An Interview with April Giangeruso of Chameleon Activewear
By Madison Huizinga
Madison Huizinga has been dancing for 13 years, and her favorite styles are ballet and contemporary. Currently, she attends the University of Washington and is studying Communications, Business, and Dance. Madison is presently a company member with Seattle-based dance company Intrepidus Dance. She loves working at Dancewear Center because it allows her to help local dancers find the best shoes, apparel, and equipment possible to further their dance goals and careers. Dance has always been a positive creative outlet for her to express her emotions—so it’s always nice to meet members of the local dance community that relate!
Outside of dance and work, you will find Madison exploring new cafés and restaurants around Seattle, hiking, reading, and traveling.
PICTURED: April Giangeruso, ABT Ballerina & Creator of Chameleon Activewear
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For as long as April Giangeruso can remember, she’s been drawn to fashion. Whether it’s everyday, streetwear, or fun, printed dancewear, she’s never associated with one particular aesthetic over another, but describes her wardrobe as a “mix and match of all kinds of clothes.” When she and her mother began a simple sewing project, creating unique printed leotards for her fellow American Ballet Theatre dancers, it was a mere extension of her infatuation for fashion. But, over time, this ABT-exclusive line of leos transformed into the inventive activewear brand, Chameleon by April Giangeruso, featuring a one-of-a-kind, patented line of leotards with interchangeable sleeves.
April began her dance career early in her life in Maryland at a local studio, where her instructors indicated to her parents that she may have a future in professional dancing. At age 10, April got more serious about dance. She trained at The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. for four years before continuing her training in New York. At 16 years old, she joined the ABT Studio Company (formerly known as ABT II), a junior company at American Ballet Theatre, one of the most distinguished dance companies in the world. Just two years later, she joined ABT’s main company, where she’s been ever since.
A few years back, April and her mother, Kathy, an award-winning seamstress, decided to work together to create a handmade leotard. Kathy was nervous, she had sewed plenty of everyday streetwear and worked with conventional materials before, but had never experimented with a leotard fabric. However, over the following six months, the pair worked tirelessly to perfect a simple, but flattering leotard cut that is now a Chameleon staple.
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Kathy began making leotards for April and as she wore them to rehearsals, more and more ABT dancers began asking where she got them from. April informed her mother of how much the ABT dancers loved her leotards and suggested she make some more for the dancers in her free time. Kathy ended up creating 30 leotards, which April planned to sell in the ABT lounge. To her surprise, the leos sold out in just two minutes. The next week, hordes of dancers showed up to classes and rehearsals donning their “mom-tards,” a term the ABT girls coined to reference April’s mother creating the leos. The dancers were infatuated with the bold, vibrant prints that Kathy used, as well as the complimentary cut of each garment.
In May of 2019, April officially launched the activewear brand Chameleon by April Giangeruso, where she began selling classic, camisole-style leotards in the bright, colorful patterns that the ABT dancers fell in love with. The name “Chameleon” comes directly from the dance world, referencing a dancer who can transform through different styles of dance. “It’s a label a dancer wants,” April insists.
April seeks inspiration for her Chameleon creations from an abundance of sources, but her fellow ABT colleagues certainly play a big role. Many of the leotards are even named after ABT dancers themselves, such as Principal Dancer Isabella Boylston for “Bella’s Holy Meow” leotard. April follows popular fashion trends to help inform her new designs, but ideas also strike her in unlikely places, such as when she’s lying awake in the middle of the night. Ultimately, what Chameleon has become is a love letter to April’s dual passions for bold fashion and dancewear.
When the COVID-19 virus hit the U.S. in early 2020, April was naturally worried about how the pandemic would affect her small business. With dance studios closing, she feared people would be less eager to purchase Chameleon leotards. But fortunately, Chameleon was able to not only survive but thrive throughout 2020. “People wanted leos to brighten their moods,” April recounts. During such a tumultuous time of dismay and stress, it isn’t hard to see why dancers would want to reach for lively and vibrant leotards to bring them some joy.
Recently, Chameleon has introduced an ingenious patented line of interchangeable sleeve leotards. Each of these leotards features long sleeves that can easily zip off when dancers get too hot or simply when they want to change up the look of their leos. Moving forward, April sees the brand delving more into different types of activewear that carry the same colorful Chameleon spirit.
If April were to choose one word to describe her work with Chameleon, it’s “fun,” and that certainly comes across. In an industry that often values uniformity and sameness, Chameleon provides an opportunity for dancers to step out of the crowd and celebrate their individuality. The uniqueness of these leotards isn’t just on the surface, as April explains that numerous dancers have written to her saying Chameleon’s leos help them feel more confident when dancing. Her greatest wish is that Chameleon products help dancers feel more beautiful and enhance their confidence in the studio.
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At the start of April’s journey, questions and “what ifs” constantly rolled through her head. She kept convincing herself that her dream of creating Chameleon was impossible to make a reality. But a simple sentiment that her husband voiced to her pushed her to try to make it happen: “what do you have to lose?” She explains that the road that’s taken her to where she is today wasn’t smooth, there were challenges and not everything was perfect. But if she hadn’t taken a chance, she wouldn’t have been able to create Chameleon and share her awe-inspiring designs with anyone outside of the ABT lobby. So her advice for anyone with a big dream is the same simple sentiment: “if you have an idea, try it, you don’t have much to lose.”
Shop leotards from Chameleon by April Giangeruso at Dancewear Center today!