FAQs

The best shoes are dance shoes! However, chances are you can find something appropriate in your closet at home. When it’s time to invest in a pair of dance shoes, there are a lot of styles to choose from. If you do not wish to purchase dance shoes:

Follows:

Wear a pair of shoes that you would wear to go out dancing. Shoes with a moderate heel (2 – 3″) that remains secure around the foot is a great option for ballroom style dances. If you’re new to dancing, we recommend comfort over height. Avoid flip-flops and running shoes. Choosing something with a bit of a heel will help to put your weight on the ball of your foot. Use your judgment in choosing the right height of heel – even an inch will help to shift your weight. It is important that you feel balanced and comfortable in your shoes. Even if you usually wear a platform shoe or wedge to add a little height, stay away from them for dance class. A thinner sole will help your contact with the floor and greatly minimize the risk of twisting your ankle. A shoe with a closed toe (as opposed to an open sandal or peep toe) takes the pressure off your partner if he accidentally steps forward with the wrong foot. You’re going to be stepping forward and backward, so avoid slip-on mules and backless shoes. For dances in the Swing family, the lower the heel, the better.

Leads

For leads, Chicago Dance suggests a dress shoe with either a leather or smooth plastic bottom. Dance Sneakers are also available for purchase through various sites for both men and women; however, traditional sneakers with a rubber bottom are not recommended since they provide too much traction and will impede turning. If you wear a sneaker, use one with little tread, such as a Van’s or Keds sneaker. Basic rule of thumb – if your shoes squeak, choose a different pair. A pair of ‘dress’ shoes (basic oxford style laced shoes) is perfect. Like your follow counterparts, a bit of a heel is good (half an inch will do it).

Truly anything is acceptable. Some of you will attend class right after work and won’t have time to change clothes, while others prefer to be comfortable and wear leggings or jeans. Although our studio is always maintained at a cool, comfortable indoor temperature, you’ll want to be able to remove items such as sweaters, sweatshirts, or other warm clothing as you warm up dancing. Remember, you’re going to be moving, so you want to wear something that facilitates movement rather than restricts it. Wear something you feel good in. Dress for the temperature. For your first class, you might want to layer with a jacket or a sweater you can remove if you become too warm. Dances with a faster tempo are more likely to make you warm up more quickly.

The first ‘specialized’ item most people purchase is a pair of dance shoes. As any competing amateur or professional can attest, a good pair of shoes can make all the difference in the world. Since getting the right pair is important, and there are lots of shoes to choose from, it’s worth the time to do a little bit of research before making a purchase. It’s also a good idea to consult with your teachers about good places to purchase shoes and which kind would be best for you.

Women’s Shoes

The first question you need to answer is “what kind of dancing will you be doing in these shoes?”

If you’re only going to be doing “Traditional” Ballroom Dances, you’re looking for a Court Shoe. A Court Shoe looks like a standard pump, with a closed toe and a closed heel. There aren’t many variations in Court Shoes, but you will have choices about whether or not you’d like a strap across the foot, color, heel style, and height.

If you’ll only be doing Latin Dances you’ll want an open-toe sandal. There’s far more variation here, so be prepared to look through more options. Main variations are a solid band across the front of the foot vs. a strappy look, the kind of strap (straight ankle, t-bar, cross-foot, or convertible), the color, the fabric (satin, leather, and suede are the most common), and the heel style & height.

If you’re looking for a shoe to do “double-duty”, opt for a “social dancing” shoe. You won’t find many on competition dance floors, but they’re perfectly acceptable for an evening out, and save you from having to switch shoes between dances. These are a ‘hybrid’ between a court shoe and a latin sandal.

Practice shoes are most often used by teachers, and other dancers who will be dancing for many hours in a row. What they lack in style, they make up for in comfort. They usually feature a lower heel, are laced, and are made of breathable fabric (either perforated leather or mesh).

You can browse and order latin shoes online here.

Men’s Shoes

Like Women’s Shoes, Men’s Shoes vary primarily by use, although to the untrained eye the differences are trickier to spot. Unlike Women’s Shoes, there isn’t as much variation, so we hope you like black!

Men’s Ballroom Shoes look very similar to Men’s Dress shoes. Usually an Oxford or Gibson style, most shoes are black, with a one inch heel. There is some variation as to material – the most common choices are leather or patent leather, but you may find some suede, nubuck, or patterned leather (crocodile, or grained).

Men’s Latin Shoes usually have a higher heel (1.5″ compared to 1″) and have a more distinct “dance shoe” look to them. As with Ballroom Shoes, you have a color choice of black or black.

For both Ballroom and Latin shoes you will find some with a split sole – this allows for greater flexibility (especially when pointing your toes) but at the loss of arch support.

Social Dancing shoes aren’t as popular for Men as they are for Women, but serve the same purpose – being able to dance Ballroom or Latin dances without having to switch shoes. While still primarily black, they sometimes have “fun” patterns – crocodile, stripes, or weaves.

Men’s Practice Shoes, like Women’s, often feature “breathable” fabric – usually perforated leather, but are otherwise very similar in appearance.