned , who am I ? she went on about a few people she knew and events she was attending. I DO NOT CARE ! nor do I care about your daughter! Cons: Rude Customer Service more

I was in a crunch needing some supplies for a short notice audition and searched for a local dance shop. Found this one and saw all the bad reviews so I was prepped for a bad experience and can say I was pleasantly surprised. The employees were actually all helpful and FRIENDLY not rude and nasty as I had read, so that was GREAT. They helped me find eveyrthing I needed even though they were trying to close up. I will definitely go there from now on when I need to pick up any supplies. more

the hours of operation do not seem to be listed on the website... and there is no answering machine this sunday morning! Not really very helpful at all. more

I highly recommend this store. They are wonderful people and extremely helpful, esp. when it comes to special orders and sizing. The owner Paula, has gone the extra mile for me several times even when she didn't have to. I am very appreciative to have such a wonderful local-owned and operated store nearby. more

I am a ballet dancer in the Boston area, and I am glad to say that Dancer's Image always comes through for what I and my fellow dancers need. The company I dance for works exclusively through Dancer's Image for pointe shoes. Paula, the owner, personally makes sure that every girl in the company gets the right shoe in the right size with elastics ribbon, and any other special personalized thing needed to be done to any given shoes. Some need to be three quartered, some need to be bumped out etc. etc. Also, I have never seen a store where so many of it's employees are willing to learn everything they possibly can about dance apparel, the way shoes are supposed to fit, and what is going on in the dance world. Granted the store is covered from head to toe in pink, but that's what makes it unique. I've seen girls going into the store for their first pair of pointe shoes, and the person helping them will labor for as long as it takes until they find the right fit. Also, there have been instances when I have gone in, and they have not had a particular thing that I needed. They were glad to special order it for me, and that was very reassuring. It can get kind of crazy in there in September, so I would suggest making trips to the store at other times, especially if a person needs pointe shoes. Overall, I love this place. The staff can be very entertaining, and every once in a while they have brownies :) more

I am a professional ballet dancer in the Boston area and have been going to Dancer's Image for almost five years now. I have only ever received the best of treatment. Paula Panos, the owner, has so much knowledge about the dance world and only gives the best customer service to the people that come in to her store. I have never experienced in my entire professional career someone who knows exactly what they are talking about when it comes to pointe shoes, like Paula. On top of her expertise with the dance world, she is an amazing person, with one of the biggest hearts I know. Words cannot express how thankful I am to her, and what she and her staff have done for me throughout the years. She takes care of me, and my fellow co-workers beautifully. Our company owes Paula so much thanks, and would not know what to do without her, especially when it comes to our pointe shoes! If you want the best place to go for dance supplies, shoes, advice, etc. then Dancer's Image is the place you need to go! more

I'm just a guy who started taking adult beginner ballet classes at Boston Ballet next door. I read the bad reviews of this store, but my experience there was totally different. I must have had four very polite, professional, and eager employees help me with whatever I needed. There were others shopping, and everyone seemed like they were being attended to in a friendly way. It's not as easy for a man to browse for stuff when it really must be a minuscule percentage of their business! I would definitely go there again. more