Share about your story in dance:

My name is Julia Cinquemani. I am in my third season as a professional ballerina with Miami City Ballet. Being a part of this world class company has allowed me to live out my dream to perform an extensive repertoire on some of the largest stages in America. Formerly, I was a Principal Dancer with Los Angeles Ballet. Altogether, this will be my tenth year as a professional ballerina and my eighth year as a business owner of my dancewear line, Jule Dancewear.

I started ballet when I was four years old. I grew up in Dallas, Texas and trained at Dallas Ballet Center and concurrently at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. I spent my summers training at The School of American Ballet summer intensive for 5 consecutive summers in New York City. I left home at age 16 to train two years with the Professional Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, Washington before landing my first contract with Los Angeles Ballet.

I danced with Los Angeles Ballet for seven years and rose through the ranks achieving Principal Dancer at age 23. Throughout my career I have danced many dream roles such as “Odette/Odile” in Swan Lake, and “Aurora” in The Sleeping Beauty, “Giselle”, “Kitri” in Don Quixote, and “Juliet” in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Romeo and Juliet at Los Angeles Ballet. Most recently, I performed “Hippolyta” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Miami City Ballet.

What inspired you to start Jule Dancewear?

Even though ballet is first and foremost in my life, I have always had entrepreneurial interests and a love for fashion. I started designing, sewing and selling wrap skirts at my hometown dancewear store in Dallas at age 14.

After I made enough money with that small business, I decided to invest in more ideas I had for creating better fitting dancewear. I started Jule Dancewear in 2011 with a goal as a young professional dancer and female entrepreneur to “reshape dancewear”.

My mission is to design and produce dancewear that offers support, conforms to all body types, is high quality, and incorporates the latest in fashion with a commitment to made in the USA.

Your line is all about promoting confidence and dancewear that flatters the dancers figure, love that! Why are those ideals your focus? Have you had any struggles with confidence or body image?

When I created Jule Dancewear I was in my teenage years and my body was going through a lot of changes. I found the need to create a leotard that offered coverage and support for dancers with curves. I hated that my ill-fitting leotards were making me self conscious in a profession where confidence is key.

I wondered, are there any leotards on the market that cater to this need, and that are understood and designed by a dancer? That is when I asked a pattern maker  to incorporate the support of a sports bra into a leotard.

As a result, we are known for reshaping the dancewear mold to support all body types. I now design all types of dancewear I see a need for. Every detail of each design is carefully tailored to function and flatter all body types.

I test and choose the highest quality fabrics and incorporate the latest in fashion. All products made in the USA where quality is high and our standards are met. I believe in the importance of doing my part to sustain my local community of garment manufacturers in my hometown of Dallas, TX. 

What do you hope dancer’s will feel when wearing a Jule leotard?

I hope dancers feel confident and beautiful when wearing Jule! It’s about being able to showcase and express who they are as a dancer without worrying about what they are wearing. Dancewear should work as hard as we do! It brings me so much joy to see my designs come to life on my peers at Miami City Ballet.

In this industry self love and confidence is very important. If I can help someone feel good about themselves with something as simple as what they are wearing, then I feel like I have done my job. Every dancer should have the confidence they deserve!

How do you balance Jule and your dance career?

It is not easy running a business and dancing full time with a major ballet company. It takes lots of structure and planning ahead. At Miami City Ballet we have a 2 month period off in the summer. During that time I return to home to Dallas, TX to work with my pattern maker and knock out all of my designs for the year. I am so grateful to have such an awesome team in Dallas that keep up with the daily work that is required.

Thank you Julia, for creating such an incredible line of dancewear with a truly beautiful mission! Would you like to WIN a Jule leotard for yourself? Here’s how:

1. Follow @juledancewear
2. Follow @thewholedancer
3. “Like” the giveaway post
4. Comment and tag 2 friends on the post
5. Comment as many times as you want 2 new friends each time (no celebs, brands, or giveaway accounts allowed)

WIN : the new Jule Dancewear Velvet Royalette leotard in your choice of Dust or Peach

The post Jule Dancewear Feature + Giveaway!! appeared first on The Whole Dancer.

One of my favorite things to do at The Whole Dancer is host a fun giveaway where you have the chance to win beautiful, inspiring, health promoting prizes. This year we’ve got our biggest giveaway yet + a holiday gift guide. Whether shopping for yourself of someone else, check out these gift ideas to mix it up.

Songbird Dancewear : Started by Hope Hagen during her time at Butler University, this company is really taking off as Hope creates unique designs with lovely fabrics.

One follower of The Whole Dancer will win a leotard of her choice from Songbird Dancewear!

Here’s a photo of Hope in one of her own designs. Photo by Brittany Gleason.

SimpleSense Now : This company was started by Health Coach Deanna Rae. Her aspiration is to provide the food industry with better quality snacks & desserts made with organic, real, and nourishing ingredients.

These snacks provide perfect on the go fuel for dancers. Stash a tube of “bites” in your dance bag and you’ll be powered through rehearsals or class.

One follower of The Whole Dancer will receive a case of raw bites and a chocolate chaga cake from SimpleSense Now.

Apollo Performance Wear : This company has really taken off and been much more visible in the last year. For good reason – prioritizing the health of your feet and ankles deserves attention!

“Apolla Shocks are the only footwear for dancers that provides Arch support, Ankle stability, energy Absorption (our 3 A’s) and our customizable traction.

Our targeted compression for key insertion points of the feet help to lift, support, and remove inflammation.”

One follower of The Whole Dancer will win a free pair of shocks + a mesh carry bag from Apolla Performance Wear!

Dancewear Solutions : I’ve just discovered this website and I appreciate the mix of traditional dance clothes (leotards and tights) and very reasonably priced leggings and activewear.

Pro – tip – when it comes to tights I always order 1 – 2 sizes up from what the size chart suggests. There’s nothing worse than tights that are too tight!

Click here for 20% off Holiday Gifts

Fresh : Skincare Solutions Gift Set

During Nutcracker your skin takes a beating. There’s A LOT of makeup going on and little time to allow your skin to breathe, recover and rejuvenate. This gift set will help
you moisturize and restore balance to your skin.

One follower of The Whole Dancer will receive the Fresh Skincare Solutions Gift Set.

MooreSkirts : This company hasn’t even launched yet but we’re getting a preview at The Whole Dancer!

Brooke Moore, former Principal Dancer with PA Ballet, Corps de Ballet Dancer with San Francisco Ballet and current teacher at the BalletMet Dance Academy started MooreSkirts just for fun making skirts for her friends and colleagues.

It’s taken off and will launch on Etsy in January 2018! For now, find and follow on Instagram.

One follower of The Whole Dancer will receive a skirt of their choice from MooreSkirts!

Leos by Kat : from a wonderful mother daughter team you get well made custom and pre – made leotards.

At Leos by Kat you’ll find some of the loveliest mesh details and designs available. The holiday deadline has passed but gift cards are perfect!

One follower of The Whole Dancer will win the Maren leotard in white mesh andcream/floral print (*not pictured*) in her size!

Day Designer : for the planner obsessed. I’m very
planner obsessed and this planner has been my go – to for the last 3 years.

With a page per day, full month view and a goals
section in the front the day designer mini or classic makes a great gift for any determined dancer.

One follower of The Whole Dancer will win a Day Designer mini in Rosey Posey print (*not pictured*)!

Enter to Win

The Whole Dancer Holiday Giveaway 2017

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post The Whole Dancer 2017 Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaway appeared first on The Whole Dancer.