What to look for?
- Leather sole. Should be not too thick/hard and not sticking out outside of the foot. In case you found a great shoe, but with rubber/plastic sole, the sole can be replaced by a leather one before the shoes are worn.
- No Platforms– They might look great but extra heavy and don’t really allow to feel the floor.
- Stable heel– if you choose to dance with heels, make sure they fit the hight and are balanced under the centre of your heel. The heel shouldn’t feel heavy and should enhance you capacity to dance. Don’t push yourselves beyond your comfort.
- Your foot should not move around the shoe- strap or shoe laces.
- Longevity– good solid materials, no visible glue, strong streps and closures.
- Fit– your foot expands as you are dancing, but so does the leather of your shoe, up to half a size.
- Inside your shoe- a good dance shoe should have padding under your sole, in case it doesn’t, one can be purchased.
- Support your arch! Make sure there is no gap between the shoe and the inner centre of your foot. Sometimes added support is needed. The more arch support the less your feet get tired.
- A good Shoe Repair can save you a lot of money, time and heart ache. Take care of your things and they will serve you longer. In case you don’t know a good repairman for dance shoes specifically, ask your teachers in the local community.
Pro Dance Shoes:
In case you want to go all vintage inspired pro dance shoes:
Remix Shoes
St. Savoy
Pro Danse– located at Alte Schönhauser Str. 16, 10119 Berlin
Other known good brands: Capezio and Bloch.
Non Dance Shoes:
You can obviously find other shoes that you like and replace their shoe sole with a leather one, in cases they were never worn before. They should be well fitting and made to last. Good closures, quality materials and good support for your foot anatomy.
I ❤️ shoes is many Berlin dancers favorite shoe master.
The owner is very familiar with the requirements of dancers and is very fairly priced.
*In case you dance on a non dance floor, don’t bother with leather soles, they will get destroyed.
*Choose the shoe that fits you. If you like the feel of them, go for them. If you prefer flat shoes, than that’s the one! You are much better dancer when you are comfortable!!
Rosa Lee 