Ladies Dance Shoes

This is a typical ladies’ Latin dance shoe (for Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba, Jive, and Paso Doble). The one shown is a Very Fine Dance Shoe with either a 2.5 or 3 inch heel. (These are the usual heel heights for Latin shoes.)

This is a typical ladies’ Ballroom shoe, sometimes called a court shoe (for Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz). The one shown is a Very Fine Dance Shoe, in either a 1.5 or 2 inch heel. (Those are the typical heights for Ballroom shoe heels.) I highly recommend versions with a somewhat rounded toe, since they squeeze the toes less and still look nice.

This is a practice shoes from The Dance Shoe Depot.com. These can be used for both Latin and Standard dances (although they feel less like the Latin shoe). These are a great option for when you are first learning and want to get one shoe. Also, these are great for whenever you may dance for more than 1.5-2 hours at a time, since they are usually quite a bit more comfortable. People don’t typically use these types of shoes for competitions or exhibitions, so that is a limitation.

Heel height: If you’re not used to high heels, don’t be too apprehensive about dance shoes with heels. The heels on dance shoes are placed better than those on fashion sandles, etc., so they are actually much easier to balance in. Plus, the heels complement the movements and steps for the follower very well and you get used to them very quickly. If you feel uncomfortable though, consider starting with a good practice shoe, or perhaps choosing the lower ends of the spectra, i.e. a 2.5 inch Latin or 1.5 inch Standard shoe. Shoes with heels much lower than that are sometimes not as well constructed, since it is not as common for female dancers to use those shoes.

Men’s Dance Shoes

This is a typical men’s Latin dance shoe (for Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba, Jive, and Paso Doble). The one shown is a Very Fine Dance Shoe with a 1.6″ Latin heel.

This is a typical men’s Ballroom shoe(for Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz). The one shown is a Very Fine Dance Shoe, in a 1 inch heel. (That is the typical height for Ballroom shoe heels.) You can buy Ballroom shoes which are shiny or matte black; I recommend matte for your first pair. I also recommend buying all-black shoes rather than white ones.

Buying your first pair: If you only want to buy one pair of shoes, I recommend buying a pair of Standard shoes rather than Latin shoes since Standard shoes are more stable (having lower heels). But it’s nice to have both.

Buying Dance Shoes

Get advice: Ask for advice from experienced dancers, club officers, or instructors. Be careful about relying on dance store staff; if the store sells mostly items for ballet or other types of dance, it’s likely that the staff won’t know much about ballroom shoes.

Choose a good fit: Ballroom shoes should fit more tightly than street shoes. Your toes should really come to the front of the shoe (for closed-toe shoes), and your feet should not slip around at all inside the shoe. Also, the leather will stretch some over time. It’s common to buy shoes 1/2 or 1 size smaller than your normal shoes.

Come and see us at The Dance Shoe Depot.com for a great selection on all of the types of shoes your just saw described above. Our friendly staff will answer any questions you may have with choosing the right dance shoe for you, simply email your questions tosupport@thedanceshoedepot.com. We also have a great Christmas Sale on right now and so hurry to join in on the savings!

Happy Shopping and Dancing!

via CMU Ballroom Dance Club.