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| How to Contact Us |
By mail:
Tutu.Com
PO Box 472287
Charlotte, NC 28247-2287
USA
By telephone or FAX:
Direct Customer Service number, for orders, questions, concerns, and general information:
1.704.542.2433
Toll-Free Order number (USA and Canada only, Orders only):
1.877.888.8266 (1-877-TUTUCOM), or 1.866.372.4487
FAX number, for orders, questions, concerns, measure charts:
1.704.542.1564
By Email:
at tutuclub@aol.com
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| The Staff |
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Ms. Claudia Folts
Claudia trained with the Harkness House for Ballet Arts in NYC, and began her professional career with the school's Harkness Dance Theatre.
She went on to dance with the Baltimore Ballet, Ruth Page's Chicago Ballet, Alphonso Cata's Ballet on Broadway, The New York City Opera, and an international tour with The Pavlova Celebration.
During this time, she became involved in costuming, and discovered a true passion and talent for the art.
After retiring from the stage, she founded Charlotte City Ballet and The Charlotte City Ballet School, sending many dancers on to the professional world at companies like Joffrey, ABT, NYCB, and others.
She also opened Dancewear and More!, a retail dancewear boutique, began writing books on costume design and construction, and developing patterns for ballet-oriented costumes and dancewear.
Over the years, she has designed for dancers and companies worldwide, for her own professional and student companies, for Miss USA contestants,
and for professional ballerinas and danseurs in the USA, Australia, England, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, and many other countries.
She has fit thousands of dancers in hundreds of brands and models of pointe shoes and other dancewear.
Her one-of-a-kind books and patterns are in use by professional and amateur costumers worldwide,
and her costuming seminars attract participants of all levels from around the globe.
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Ms. Therese St. Germain
She can be a little sarcastic, and a little caustic, and has helped create a new word around here - 'sarcaustic'.
A past dancer and a current actress, Therese danced for Claudia in the Charlotte City Ballet several years ago before moving on to 'more opportune' stage opportunities.
She's really fond of saying (very 'sarcaustically') "I was smart enough to get away from Claudia back in my younger days, but not quite smart enough to dodge the latest bullet!"
They caught up to each other a few years back, and Therese was finally worn down by the promise of "Come work with us - it'll be great fun!"
..... and now her days are filled with ringing phones, order forms, 'helpful tips' from Zelda, memorizing a few hundred-thousand inventory numbers and prices, and holding back the dog when UPS arrives.
As Claudia's Executive Assistant, she is also charged with keeping Claudia out of jail and out of the hospital, keeping track of her keys and cellphone, remembering where the car got parked, and many other daily challenges that Claudia must face.
In Therese's words: "A Life Fulfilled!" - We understand, and completely agree... :)
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The 'Triplets' - Savannah, Alexis, Marie
We just call them all 'SAM' because we can never actually figure out which one is which.
They work in many facets of the business - except sewing!
None of the 'Triplets SAM' are gifted with a needle, and all are 'scissorly (and other sharp things) challenged'.
They seem to spend a lot of time arguing over whose turn it is to answer the phone, help pack-up shipping, pull orders, do downloads, file stuff, handle email, etc, etc - but at the end of the day, it's all done!
They're always fun to be around, and if all the chatter gets to be a little too much to handle... well, Therese can usually shut them up with a 'sarcaustic' whack to the back of their collective heads.
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Ms. Jessie Alford
Jessie is affectionately known as 'One of Those Sweat-Shop Girls', but she's actually Claudia's Shop Assistant.
As a tutu and 8-piece bodice maker, and most anything else at the sewing machines, she is seriously fast and definitely an expert!
And, as our resident math wizard, she can figure fabric amounts with lightning speed one minute, then tutor Claudia's algebra-challenged daughter the next.
The oldest of about 27 kids (or so it feels to Jessie), she's very quiet and very reserved - most days, the machines make more noise than she does.
We figure having all those brothers and sisters is why she so easily deals with all the daily drama and noise around here!
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Ms. Zelda Lipschitz
We'll probably never put up this photo.
Zelda's pretty much just hanging out here during the day (and occasionally later into the evening than we like).
She's here to keep us laughing - the stories you should hear! -
and for us to keep her off the stage, away from backstage, and out of trouble.
We try not to let her near the phones or email (or the website), but... if you find yourself talking to a crusty old broad
with a heavy Bronx accent, who just called you 'Dearie' in a voice sounding like she was raised on Lucky Strikes and Jack Daniels,
well then, you're talking to Zelda - please be nice!
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Michael
This is a photo that will never get posted.
Michael spends most of his life in what we (sort of) jokingly call the 'Bat Cave', keeping our computers running,
handling the mundane daily operations, and trying to keep the website, catalogs, books, and forms current.
He surfaces on occasion for food and sleep, and to ask what season and year it is.
We can usually get him outdoors (during the day!) a couple of times each year, but the sunlight blinds him,
and the neighbors tend to complain about the glare.
He seldom answers the phone, but if you do talk to him - please be gentle, we need him!
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Flea-Flea, Carly, Roxie - Our Menagerie
They help keep us grounded, 'in-touch', and stress-free.
Our 'grey ghost' kitty Flea-Flea has lived with Claudia since the early 1990's, and considers herself the resident 'expert' on tutu design, color selection, and all decorating choices.
She has an affinity for pinks and purples, prefers Classical tutus over Romantics, and loves lace, amethyst rhinestones, and anything satin.
Carly is our 96-pound 'guard-dog' - you may hear her in the background as she notifies us of every 'trespass' by UPS, FEDEX, and the Post Office.
From her point of view, 'it may be the same guy, but it's a different day!'
She's very loyal and very sweet (but not always very bright).
Roxie (our 'European' kitty) has little interest in dance or costuming, but will sometimes visit the shop to offer a faintly-accented (and often ill-timed) critique now and then.
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A Special Note of Sincere Appreciation and Thanks to:
Mr. Alun Jones, for all of his support and advice over the years.
Ms. Kellie Sheehan of the NYCB Costume Shop, for teaching us the techniques of creating those gorgeous hand-wired tiaras.
Ms. Cheryl Beasley, for her pattern-grading skills and a lot of moral support.
Ms. Betsy Blackmore of North Carolina Dance Theatre, for being there when needed, and for keeping us laughing with her wonderful daily emails.
Ms. Lorin Hawkins for a lot of very incredible graphics work, way back when.
www.tutu.com Tutu.Com Inc. PO Box 472287, Charlotte NC 28247, USA email: tutuclub@aol.com
All images and logos are the copyrighted property of Tutu.Com, Inc., unless otherwise noted
Tutu.Com, Get the Pointe Dancewear, Developpé Publishing, & Developpé Designs,
are registered trademarks of Tutu.Com, Inc.
© ® 1997-2006 All Rights Reserved
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