trend spotter - June 2004

Do you dream of dancing in color? Frontline Dance, a division of Capezio, has released the TS1 interchangeable color system. This color-changing shoe, designed for high school cheerleading and dance teams, "has interchangeable color cards so the teams can slide colors in the side of the shoe to match their team colors," notes Mike Bertini, president, Frontline Dance. Not a cheerleader or a dancer? This shoe can still put a 180-degree spin on your wardrobe, with 14 color cards that can be changed to match your daily attire. The TS1 shoe also features a full-grain leather upper, shock absorbing air cushion, reinforced box for toe stands (not that you'll be doing any, but you could if you wanted to) and breathable, flexible mesh arch with a split sole for indoor or outdoor wear. Not to be outdone, adidas, Nike, Converse, Asics, Reebok and Kaepa are producing dance sneakers with color inserts or snap-in logos, but Capezio was the shoe company to revolutionize the world of dance with the first dance sneaker, so we have to give them props. Hopefully, before long, we'll be seeing this product in the malls and on the streets. It's currently sold in dance specialty shops. For more information: www.frontlinedance.com.