University of Bridgeport Ballroom Dance Club

The Shoe Guide

What kind of shoes do I need and how do I get them?

          Purchasing your ballroom shoes will be a big decision since you will be dancing in them for at least a year and they cost upwards of $130 a pair. Thus you should make sure you buy the shoe that fits you best, and here’s how to find your perfect shoe.

What is the difference between ballroom shoes and regular shoes?

          The biggest difference lies in the soles. Ballroom shoes have a thin layer of suede sole, this allows the shoes to glide well on the floor while also retain a certain level of grip. Ballroom shoes are also very flexible, enabling the dancers to articulate their feet and show off their techniques. Men’s shoes are often made of leather while women’s shoes are made of leather and satin.

Different types of ballroom shoes

          International Style Dancesport consists of two different styles of dancing, thus requiring two different types of ballroom shoes, latin shoes and standard shoes.

Women:

                -         Latin Shoes: these shoes are open toe, generally look like sandals; heels are long and

                        thin, ranging from 2 in to 3.5 in. Beginners are recommended to choose 2.5 inch heels.

                -            Standard Shoes: these shoes are closed toe, closely resemble pumps; heels

                         are shorter and slightly wider. This should usually be your second pair of shoes,

                         unless you decide to only dance standard.

Men:

                -         Latin Shoes: men’s latin shoes have a higher heel, usually 2 in to 2.5 in. But

                        unlike women’s latin shoes, the heel area is much bigger. This should usually be
                        your second pair of shoes, unless you decided to only dance latin.

-         Standard Shoes: men’s standard shoes have a much lower heel, often ½ in.

       and the heel base is wider than that of men’s latin shoes.

       They resemble regular dress shoes.

What shoes to buy?

          Ballroom shoes are a large investment, thus they must fit your feet well. Just half a size bigger or smaller can make a huge difference in your dancing. So please do not purchase a pair of shoes 1 size smaller just because it is on sale. Ballroom shoes should fit tighter than your everyday shoes, you don’t want ANY extra room in them. Thus we recommend that when you purchase your shoes, buy a pair that fits snuggly on your feet, even maybe a little tight. Because after many hours of dancing, they will loosen up and thus fit your feet comfortably. However, do not get shoes that are too tight, because they will injure your feet. Comfort is more important than looks.

          Also take note that most ballroom shoes are designed in British sizes, thus they’re often 1-2 sizes smaller than your US shoe sizes. Walking around in the shoes on carpet to make sure they fit you well, because once they are used on the wooden floor, they cannot be returned.

          Ideally, of course, you want both standard and latin shoes, but that's a lot of money to spend before you've even gotten started. There are three possibilities you can consider if you're only buying one pair: getting latin shoes, getting standard shoes, or getting a "compromise" pair of shoes. If you get a "compromise" pair, you may decide down the road that they're no good for either style, and to end up buying two additional pairs instead of one. In my experience, ladies who do primarily standard all say that you should buy standard shoes for both styles, and ladies who do primarily latin say that you should buy latin shoes for both styles.

          We strongly recommend newcomers to purchase one pair of shoes for now, since they are such a large investment; and after you are more experienced you can buy both types of shoes.

Women:

            If you go this route, look for a shoe that is open on the sides like a latin shoe, but that has a closed toe, like

or

          Rule #1: Do not buy black shoes! When you have 6 pairs, and see a nice pair of shoes you can practice in, then it's ok to buy black shoes. However, for your first shoe, or any shoe in which you'll compete, a flesh colored, gold, or bronze shoe is best. (Silver works, too, but not as well) The idea is that it makes you legs look longer and blend into the floor. If you can't find your flesh tone, your next bet is something

to match your costume (but remember, as a rookie, your costume will probably change much more often than your shoes). Note that women often buy white shoes, and get them dyed (to match your skin color or costume). Many places that sell shoes also can dye them for you. Be sure to see if the can be dyed before buying them.

Men:

          For newcomers, your first pair of shoes should be standard shoes, because it is far easier to dance Latin and Standard in standard shoes due to the lower heel and wider base. Most of men’s shoes are black, so go with a black pair. If you are buying standard shoes to dance both styles, we recommend that you buy regular leather shoes since patent (shiny) leather shoes do not bold well in latin dances. Also refrain from buying two-tone shoes, they look great in swing, but nothing else.

          We also recommend that you buy a shoe brush with your shoes. They are useful to brush off and dirt of debris your shoes may pick up during practice/competition. They clean the suede sole and give a better grip to the shoes.

When to buy the shoes?

          Shoes are may or may not be required to compete at the newcomer levels, however, we recommend that you get them ASAP. You need a certain amount of time to break into your new dance shoes. One week before the competition will not be sufficient. The shoes will allow you to become a better dancer. Whether it's because you can rise further onto your toes in a standard shoe or stand more forward on the balls of your feet in a latin shoe, a dancer in flexible dance shoes will usually be slightly better than an equal dancer in limiting street or dress shoes.

Shoe Maintenance

          Cardinal rule: never wear your dance shoes outside. Concrete and/or dirt will ruin the suede. Some dancers won't even wear their shoes in

clubs or hallways, because the floor is so dirty (or if they do wear shoes, they have a pair of "public" shoes they wear to places that aren't as clean

as real ballroom floors)

        Also, brush your soles often with shoe brushes to maintain a clean sole.

You need to brush them hard enough to remove the dust and dirt, but try not to press much harder than that, or you'll wear down the suede.

Heel Covers (for ladies)

          Another important aspect of shoes is the heel protectors. Heel protectors perform three important tasks: they protect the floor, grant you more traction, and most importantly, they protect your heels.

          The tips of the high-heeled dance shoes are generally made of hard plastic. Most dance floors are made of wood. The two do not mix well. The plastic will scratch and damage the wood floors. You may not care personally, but the people who own the floor and let you dance there will. There's also a low coefficient of friction between the two; having you heel slip out from under you when your trying to take a step on it does not lead to graceful dancing.

          The most compelling reason for using heel covers is to protect your dance shoes. Most dance shoes cost about $100 or more. The little heel tip on the heel is the first thing that will wear out, and replacing it will cost about $5 or more, and may require ordering the replacements, another source of frustration. These heel tips wear away quickly when they aren't protected; just one dance can wear them down to the nail that is keeping them attached to the shoe. The heel protectors are much cheaper and more convenient than constantly replacing the plastic heel tips.

Where to buy the shoes:

          We recommend three sources.

1) World Tone Dance in NYC. (10% discount for collegiate dancers)

2) Showtime Dance Shoes on line. (20% discount for club purchases)

          We will place a group order for all interested team and club members on February 1^st.

3) Rent or buy used shoes from the UBBDC. (Student members only, please.)

Other Shoe links:

KU

MIT

Princeton

A+ Dance Shoes

Capezio Dance

Carmens Dance Shoes

Champion Dance Shoes

Dance Shoes of Atlanta

Dance Shoes Store

SupaDance