Tim Heathcote knows a thing or two about dance. He studied at the Australian Ballet School and was a soloist with the Sydney Dance Company. He has designed for international dance retail companies and is MDM Dancewear, co-founder of The Library Aesthetic Dance Media. He has a lot to offer and shared his story with Dance Informa.
What is your dance background?
“I started dancing when I was three years old. My mother is a dance teacher and is now 82 years old.
What has your career been like?
“Sydney Dance Company is relatively small, about 24 dancers. We can travel and perform easily and it is an incredible experience for everyone. The downside is that there is no choice when it comes to replacing injured dancers. It’s stressful and we have to keep going no matter what. As a classically trained dancer, unusual moves, styles and partners are often very taxing on my back when I partner in rehearsals. Injured. The strain and load on my back was enough to crack a rib and cause an annular tear in my T12 disc. I spent 18 months trying to recover, but the final choice was to either have spinal surgery or retire. .
Have you always wanted to design?
“I have always been interested in art and design, and while I was a professional dancer, I trained myself in 3D modeling and animation using design software programs such as Adobe and Maya. I have never been formally trained as a designer, But still managed to work in development marketing and packaging. After retiring from the dance world, I even did some 3D model building and animation for a short time.
You designed shoes for Bloch and Capezio. How did you start working for them?
“After I retired, I worked with Greg Barrett on his book, tutu. I was supposed to drive the Australian Ballet dancers from the Sydney Opera House to the filming location and back. I ended up helping choreograph the shoot, and one of the dancers was related to the Bloch family. I ended up being the choreographer for a Bloch photo shoot. David Wilkenfeld, the owner of Bloch, asked me to come on board and I became footwear brand manager. Bloch hired me because I knew what the dancers needed to perform, not because I knew how to make shoes—but I didn’t! David really took care of me and taught me the shoe business. I moved to Capezio as their shoe designer and continued to develop my skills. The biggest lesson I learned at Bloch and Capezio was finding a compromise between the needs of the dancers and the practicalities of manufacturing and distribution.
yesOur shoes are thoughtfully designed, meaning they are exactly what dancers need. Can you comment on your process?
“At Bloch, I was responsible for the custom pointe shoe business. I fit professionals, built custom solutions with them, and then passed these designs on to the pointe shoe manufacturers. Over a period of six years , I have fitted and designed over 5,000 pairs of custom pointe shoes for professionals in 50 dance companies. This unique experience taught me how to manage the expectations of both dancers and pointe shoe manufacturers. I was able to close my eyes and imagine myself moving and thinking about design ideas at the same time.
What did you do after working for Bloch and Capezio? Why start your own company?
“After Capezio, I wanted to apply everything I learned into my own company. I launched MDM Dancewear in 2012 with my wife, former ballet dancer Simone Goldsmith. I wanted to develop a product that didn’t No preconceptions or traditional ballet shoes. MDM’s mission is to create smart dance shoes with features that prevent injury and enhance core strength. in the product.
Can you talk about the challenges of starting your own company?
“Cash flow is huge. Having enough money to grow the business and generate all the wonderful ideas from the creative team is the biggest challenge. We often find ourselves sitting there, staring at prototypes that we know are incredible, waiting for us to accrue Enough money to justify the cost of production. This can be very frustrating, but it’s part of running a business that we have to accept. Another challenge is the universal involvement of dance safety, which is an important part of the philosophy on which we built our company. Work closely with dance medicine experts and attend incredible events like the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS).
What advice would you give to dancers seeking a second career in dance costume design?
“There are two types of dance wear companies. Company A develops products that are no different than their competitors. Anyone can become a designer for Company A as they do not need any experience in the field. Most dance wear companies are Company A, that’s why we haven’t seen much change in product design in 200 years. Company B wants to implement change and be able to find a better way of doing things, in this case for apparel and footwear designers. It’s important to be a dancer. The most important skills to include on your resume are: Dance Career, Industrial Design, Project Management. Some luck is required when pursuing a career in dance design, as there is no formal training or clear career path. Be prepared, develop your potential, and train for the unique (and often secret) skills you need. There’s no better candidate for the dedication, intelligence, and skills required of a dancer for any job anywhere in the world. Initiative and dedication to teamwork are completely transferable to any career and are highly valued by employers. If there are dancers who are nearing the end of their career, or are not even planning to start a dance career, they need to realize their value. .
These are pithy words from Tim Heathcote, and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. MDM dance apparel can be found at mdmdance.com
Created by Mary Carpenter of Dance Informa.
