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THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME D’RASO
Our Story
Rooted in a family tradition of handcrafted footwear dating back to 1962, at D’Raso we are the second generation of a family that has dedicated its life to the art of shoemaking.
In 2002, Robiro Ocampo and Sandra Ruiz, husband and wife and professional dancers, brought D’Raso Calzado Exclusivo Para Bailar to life, driven by a need they knew firsthand: to find footwear that combined elegance, comfort, and functionality to accompany every movement on the dance floor.
Bringing together their knowledge of dance and traditional shoemaking, they began creating shoes designed especially for dancers. Since then, each pair of D’Raso shoes has been individually and personally crafted, preserving the care and dedication that define our artisanal tradition.
Over the years, our designs have evolved alongside the needs of dancers, incorporating improvements in quality, comfort, and functionality, while preserving the handcrafted essence that sets us apart.
Today, we are proud to continue being part of the story and passion of those who find in dance a form of expression. We hope that every pair of D’Raso shoes continues to accompany our dancers through every step of their artistic journey.
THE CONCEPT: At our store, we strive to make finding the right footwear and products for dance a simple and special experience.
We are passionate about creating and offering products that combine design, quality, and functionality, incorporating unique details that make each piece special. All of this is complemented by attentive and personalized service, because every customer and every dancer is important to us.
We are not infallible, but we are committed to learning from every experience. We analyze our mistakes, improve our processes, and continuously work to prevent them so we can provide our customers with an even better experience every time.
Mission:
Our mission is to create dance footwear that combines elegance, comfort, quality, and functionality, understanding the needs of each dancer and offering carefully crafted products to accompany their passion for dance.
We work to preserve our artisanal tradition while continuously evolving our designs, materials, and processes. We strive to provide attentive and personalized service that builds trust and allows us to develop lasting relationships with our customers around the world.
Vision:
To be a globally recognized brand for the quality and artisanal character of our dance shoes, standing out for our designs, personalized service, and ability to create products that respond to the real needs of dancers.
We want to continue growing without losing our essence, combining the experience of our family tradition with innovation and continuous learning to keep accompanying dancers throughout every stage of their artistic journey.
Values:
QUALITY: We strive for excellence in every detail, from the selection of materials to the craftsmanship and delivery of each pair.
HONESTY: We believe in communicating transparently and always doing the right thing, even when a situation does not go as expected. Our customers’ trust is one of our greatest values.
RESPONSIBILITY: We are committed to every order and every customer, striving to fulfill what we promise and looking for solutions whenever an issue arises.
CRAFTSMANSHIP: We preserve the care, dedication, and knowledge that make an artisan-made product special. Each pair represents time, experience, and attention to detail.
INNOVATION: We continuously evolve our designs, materials, and processes to offer products that are increasingly comfortable, functional, and aligned with the needs of dancers.
TEAMWORK: We believe that the best results are achieved when each person contributes their knowledge, experience, and commitment toward a common goal.
PASSION FOR DANCE: We understand footwear from the perspective of those who dance. We are inspired by knowing that our shoes are part of important moments, stages, competitions, training sessions, and each dancer’s artistic journey.
D’Raso in 2012: Our Story Continues
CEO & Fundador
ROBIRO OCAMPO
Robiro Ocampo was born on September 19, 1976, and grew up surrounded by the shoemaking trade. His father, who dedicated his life to this noble craft, passed down his knowledge and skills to Robiro and his siblings from an early age, shaping the path that would define his future.
From a young age, Robiro became involved in footwear manufacturing. He began by learning how to make different types of shoes for everyday use and, over the years, worked in several footwear factories, eventually making shoemaking his main profession.
At the age of 18, his life took a new direction. Fascinated by the movements and energy he saw at dance competitions held in nightclubs and at street festivals in Medellín, such as the “Porro Vías” and “Tango Vías,” he decided to discover the world of dance.
What began as simple curiosity quickly became a passion. Robiro immersed himself in learning to dance and found in this discipline a form of expression that would accompany him throughout his life.
As he progressed in his career as a dancer, he began to notice something that would also change his path as a shoemaker: the dancers who stood out the most not only paid close attention to their movements and attire, but also needed specialized shoes that allowed them to dance with confidence, comfort, and elegance.
At that time, this type of footwear was primarily imported, and specialized options available in Colombia were very limited. Robiro then discovered a unique opportunity: to bring together the two worlds that had already become part of his life—his knowledge of handcrafted shoemaking and his experience as a dancer.
Thus, his first dance shoes were born. The result was enthusiastically received by the dance company he belonged to, which soon asked him to create footwear for its dancers. Later, his students and other members of the dance community also began showing interest in his designs.
Recognition came naturally. Word of mouth about the quality, handcrafted attention to detail, and the possibility of creating shoes designed specifically for each dancer allowed his work to cross borders and reach dancers in other countries.
This growth led Robiro Ocampo and his wife, Sandra Ruiz, his dance partner since the beginning of this journey, to make one of the most important decisions of their lives in 2002: to establish their own footwear factory dedicated exclusively to dance. Thus, D’Raso was born.
Since then, D’Raso has been built on the union of two great passions: the art of dance and the art of shoemaking. This combination allows us to understand footwear not simply as a product, but as an essential tool for those who make dance a part of their lives.
Alongside his career as a shoemaker, Robiro has developed a distinguished career in the world of tango. Since 1997, he has worked as a professional dancer, instructor, and choreographer, complementing his experience with training in different dance disciplines.
Throughout his artistic career, he has been part of various tango companies and has participated in important national and international festivals and competitions. Among his achievements are first place in the Tango Salón category at the Feria de Manizales Championship in 2011, as well as being a finalist in the Buenos Aires World Tango Championship in 2005 and 2011.
In 2017, he won first place at the Medellín International Tango Festival and, that same year, took first place in the “Champion of Champions” category at the National Tango Festival of Santa Fe de Antioquia.
Today, Robiro Ocampo continues to lead D’Raso, bringing together more than three decades of experience in footwear manufacturing with a career devoted to dance. His story embodies the essence of the brand: understanding dance from within, recognizing the needs of dancers, and transforming that knowledge into shoes created to accompany every movement.
His work and dedication have transformed D’Raso into a family business that keeps the tradition of craftsmanship alive while continuing to evolve alongside new generations of dancers.
Robiro Ocampo
CEO and Founder of D’Raso
In 1984, Robiro Ocampo is pictured alongside his father and siblings, having been surrounded from an early age by the family craft of shoemaking. This family tradition and artisanal heritage would become the starting point of a journey that, over the years, would bring together his passion for dance and his expertise in footwear manufacturing.
From this union, D’Raso was born—a brand that he now leads as CEO and Founder, bringing the tradition of craftsmanship and specialized footwear for dancers to customers throughout Colombia and around the world.
Robiro and Sandra wearing their first pair of D’Raso dance shoes in 2002.
This photograph represents one of the most important moments in D’Raso’s history: the beginning of a project born from a shared passion for dance and handcrafted shoemaking.
Sandra Ruiz, a professional dancer, co-founder of D’Raso, and Robiro’s wife, has been a fundamental part of the brand’s development. Together, they combined their experience as dancers with their knowledge of shoemaking to create footwear designed especially for those who make dance a form of expression.
What began in 2002 as a shared dream between two dancers became a family business that, over the years, has brought its designs to dancers throughout Colombia and around the world, always preserving the essence with which it all began: a passion for dance, handcrafted dedication, and the desire to create shoes that accompany every step.
Robiro Ocampo
CEO and Founder of D’Raso
From his early years, Robiro grew up surrounded by the art of handcrafted shoemaking, learning from his family a craft that would eventually become a fundamental part of his life.
Throughout his career, he combined this knowledge with his experience as a dancer, developing a deep understanding of what a dancer truly needs from their shoes: comfort, security, functionality, and elegance.
This combination of artisanal expertise and knowledge of dance became one of the foundations of D’Raso and the essence of every pair we make.
