Our Story
An Australian Dance Brand Grounded in Movement
At Slick Dancewear, we believe a dancer performs best when their focus is on their craft, not their footwear. In studios around the world, dancers train for hours repeating, refining, and building control. Their gear needs to support that reality and help them work smarter, not harder.
We are Ben and Kate, and Slick is our Australian, family-owned brand based in New South Wales. Long before stepping in to lead the business, we were part of the Slick community ourselves. With a lifetime in the dance industry, Kate brings deep technical and practical insight, while our children test the product week after week in real studio conditions.
We first experienced Slick as professionals and parents. What stood out was the consistency of the product: reliable construction, thoughtful design, and durability that held up under real use. When the opportunity came to take over from the original founder, Steve, the decision was straightforward. We believed in the product because we had already relied upon it.
Today, we bring two complementary perspectives to the brand. Kate’s industry knowledge ensures our products reflect the needs of dancers, teachers, and studios. Ben’s background in procurement and supply chain management drives consistency, quality control, and product integrity.
Our focus is simple. Protect what made Slick trusted in the first place and continue to refine it for the demands of today’s dancers.
Fewer Products, Harder Working
We take a deliberate approach to design. Rather than building large ranges, we focus on fewer products and refine them deeply. Each style must perform consistently, hold its structure, and support repeatable training over time.
Our process starts from the ground up:
For Dancers:
Footwear and tights designed to move naturally with the body. From ballet, jazz, and tap shoes to precision legwear, our products allow for total control, clarity, and continuity through every movement.
For Parents:
Durable, high-quality essentials you can rely on. We build our gear to withstand demanding training schedules and endless wash cycles, giving you peace of mind.
For Studios:
Consistency across classes and levels, with footwear that behaves predictably in every rehearsal.
This disciplined approach allows us to create dance footwear in Australia that prioritises performance over excess.
Designed by Movement
Everything we design begins with how a dancer interacts with the floor. We consider how weight is transferred, how sound is produced, and how movement continues from one step to the next. From there, each product is shaped with restraint and intent.
We do not design to follow trends or adapt one style across multiple disciplines. Each category is built around its specific movement demands.
The Science of Sound: ACOUSTEC™ Technology
Our design philosophy is most evident in our tap footwear. We treat the tap shoe as an instrument. Our Oxford and PRO tap shoes are engineered with loose-fitting plates and ACOUSTEC™ tap plate technology to maximise resonance, clarity, and tonal depth. This allows dancers to produce sound with precision and hear the result clearly. The focus is simple: control, consistency, and response.
Supporting Studios and Partners
Slick Dancewear is shaped by the practical realities of the Australian dance industry. We work closely with studios and retail partners through Wholesale Partnerships and our Studio Alliance program. We provide flexible pathways for businesses to access purpose-built footwear while maintaining consistency in their programs.
Our role is simple: provide product that performs reliably and supports the work happening in studios every day.