Dancing shoes - The right tools for the Job

One huge advantage of starting the hobby of ballroom and Latin American dancing, is that you can see whether you enjoy it without having to commit to investing in all the correct footwear!! When the time is right, it's definitely worth investing in a pair of dancing shoes.


Dancz Hints and Tips for Purchasing Dancing Shoes

'The secret ingredient' - 'The Suede Soles'
There's a lot more to dancing shoes than meets the eye, the main thing being that they have suede soles. The suede soles enables dancers to have the advantage of 'working with the floor' making it so much easier to glide and turn.

Ballroom vs Latin American
Yes!! There's a difference.
Gent's Ballroom = Patent , Gent's Latin = Cuban heels

 

You'll now find that some shoe suppliers have a social range which cater towards the needs of social dancers.

Ladies Ballroom = Court Shoe, Ladies Latin =  Strappy sandals (usually open toed)

My advice would be to invest in Latin shoes first, as these can by worn to dance either style in.


Colour of shoes (mainly aimed at the ladies)
What clothes do you wear to your dance class? Aim to continue your leg line!!
Black Shoes - if you normally wear black trousers or black tights
Silver / Gold / Flesh - if you normally wear lighter coloured clothing
I always wear tan coloured fish nets, hence the tan coloured shoes!!

Shoe Size
"Dr Hilary" (featured on Daybreak) advised that it's best to buy shoes (in general) in the afternoon / evening as this is when your feet are at their natural state. Most dancing classes are in the evening, so it is advisable to think of whether your feet tend to swell during the day.

Heel Height
I wear 2½ inch heels as this is the most suitable for my dancing. I would definitely recommend that new starters wear 2" or 2½" at the most, 3" are a definite no no. If you can't walk properly in them, then they're not suitable to dance in.

Shoe Style
Comfort over Style!! Do your toes like to escape from the side of strappy shoes? If so, then strappy shoes are not recommended, go for a style that is open toed but covered at the sides.

Where to purchase your dancing shoes
Local Suppliers
It's always nice to support our local dance shoe suppliers
Sarajoy - 62 Cross Street Sale Tel: 0161 962 2184
Fit To Dance - 69 Manchester Road Altrincham or 58 Port Street Northern Quarter Manchester www.f2dance.co.uk

The Internet
There's plenty of shoe suppliers on the internet, just type "ballroom shoes" "Latin American shoes" into your search engine and watch the options appear.

Blackpool Dance Festival
If you're planning to soak up some of the dancing atmosphere at the Blackpool British Dance Open 23rd - 31st May 2013, then it's definitely worth a visit to the exhibition area to see some of the main dance shoe suppliers - Supadance, Freed, Ray Rose, International Dance Shoes and more. www.blackpooldancefestival.co.uk

I hope this blog has provided some helpful hints and tips for purchasing your dance shoes.

Happy danczing.

Zoé x