I'm choreographing a musical and realized my character shoes from 2008 are a little dicey now (the heel literally fell off lol). I don't necessarily need character shoes, but I do want to get some sort of cute shoe that I can teach in and are a little more robust than my ballet shoes. I used to have various lyrical jazz shoes way back in the day (1996 haha), so after looking to see what kind of shoes they still make, I found some that Allegro carries. Better yet, the two shoes I wanted to try they had on clearance (I guess they may be discontinuing them?) for a bargain on their website. They only had shoes in what I thought would be way too small, but I figured I'd give it a try. I went yesterday (almost exactly 2 years to the day since the last time I was here), and it was a great experience yet again. The sales associate was super nice and brought out both shoes, and surprisingly they were only about a half size too small. But, for $10 for the cheaper pair, I figured it's good enough and maybe they'll stretch a little as I wear them. I can make any shoe fit if I'm motivated enough. I also impulse purchased the cute hoodie that I mentioned in my review back from September 2023 (see photo from that review). I saw that they still have it and so I couldn't pass it up this time. They were quite busy when I was there (about 3pm on a Thursday), so it's great to see them thriving. read more

Extremely disappointing experience. We attended a scheduled pointe shoe fitting and were sold the wrong size shoes (size 5 for a size 9 dancer). We trusted the professional fitting, only to find out at home that the shoes didn't fit at all. When the mistake was brought to their attention, the store refused to exchange or refund because one shoe had been sewn--even though the sizing error was theirs. Offering a $15 credit instead was insulting. Poor service and zero accountability. Do not recommend. read more

Loved the owner. Got a mini Argentine tango lesson. Bought three pairs of shoes. Great experience shopping

I enjoyed my excpierences visiting allegro a few times. But first as a student who competes, performs, and takes classes on point I noticed that the fitting were not the best. I spent a long time waiting and when I was taken care of the woman was having an issue with a costumer and wasn't fully focused on my shoe fitting. They put me in star pointe which didn't fit my foot well with a taperd box and it dint help my disappearing heel at all. The options are nice for dancewear but not my favorite. The prices are quite high and in my opinion not worth the wast of time and not worth the value. read more

Allegro Dance Boutique-- can't be beat, pardon the 'pun' ( or whatever the correct grammar term is! my apologies). I have been coming here, mostly to their Evanston location, for over 20 years and its service; staff; product line and Quality of its selection are nonpareil-- Unequalled. With regards to: - 1) Product selection: outfitting the dance needs of myself ( and students when I was teaching ) - 2) Staff: working knowledge of industry-- Specific to dance retail-- * and work with their clients on a one-to-one- basis, withOut a 'one size fits all approach.' Pointe Shoe fittings-- let's just say that Every time I think I don't need the fitting again-- I am soo... glad I did it with them! All their staff are great-- Katie, Kat, and Emma? are whom I worked with most recently on my pointe fittings but All their staff are well-qualified to assist. -3) Product selection exquisite-- the size of their boutiques are perfectly suited so that there is something to suit Everyone's taste but -- Class and Elegance in all their offerings. Nothing 'cheap, gaudy or low-class. Additionally, * Allegro-- Victoria Lyman-- the owner of the whole franchise-- single-handedly assisted me in securing ballet shoes for 'underprivileged' ( again-- my apologies if this is Not the current politicslly correct term!) students I was teaching-- they could Not have afforded them without her assistance in discounting the shoes. NOT a 'regular' thing they can do but in this case-- it was genuinely the Best gift these students could have asked for; allowing them to dance in classical ballet pieces and do a recital. * Serious dancers will Love this boutique~ Highly recommend Allegro. read more

Great customer service! Kalliope helped me out and she's very kind and knowledgeable.

Great service, my daughter was fitted for her pointe shoes and they really worked with her to ensure she selected the best shoe for her. They took their time and made good recommendations for new pointe shoe dancers. They are pricey but dance is expensive. read more

This place is so adorable and the customer service is so so good. Resist the urge to buy online... come here instead. You will not overpay. The experience is so much better and you're supporting a local business. They have everything you need for dance class and are familiar with the local studios and will point you in the right direction. My girls both get their dance class attire here. Great experience. read more

Consistently good service every time we have gone. Good selection. Everyone there knows their stuff and treats my daughter like she is an adult. read more

Needed last minute ballet shoes for my daughter, and this place did not disappoint. We were able to pick up a pair of the cutest, super comfortable Leather Juliet's the day before her recital and were very pleased with the quality of service we received. Will definitely come back for future needs. read more

My daughter's been dancing since she was 4, and at first I could easily get Danskin leotards, tights, and even ballet skirts and slippers at Walmart. Once she got older, I had to start looking around. Allegro gives participants of her dance program a 10% discount, and besides that, they are helpful and friendly. They have a cute section for younger girls in the front of the store, and the rest is laid out nicely. But they are helpful and usually always successful in finding what we need. Oh and they have the best tights! This is our go to place for all of her dance needs. read more

**Update- I emailed the owner twice (once before the review was written and once after)based on her response below. I did this in good faith to resolve the issues. I never got a response** The customer service at this store has gone down significantly over the last several years. I used to shop here for pointe shoes over online retailers because of the level of customer service I received. Most recently, I placed an order and called to get an update on the anticipated arrival. I left several messages and emails. None of these were returned until several days later when a manager called saying the would update me later that same day. Again my call was never returned. I called back a few days later and was told again that someone would call me back. No one called me back again. I was so frustrated because I could not get any answer on the anticipated arrival of my order, despite several calls over a week. Anyone who orders pointe shoes knows how hard it can be to not know when your shoes will arrive and if you need to come up with a back up plan. A simple response from anyone was all I was looking for. I finally just asked for a refund, which they did provide, only after telling them I would dispute the charge with my CC company. So I now I have to restart the ordering process with a different company. Ver read more

I travel 52 miles to get to Allegro and I know I pass many dance shops along the way. My daughter has been on pointe now for about 3 years and because of her small foot has been very difficult to find a shoe that works for her. They have a great selection and people who know how to fit properly. We finally have found a store that knows how to fit her and I will travel the distance to get there!! Service is outstanding, and the atmosphere is beautiful. I would highly recommend without hesitation. read more

The selection is great and the pointe shoe fittings are fabulous. If they do not have what you are looking for they go out of their way to locate the item and bring it in to the shop or they will ship it directly to your home. Special shout out to Ashley the inventory manager who recently went above and beyond in solving a pointe shoe crisis for my daughter just before YAGP. Thanks Allegro!! read more

Excellent customer service. My daughter was having issues finding Pointe Shoes in stock anywhere, and found 1 pair left at Allegro (Evanston) Placed the order, recieved a call and an email saying they would be shipped ASAP. The employees at Allegro Dance (Evanston) went above and beyond. read more

I had to take two trains and walk a mile to get here but it was definitely worth it. This place looked inviting before I even stepped inside. The display window is adorably decorated. Then when I got in, I was extremely impressed by how much variety they had when it came to dance shoes and apparel. The decor is also beautiful. The girl who helped me had short red hair and a nose piercing and was really sweet. I needed new pointe shoes and she had me try on at least 15 pairs to make sure I got the perfect ones for me. She was attentive to every detail of the shoes and how well they would work for me. She was definitely the most helpful salesperson I've ever encountered. The rest of the staff was also very friendly, smiling and saying hello to me as they were busy arranging things around the store. I'd recommend Allegro to anyone. I'm so happy with my new pointe shoes :) read more

Great service at Allegro. Wonderful selection of shoes and leotards. Pointe Shoe Fitters are very knowledgeable.

Allegro is a hidden gem in the suburbs. They carry dance supplies for both the professional dancer or those just looking to stay fit. They carry all major brands of dance wear. If they don't have it, they usually can order it for you. The staff are very personable and friendly. The new location is greatly improved and is a delightful experience in the new store. read more

Big selection and resonable prices. We went at a busy time but staff was still very pleasant and extremely helpful!

The staff here is just beyond awesome! They know their stuff. They are patient! Which is so critical when fitting for pointe shoes!! Best place to buy pointe shoes & slippers & any other dance supplies! I love supporting this business! I can't say enough nice things about them! read more

Expert care, beautiful space, convenient access and the team is super professional. Whether you're getting your first pair of pointe shoes or the ensemble for your next audition...this is the place. Great product mix and their windows are always super cute. I've been here a few times to find gifts for a dancer in the family and the girls that were working each time (all dancers) helped me find the perfect thing. I will be back again for sure! read more

Allegro Dance Boutique - A slice of the Allegro interior! - Dance Wear Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

When I needed to buy dance shoes for my 3 year old daughter for her first ballet class, I looked to this adorable little boutique in Evanston. Everything about this shop oozes dance and professionalism. They have staff trained to help fit dance shoes to children and I was really impressed by the staff's demeanor with my daughter as we tried on a few pairs for the perfect fit. She was adamant about her distaste in the pink shoes and was about to recoil into a tight-lipped unhappy preschooler until she was presented with the option of a pretty black pair that got her agreement on the spot (shhhh....don't tell my daughter they were actually the exact same shoe, just different color). They know about the attire requirements of all the local classes and all levels from the experimental to the hard core pointe dancers, and even have some discounts available with local schools including the park district where my daughter was enrolled. They don't charge an arm and a leg for the shoes, which is a relief knowing that they'll only last my daughter one season before she grows out of them. They sell quality respected brands and have plenty of lovely apparel in stock for both young & more mature dancers. If I hadn't already found leotards for my daughter you can believe I would've walked out of there with some super cute dancewear as well! The shop is well laid out and it's easy to find things you need. They have a little wing of the store devoted to the little ones right there at the front. Parking is on or across the street in the busy area of Evanston near the university, but it's still accessible. If you are a dancer or know a dance enthusiast this is a great place to check out. read more

I LOVE this store!!! Everything is so lovely there and I never leave without a bag full of goodies. Today Alix was our fitter and spent hours helping my friend and I find our perfect pointe shoes. She even let us stay well after closing to complete our fitting and purchases. She was very knowledgeable and we could tell our satisfaction was important to her. Alix was also very personable and we enjoyed our time there. We had an appointment and arrived early to peruse the store. Several employees checked in with us to give us updates as to when it was our turn. We will definitely go back! read more

This place is awesome I'm a gymnast and I go here for the latest leo's i have fitted some on the were a tiny bit scratchy but most of the time they are aweome it is a 10 year old girl gymnast's DREAM COME TRUE! ( Thats me) read more

We were visiting Chicago from out of town and wanted to take advantage of being in a larger city to get a pointe shoe fitting. Another ballet forum recommended taking the train from downtown to Evanston to visit Allegro. It was well worth the trip. Victoria spent over an hour with my daughter. She was given lots of options. She found multiple pairs she liked better than what she was using. Totally worth the trip. read more

The sales people can be kind and helpful but the owner is extremely rude. Not sure how she thinks she can get away with it but I'd rather go out of my way than to visit there again. And we spend a GOOD DEAL of $$ there, with three kids who dance at DCE. She needs to learn something about customer service. Big time. read more