If you’re about to buy your first ballroom dance shoes or just need a new pair to replace the tired old ones in your closet, you must know what to look for. The right shoes offer a decidedly better experience on the floor. Shoes should be comfortable, suit the specific type of dance you do, and provide stability for your feet.
Dance Shoes Need to Be Comfortable
Dance shoes are not like street shoes. They should be comfortable in a way that you don’t notice them while you’re dancing. This means no rubbing, blisters, or sore spots. If you have to break a pair of shoes in before they work well for you, it’s better to find out beforehand than to suffer through a frustrating dance session.
Break-in should involve nothing more than dancing in them for an hour or two, not sitting on them. It’s your feet that do the dancing, not your shoes. And, it should never take longer than a few hours.
The Right Dance for the Right Dance Shoes
Most dancers agree that there are two basic kinds of ballroom dances: smooth and sharp. These two kinds of dance require different shoes. For musicals, ballroom dancers wear smooth shoes; for fast dances, the shoes should be snug. Sharp dances require more flexibility, so you wear a “flatter” shoe that offers more support and comfort.
Make sure you know which dance you’re doing before you buy your shoes. A smooth shoe will not work well for a fast dance, and the opposite is true for sharp.
Shoes Should Be Stable for Your Feet
Dancers should dance in shoes that offer stability and support to their feet. Buy a shoe that fits your foot comfortably but is not so loose that your foot slips out of it when you rotate them. The shoe should provide support to your heel and arch. Your foot should be able to move naturally and not simply shift from one dancing position to another.
Your shoe must fit in a way that’s comfortable but not too loose. You don’t want to be fiddling with your shoe while you’re trying to dance.
You Should Think About Your Foot’s Circumference
Modern dancers, especially female dancers, have larger feet than their ballroom dancing predecessors. So, you must know what kind of shoes to buy. Manufacturers make shoes that will fit a variety of foot sizes. Smaller dancers should avoid shoes with a lot of room or that fit way up on the foot. The shoes should fit your toes, too, so that they won’t get caught in other dancers’ shoes.
Shoes Should Fit the Specific Dances You Do
When you buy your ballroom dance shoes, make sure to think carefully about what kinds of dances you do. If you focus on ballroom dancing, you won’t want shoes designed for Latin or swing dance. If you do both ballroom and Latin, consider a pair of shoes that are good for both.
You should get to know what kinds of shoes your instructors wear so you can ask them what they like and don’t like. Their shoes will also give you an idea of what brands to look for.
Dance shoes should be comfortable, perfectly suited to the kind of dance you do, and ideally durable. It’s worth investing in good ballroom dancing shoes so that you can enjoy every minute on the floor.
Choosing the proper dance shoes is an essential part of dancing. Be sure to pick out a comfortable pair, fits your specific dancing needs, and gives you the stability you need for a successful dance performance. These tips will help you find the best ballroom dancing shoes for you.