Why I Recommend Apolla Shocks

The revolution begins

Apolla Shocks are everywhere right now. Your favorite dancers on “So You Think You Can Dance”, on tour with “Shaping Sound”, at conventions, in class, and on competition stages. These dancers are not just wearing socks. They are wearing Shocks!

What do all these dancers know that you don’t? Why are they building such a strong and loyal customer base? To understand better, we asked some of the most trusted dancers, choreographers, and physical therapists in the dance community why they recommend Apolla Shocks?

Mandy Moore
(award winning producer, director & choreographer)

“I wear Apolla Shocks when I am in the studio all day creating. They make my feet feel like they are on clouds! Who knew that a little sock could bring such happiness to my aching feet…”

Heather Southwick, PT, MSPT
(Director of Physical Therapy for Boston Ballet)


“At Boston Ballet we are honored to work with the amazing team at Apolla collaborating with them on future products and including them as part of the Boston Ballet Health Alliance. As the Director of Physical Therapy for Boston Ballet, I have been working with Apolla products for a few years with our company dancers. Our dancers love the support and the feeling of the Shocks and use them for contemporary ballets. They also wear them for recovery and sometimes class. I highly recommend Apolla Shocks after dancing for recovery and wear them myself when I am working in the theater on the cement floors. I find I have less achiness and feel better energy even after a long day on my feet. Many of our artistic staff wear them for teaching and to help with chronic issues in their feet and ankles. The support and compression are unparalleled technology in this industry and our dancers wear them when flying internationally for touring and guest performances too. They report that they get off a long flight feeling ready to dance and wear pointe shoes. The mission and philosophy of Apolla aligns well with our vision at Boston Ballet to be innovative and ahead of the curve in all things and definitely in the health of our dancers.
”

Lex Ishimoto
(Dancer, Choreographer, SYTYCD Winner Season 14, Shaping Sound)

“Highly recommend Apolla for whomever it may concern. Coming back from several ankle injuries, the support-compression-comfort level all meets the criteria for me to feel safe and perform at my highest level. Plus, they’re mad subtle for everyday wear outside of dance.”

Lauren Adams
(Choreographer on faculty with 24 Seven Dance Convention)
“My Apolla Shocks have made a huge impact in my overall physical health as a dance educator and choreographer… I’ve noticed that my feet are no longer sore at the end of the night. I have high arches, and my ankles and feet are prone to injury, so I am relieved to feel lifted and supported in my shocks… Thank you, Apolla for all you are doing for us dancers, teachers and choreographers!”

Melody Lacayanga
(Dancer, teacher, choreographer on faculty with Art of Movement Dance Convention & STYYCD All-Star)

“Apolla saved me! As dancers, teachers and choreographers, we are always on our feet. I myself began suffering from plantar fasciitis a few years ago. I always worked through the pain, even on days when it was so bad I could barely walk. Since wearing the Apolla Shocks, the pain has decreased immensely. I rarely have pain now! I love the compression and flexibility of the sock, which offer the necessary support and stability, yet allowing maximum articulation through the foot. The option of having traction was also a serious game changer! I don’t do very much activity without my Shocks. I even wear them in my sneakers while doing cardio and while traveling on planes. The biggest plus for me is not having to deal with pain, and that has allowed me to enjoy my passion for movement that much more. Apolla is a must have for dancers and athletes at any level!?

Who and what is Apolla?

Shocks
are created by Apolla Performance Wear. Apolla is an all-female owned startup that makes 100% of their products in the USA and the creators are all former dancers. They are a company that based this new footwear in sport science research while preserving the traditions and aesthetics dancers hold dear. DID YOU KNOW? Dancer injury rates are TWICE the amount as football players from the knee down. It’s true! Most of those injuries are caused by overuse, repetitive strain & inflammation (65% from the knee down). This inflammation causes pain and aches which can lead to chronic injuries.

Apolla Shocks help you ache less & feel better…as you can see from the testimonials in this article. How do they do that?

• Targeted compression to assist circulation & recovery by reducing inflammation
• Arch support & ankle stability similar to the support provided by taping
• Knit-in energy absorption provides metatarsal comfort

What exactly is compression?

Compression feels like your feet and ankles are receiving a nice, snug hug and it’s used regularly by athletes all over the world for training, performance, and recovery. It will feel different but in a good way. Apolla uses compression levels that are high enough to effectively lift the plantar fascia in targeted insertion points on the arches to help keep it lifted and supported. It also helps to stabilize the ankle’s tendons and ligaments. This is very similar to the support you get from taping except it allows for better movement and comfort. This compression helps remove the inflammation, which in turn helps you ache less and feel better…so you can dance longer & dance stronger!

What about traction? My dancers slip in socks!

We discovered something great about Apolla Shocks. You can also have traction! The traction is a unique adhesive that can be refreshed to keep “re-sticking” the grip over and over…can you do that with your dance shoes? This grip allows you to wear them in studio or on stage. They also come in NON-traction which is essential to protect our bodies on the carpeted concrete at conventions, inside tap or hip-hop shoes, or around the house after class for recovery. They are also great for travel and everyday wear. What do some of the country’s top dance teachers and choreographers think? Here is another small sample:

Jaimie Goodwin
(SYTYCD All-Star, dancer, teacher, faculty Revel and Titans Dance convention)

“I absolutely love my Shocks. They give me so much support in my arches and the compression provides incredible relief.”

David Crosson D.C. SFMA, FRR FRCms
(Chirofit: Chiropractic and Physical Therapy)

“Apolla Shocks have outperformed our patient’s expectations. From dancers to basketball players the feedback has been outstanding. We have started to use the shocks in clinical cases of ankle sprains, lower limb swelling when appropriate and plantar fasciitis; the combination of compression and comfort has kept our patients compliant with their therapy protocols while out of the office.”

Kaelyn Gray
(Dancer, teacher, choreographer, creator of #BringTapToThePeople)
“Taking care of my body has become a priority – Apolla Shocks (Joules especially!) are my secret weapon to keep my feet pain free during long weekends of tap dancing!”

Cat Cogliandro
(Dancer, teacher, choreographer, creator of Catastrophe! Dance Company)
“Not only were the Shocks instant relief to my throbbing Achilles, but to my entire body…I’m seeing an entire difference in my heart, body and SOUL. I can dance, jump and twirl like my old self again and I can’t thank Apolla enough for [literally] getting me back on my feet…These socks are truly a revolution and I’m so happy to be a part of It. Thank you, Apolla, for helping me to dance longer and stronger. You have saved me.”

Emily Bufferd
(Choreographer, teacher, producer Young Choreographer’s Festival)
” My Apolla Shocks save my #dancelife on the regular. I teach in them, fly in them, and sometimes even sleep in my legwarmers – the compression they provide keeps my feet and calves feeling good for long periods of time, and provide helpful support for an old injury. Gratitude for Apolla’s existence!”

Magic socks…why NOT?

WAIT, we know what you are thinking. They are just socks, right? I don’t allow my kids to wear socks. They must wear dance shoes. They must be barefoot etc,etc. To which we say no, they are Shocks! Apolla has patented compression technology along with grip that really make them so much more than socks, they are like a shoe…thus why Shoe + Sock…equals the aptly named Shock!

We also wonder about the injuries we are exposing our dancers to by forcing them to dance without any support or protection in traditional dance shoes or bare feet. SO, we pose this question to the dance community: Why NOT? For years, dancers have worn dance shoes they think make dancing easier. What they are told is “correct” to wear in a certain style for class. Or wear what is “traditional.” The truth is, the footwear options available to dancers are often poorly made, uncomfortable, and offer zero support. There are also many dancers who refuse to wear dance shoes and wear regular socks that can be dangerous without traction, offer zero support, are ill-fitting and do not last. Others just opt to go barefoot which creates sanitary concerns and does not help with supporting or protecting the dancer’s feet. We have dance teachers that can only teach in tennis shoes because they are suffering from chronic injuries like plantar fasciitis.…Shouldn’t we be looking to stop this cycle? We can do better for the future of dance. When dancers suffer from career ending injuries way too early or are plagued with chronic injuries, we should be looking to advance the dance community with sport science technology like all other athletes are doing.

Let’s compare

How do we choose what to put on our dancer’s feet? What makes something “acceptable footwear?” Showing off the feet? Not slipping? Allows you to feel the floor? We compared Apolla Shocks side by side with other options:

From our investigation and testimonials from industry leaders, Apolla Shocks don’t inhibit you from feeling the floor and even have styles that allow you to dance barefoot to build calluses but still give you the support you need. Additionally, Apolla Shocks have a revolutionary traction, show off the feet, come in colors that compliment any line, and are durable. They outperform “dance shoes” in every way! It has become clear why so many of our most trusted dancers and mentors have adopted The Shocks as their go-to footwear.

What about the price?

Looking at the cost of the Apolla Shocks, if you think of them as a regular sock it may seem high. However, we learned they are a premium product and if you research high quality compression socks in a running store, they are quite a steal! Plus, once we discovered how durable they are, we felt it was comparable to any dance shoe. Some dance shoes you are going thru every 3 months and Apolla Shocks guarantee they will last 6-9 months. Since these give you support and dance shoes don’t, but Shocks last longer…you can make your own call on if the price is worth the investment.

In conclusion!

If you made it this far in the article and still say, “Sorry… I’m old school…this just won’t work at my studio.” We ask, have you tried them yet? We feel the evidence presented in this article makes them worth a try. We ask you to consider all the traditions that have been changed with the advancement of education, not only in dance but all athletics and throughout history. As we learn a new way of doing something more efficient, we adapt and adopt. It is not that we have been doing anything wrong…it is that we didn’t have any other options until now. Something new IS here, so we hope you consider that maybe…just maybe, it is time to evolve as artists do and reconsider what is “acceptable footwear” for our dancers. Let’s protect the future of dance and give dancers the gift of a life filled with their passion and longevity to do what their body and soul crave…to dance longer and dance stronger! WE recommend Apolla Shocks!

Go to www.apollaperformance.com to Learn More about this revolutionary footwear.