Good Neighbor Podcast: Bergen
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Bergen County
Good Neighbor Podcast: Bergen
Ep. # 120 Supporting Local Dance Studios: How The Dance Bag Serves the Bergen County Community
From center stage to center stage of her own business, Jessica Loscalzo brings her professional dance background to The Dance Bag, Bergen County's premier dance retail destination now located in Paramus Park Mall.
Jessica's journey began as a 14-year-old professional dancer who eventually competed on Season 2 of "So You Think You Can Dance" before touring with various artists. After 15 years teaching dance, a serendipitous opportunity led her to take over The Dance Bag, transforming her passion for dance into a thriving business serving studios and dancers nationwide.
What makes The Dance Bag special in today's retail landscape? It's the experience and expertise that simply can't be replicated online. Whether it's a 45-minute pointe shoe fitting on their in-store stage or custom-branded studio apparel, Jessica and her team go beyond merely selling products to become trusted partners in every dancer's journey. They work directly with studio owners to ensure parents and students get exactly what they need without the hassle of returns or uncertainty.
The business continues to evolve with innovations like The Dance Bag Convention, bringing together manufacturers, teachers, and dancers for master classes and shopping each August. Despite challenges from online competitors and supply chain issues, The Dance Bag thrives by focusing on community connections and memorable experiences—from a child's first tutu to a graduating senior's solo costume.
For dancers of all ages and styles—ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, or ballroom—The Dance Bag offers quality products and invaluable knowledge. Visit them at their new location in Paramus Park Mall next to Sephora, or call 201-444-6175 to discover why local expertise makes all the difference in dance attire and accessories.
The Dance Bag
Jessica Loscalzo
(201) 444-6175
700 Paramus Park
Paramus Nj 07652
suite 1455
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 2:Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast brought to you by the Bergen Neighbors Media Group, based out of Harrington Park, new Jersey. Today we are traveling far and wide about maybe 10, 15 minutes away in Paramus, new Jersey. We're joined today by Jessica Loscalzo. She is the owner of the Dance Bag located in Paramus. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3:Hi, thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so. Tdb the Dance Bag, tell us about it. What, what's it all about? I mean, is it a dance store? Do I go there? To you know?
Speaker 3:put on my dancing shoes yes, of course, the dance bag was um, originally started in 2001 in ridgewood, new jersey, and we've been in business for quite a long time and serving uh the community, um, locally, along with nationally, with dance supplies. So, leotards, tights, shoes, custom fitting for pointe shoes we're really known for our fitting of pointe shoes and working with studio owners near and far to make sure that they have what they need to equip their dancers and that way, when the parents come in and say, hey, I have no idea what I need for such and such who's starting ballet today, you know we can say oh, what studio are you with? No problem, I have, you know, your black tap shoes and your pink tights and you need purple leotard. Okay, so we have all of that information because we work closely with studio owners owners.
Speaker 3:For the most part, my job is to take some of the stress off of the studio owners and have everybody in their attire that needs. You know what they need to do and the parents feel confident enough that they're getting a good fit, that they're not going on Amazon and having to return 24, seven, you know, like, oh, this didn't fit, this was too small, or whatever. They should be confident enough to come to us have their kids be fitted properly and then for them to perform and have a great you know experience and dance. It's just to make everyone's life a little bit easier. But on top of that we work closely with studios and businesses because we have a custom gear department where we do, you know, sweatshirts, um you know, um sweatshirts, hoodies, um, okay, Branded with everybody's name.
Speaker 3:You know, and um, and that's something that we also, uh, have built up and you know, definitely worked with studio owners and, uh, businesses near and far and nationally actually, like, some of my customers are in Vegas and they're in California and you know, so it's great. I mean, honestly, the Dance Bag is a name in the community that people can trust and we hope to just further that. We were originally on Route 17 for the past 15 to 17 years and we just recently moved into, maybe three weeks ago, into Paramus Park Mall, which is exciting for us, wow, ok.
Speaker 2:So I am not a dance dad, although I learned that term from a friend of mine who has three daughters who dance in Rivervale at a dance school you probably know of. But so how many dance schools are there in Bergen County? Oh, gosh. Is there like one in every town.
Speaker 3:Maybe multiples in towns, like I know in Waldwick there's a, you know at least three in a five block radius. You know what I'm saying. Like, um, I believe, when it comes to picking a studio or, you know, going to a dance studio, all of them have are great. For the most part it's whatever's best for your child and who they connect with the most. That is how you get a positive experience at a dance studio. Per se Me, I'm just the person that comes in and tells you, hey, this is what you need, this is where you, you know this is the attire that you need and you know, keep going. But definitely there are studios all over. Let's just say Bergen County, but in New Jersey, obviously all over.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's funny, like I don't think there's, I know there there is one in harrington park or there used to be. I don't know if it's still open, but it's here forever. And then altapan. I don't know if there's one in altapan, but rivervale.
Speaker 3:No, but rivervale has yeah, they're, they're close you also. You're closer to like where park ridge is right and you know, there's definitely stuff around there too. So, yes, there is, you know, studios all over the place Emerson Emerson yep, definitely, and you know it's not just ballet and tap and everything. There's Irish dance. You know there's, you know they have those Right.
Speaker 2:What if you're an adult and you're going to Fred Astaire?
Speaker 3:Fred Astaire is great. There's also an adult studio in Ramsey that does absolutely wonderful adult classes, where they can take a Broadway jazz. It's not just Zumba or something like that. They could take a contemporary or a Broadway jazz class and they're really geared towards that as well, which is wonderful to take, it's not? Just going into the city to take an adult class.
Speaker 2:Would I come to you if I needed something, if I'm a guy doing jazz classes.
Speaker 3:A hundred percent.
Speaker 2:We carry both men and women. So what do you sell for that adult dance aficionado?
Speaker 3:Well, there's the shoes. There's also certain types of pants that you could wear. Oh, okay, you know definitely all of that, you know. For men it's a little bit more, you know, cut and dry, opposed to when a woman could say, hey, I want a jazz shoe, or I want a jazz sneaker, or I'm looking for a heel or you know which. We carry all of those options no-transcript.
Speaker 2:And then they had a little judged competition and the men were, you know, some of the men were decked out, you know they had some, yeah, I'm sure.
Speaker 1:So I was like man, where'd you?
Speaker 3:get those shoes, you know the very cool. They probably got them at the dance bag.
Speaker 2:Nice, nice, so yeah. So I guess now are there. You mentioned Amazon and obviously, okay, I got to get something for my daughter and, like you said, I mean it seems like it has to be the right fit. So it could be kind of annoying continually trying and returning things. Are there a lot of competitors to what you offer? Yes, there are.
Speaker 3:There are. But I mean we all love Amazon, don't get me wrong. I mean, even as a business owner, sometimes I have to use Amazon for things. You know what I'm saying. But for me it's yes, it's hard to be convenient for the most part, but for having a small business or you know people coming to me you're getting the experience of the dance bag and knowledge of products that Amazon doesn't give you. You know what I'm saying Like. And that is what we offer and that's what sets us apart and that's why our clientele, for the most part, is so loyal. You know you don't want to go on that Amazon and quickly get a shoe, you know, or a leotard. You don't know what fabric you're doing, you don't know if it's actually the correct shoe or the real shoe. You know there's a lot of fakes out there. You can know that with us you're getting quality brands, quality attire and you know you're being fit properly.
Speaker 2:Okay, no, it makes sense. I mean, that's, um, I personally am not one who normally buys clothes on Amazon because for that reason you've got to return it all the time. But, um, you know, I also am not the biggest in um going to stores and trying things on, but it depends on the experience, and with my son it's different too. Um, so are you a dancer yourself? Like, how did you get into this business?
Speaker 3:I was a professional dancer since the age of 14. I turned professional at 14, actually. Um, I was homeschooled and I did the whole thing and by the age of 18 I was on. So you think you can dance.
Speaker 3:Season two and got very far and then, after I've been on tour for a couple of years with different artists, I got offered a job in Waldwick, new Jersey, with a studio that gave me my starting point and a life pretty much, and I was teaching for 15 years with them before I had two kids, back to back during COVID they're 12 months apart and then for me I just, you know, it takes a certain patience and certain person to be able to juggle, I think, family home and give all to your students. And my students were my everything for a really long time until I had my own kids myself and I made the choice to leave the dance studio and I knew the previous owners of the dance bag and they had said to me hey, if you just want to get out for a little bit and help around the store, I could really use some help. And I was like, yeah, after a week or two of being there she was like you would be perfect to own this business and I was like, oh, really.
Speaker 3:Okay, and it just happened so organically.
Speaker 3:you know like it went from and then, three to four years later, here we are, you know, and that's pretty much how you know, the dance bag well, my dance bag, I guess you could say has come into play, you know, and we tried to make it as a seamless transition from the old owner to me. Um, I worked for about a year just learning the way she did things and how I would want to improve some things and, honestly, half my clientele didn't even realize that there was a switch in ownership. So that really made me feel great.
Speaker 3:Right. So, um, and that was wonderful. And now that we've got some young, fresh blood, I guess you could say in the dance bag, we've done more things. We put on a dance bag convention every August where I bring not only my manufacturers out, so they'll all have booths. I get some of the most popular and hottest teachers to come and teach master classes for a whole day and it's broken up into three levels it's, and under nine to twelve and then thirteen and over.
Speaker 3:You register individually, you don't have to be with a studio and it's just a day for the kids to necessarily dance, enjoy classes, you know, not be in competition, but truly just love the art of dance. And then they could shop at the exact same time. So it was really great. And also it's good for studio owners to come and see what the manufacturers are offering for the next year, whether it's Block or Capizio or Eurotard or Wermois, so Danza, they can see what is offered and say, hey, I want that shoe to be for my kids this coming year and I can stock it. And I know that if you're coming from Sally's School of Dance, that you need and you're required this year, you know. So it's just a way for everybody to get on the same page, which is really nice.
Speaker 2:So where does the convention take place?
Speaker 3:It's at the Park Ridge Marriott on August 17th, on a Sunday, Sunday, August 17th.
Speaker 2:Okay, so people can go to your website to to register.
Speaker 3:Sign up, yeah, and listen, we take all ages and honestly we're just, it's just a fun, fun day of dance. Really that's it. It's, it's wonderful. So we started putting that on last year and it was a big hit and we're doing it again this year, so we're excited. That's great.
Speaker 2:And when I think of dance, of course you think of dancing with the stars, and so I think I could dance and uh. But then I also think of silver linings playbook with, uh, jennifer lawrence and yes rally cooper and, you know, training the dance right yeah, that was a great movie, great movie but when you mentioned, like, what's the latest in you know, attire and things from manufacturers, has the technology changed much over the last 50 years when it comes to shoes?
Speaker 3:Yes, I mean they're more aware of. You know flooring and how it. You know and how you can. You know injury prevention right. All of those things come into play now with the technology, with what shoes are offered. Or you know, like, hey, I want it to look like you don't have shoes on when you're on stage. You know that like there are things that they have come, or a lot of people are dancing, more so in socks. So how is that, you know, for contemporary, had you know?
Speaker 3:it's not just a regular shot sock. It has to have something that has a grip on the bottom to make sure that they don't slip Like. These are all things that technology based has definitely you know, done for for my industry.
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's funny, you mentioned Capizio's.
Speaker 3:I remember in the 80s wearing Capizios. I'm sure Listen. They're one of the most beloved companies and they do what they do well. So 100% I mean we offer quality and brands that we can stand behind and we know are going to withstand the test of time. That's with the dance bag. You're not going to just have any type of manufacturer in here, you're gonna have the major ones.
Speaker 2:I mean I wore white capizios with orange pants. Oh wow, I want to talk about the 80s. I wore that work one day.
Speaker 3:Wow.
Speaker 2:I mean, I was in Manhattan, I was in the music industry, but still I was, I was pretty bold. Oh, that was bold, definitely, but you could get away with it, you know, capizio that was the thing that and the hairspray? Yeah, so I mean. So you trained to be a dancer and um, who trained you to be an entrepreneur and a business owner? Like, how did you learn how to handle all the different skill sets that go into being a business owner?
Speaker 3:Well, the old studio that I was working at, I will say that I give most of my credit to that owner Her name was Kelly Larkin who she taught me how to, for the most part, run a dance studio. I didn't really want to run a dance studio. I worked closely in the office and saw the way that she would handle her customers and her clientele and you know, I mean she was, I would say, my mentor for the most part, you know, along with my father, who has run a business, you know, for his whole life, you know, and my mother-in-law, who you know is a strong, independent woman, who you know, definitely you know, and my mother-in-law, who you know is a strong, independent woman who, who you know, definitely you know, does her thing.
Speaker 3:So I mean I can give my credit to those people, um, but when it came to the dance industry I guess I could say that, um, you know it's, it's hard being I'm not going to lie, it's hard being a business owner, especially in this day and age and also with the competition that's out there. You have those, you know fortune 500 companies. You know like those Amazons, and you know those, those other companies. But you know, when you give your business to a small business, you know you're just helping not only them but the community you know thrive. So I love for people to really think about that when they're going to shop for small businesses.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that's true. I mean, that's what my show and my magazines are all about. It's about promoting community and the business community and local businesses. But a lot of people I spoke to or have spoken to on this show they followed a passion or they used to be something else and then decided to own the business.
Speaker 3:And it's interesting because no one trains you to be an entrepreneur. You don't go to school to learn no, I will say I've learned the hard way in the last, you know, a couple of years, right yeah, I didn't know anything about owning a retail store.
Speaker 3:I know that I'm passionate about kids and wearing the correct fit and knowing that they're safe and that they feel, you know, know, comfortable and confident, and that's the most important thing to me. Um, I want a dancer to make sure that she is. Um, she's so ready that she doesn't have to worry about. Oh, my God, I have a rip in my tights, or oh my.
Speaker 3:God, there's something wrong with my shoes right now. They're not the correct color or I don't have those Bobby pins or those hair nets. You know what I'm saying. And I have flyaways and now I have to. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3:The stress of that I don't need and I and I, and that they can perform the best that they possibly can. And then also for studio owners, you know they want everyone to look uniformed and they want everybody to look their best on stage. So if they call me and say, hey, jess, I need 40 pairs of a caramel tight, you know, and this brand, I say no problem, let me get those sizes for you and I'll get it for you. No problem, it'll be labeled. You know it goes the extra mile. I guess you can say I know what it takes to run a dance studio and to be a dance teacher and as a business owner, and how I'm running the dance bag, my main focus is to make sure that everyone feels that they're getting the product that they need and in a timely fashion, and that we go above and beyond for you all right that that stuff's probably easier for you, but what is it like ordering, inventory and accounting and employees and payroll and marketing?
Speaker 2:I have been.
Speaker 3:I've been blessed with some really great people on my side Payroll, listen. I think that we're learning about. I'm learning about business in this economy. That's just been up and down and it's been rough. A lot of my products come from overseas, so shipping delays and tariffs and all that that affects my business 100%. Products, quality of stuff, things that should be in stock that's so basic sometimes are out of stock for an extended period of time, or it should take four weeks and then all of a sudden it's taking eight weeks, or pointe shoes that I get exclusively from Russia can take 10 to 12 weeks.
Speaker 3:You know, once I put it in order, you know. So, yes, those are the type of things that I've definitely have encountered. As far as finding good employees, I have a wonderful girl that runs, uh, the custom gear department, who is literally like my right hand. My husband, although he has another job during the day, comes and helps me in the afternoon.
Speaker 3:I you know, my father, my mother-in-law. It's very much a business and since we've been in the mall now, we've hired some really great employees that are knowledgeable about dance, who understand our passion and what we want to deliver about dance, who understand our passion and what we want to deliver, and it's, you know, just taking one step at a time.
Speaker 2:I guess you can say yeah, yeah, and I guess you know you have to be able to pivot, like who would have thought there'd be a supply chain shortage during COVID and now with tariffs? I mean, you couldn't plan for that?
Speaker 3:No, but you have to deal with it and I bought the business right out of COVID.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So that's probably why they're like, oh, you'd be perfect for this business, because we want out man, I hope that wasn't their MO.
Speaker 3:But I mean honestly, I feel like we are doing the best that we can. A lot of people can be like oh, I can get that on Amazon cheaper. Well, unfortunately that's great, yeah, and that is a challenge with retail, and that's why a?
Speaker 2:lot of retail is going out of business, but I think it helps having a niche like you do and when your daughter and mostly daughters, I'd imagine are in dance school most parents want what's best for them, and part of the experience of being in in dance school, you know most parents want what's best for them and part of the experience of being in a dance uh school is wearing the outfits and shopping for the outfits, right? So going to a store with your daughter and if you're a mother and you remember that experience with your mother, then you know you can't recreate that with a click on a button.
Speaker 3:listen we do.
Speaker 2:Uh, it's a 45 minute leverage that yeah you know um work, lean into the experience, tap into the emotion and the nostalgia that that mothers have, or when they were dancers and what it was like going with their mother to shop right and performing and being on stage and what it feels like. It's almost like the first stage of you know, that moment when the girl gets to try on a wedding dress.
Speaker 3:Right, right, right, you're trying on your dance outfit.
Speaker 2:Maybe, if you celebrate communion, you're trying on your communion dress.
Speaker 3:Yes, right.
Speaker 2:And then the next step is maybe your graduation gown, your prom dress.
Speaker 3:I will say, like having your first pair of pointe shoes is like a major, monumental thing, you know and go above and beyond to make sure that you have all of the educational process with it. The parents ask questions. It's like a 45-minute process of talking about how to take care of the shoe.
Speaker 3:What you should expect, what you shouldn't expect. How does it feel? What do you think? You know we even have a stage in our, in our store. You know that they have their mirror and they're on the stage with marley floor, so that way they can get a full experience as to what it should feel like on their shoes. And that's why the teachers and studio owners trust us and the parents trust us, right? So that way they're getting all of the information how to take care of it, how to prolong the life of the shoe, when to expect for it to die down, like all of these things. So you know, we pride ourselves in taking those first steps. And you know, first tutus, whether it be your first tutu, your first pair of pointe shoes or your graduating senior solo costume, you know we're with you for the ride.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think by doing the, the, the the bag dance convention is a great kind of brand extension because, again, it's an experience and you bring people in and and trying to create a um, a loyal customer base by having competition. So it's smart. I don't know if you started it, um that I did.
Speaker 3:That's great yeah.
Speaker 2:So is there anything else we, you want our listeners to know, your listeners to know, before we sign off? I mean, you mentioned you're in Paramus. You're in the mall.
Speaker 3:Yes, Right next to Sephora.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:You know what? Come come in and get you know at the dance. But trust us, I guarantee you won't be let down or disappointed. And then, for any reason, I'm always up for, you know, critiques and comments and constructive criticisms, to always make my business better.
Speaker 3:You know what I'm saying Without that, then you know I can't progress and I can't get better. But we're here and we go above and beyond for our clients and that's what I want everybody to know. And also Paramus Park Mall. You know they're starting to do some new and fun and exciting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I kind of lost you, so I might use this moment to say goodbye and let's just finish with the dance bag dot com. Ok, it's in the Paramus Park Mall. Okay, it's in the Paramus Park Mall. You can call Jessica and contact her at 201-444-6175. Or let me say that in my New York accent 444-6175. Jessica, thank you very much for joining us today.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I just gave everybody your phone number and website. Of course, you mentioned that you're in the Paramus Park Mall. Yes, thank you very much, and bear with me for a few seconds while Chuck takes us out. You and I will be right back.
Speaker 3:Bye.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpbergen. com. That's gnpbergen. com, or call 201-298-8325.