Dancing and shoes

[Bumblebee4]

I've been swing dancing for about 8 months now and have tried a few shoes and it's time to get some new ones. I was always the type that thought I needed ultra support for my high arches. I usually wear New Balance for daily shoes etc. But after being here and learning about minimalist shoes and all the stuff I'm learning I am questioning what type of shoe to get for dancing. Most of the college kids at the dances wear things like Chucks or Keds type and they chrome them (add suede to the bottom for sliding/spinning.) I always felt the college kids could get away with wearing the no support shoes because they are young and don't notice the impact on the feet blah blah blah but now I'm wondering if it would be better to get a simple pair of shoes and chrome them or buy dance shoes with arch support and better padding.

Anyone have thoughts on this? Additional info is that I don't do any aerial type dancing where I'm in the air and landing on my feet so impact really isn't major but I am over 40 on sometimes on a crappy dance floor. Thanks for any advice!

[morethanjustamom]

I have high arches. Modern shoes make your feet/arches lazy, go for the minimum arch support.

I personally would choose the keds. They seem more flexible than chucks. Would VFFs be frowned on in dance class?

[Bumblebee4]

Thanks Mom. I am leaning towards the minimal type shoe. Picked up a cheap pair of Ked type shoes yesterday while at Ross. VFF wouldn't be frowned on but I'll admit I'm a little too fashion concious to wear them since I usually wear dresses with twirly skirts (and shorts underneath) so Keds or the type will go with dresses ok. Chucks go with casual dresses fine but not when I wear one that's pretty dressy and fancy. Swing dancing is kind of my dress up and go out night so I like to feel put together and pretty.

[morethanjustamom]

In that case, you need a pair of vintage pumps, circa 1930!

[Bumblebee4]

Can't dance fast in pumps! Plus I'm so tall I imtimidate a lot of the guys. I arrive and leave in heels though. Everyone changes into dance shoes there because you can't/shouldn't wear dance shoes outside, it'll ruin the suede bottoms.

[bigm141414]

Hmm I wear cowboy boots (that's right I'm Texan and own cowboy boots). They aren't minimalist but they make up for the sliding factor plus the raised heel makes it easier to keep on the balls of my feet.

[Bumblebee4]

There aren't usually many at the dance I go to in cowboy boots but it is common in swing dancing. Some of the swing dancing requires that I am on the balls of my feet more but Lindy I need very flat shoes. You're kind of in a squat position so bodyweight is easier felt and pushed around and that's what I'm concentrating on more. I love Lindy! Spinny Spinny

[bigm141414]

Hmm maybe I need to learn how to swing.....

[morethanjustamom]

Ballet flats? Cheap and cute!

[Bumblebee4]

Yes you should Bigm! Every man should! And you already have shoes for it!

['Roos]

OMGOMGOMGOMG. I've been swing dancing for around 9 years and I have some opinions on dance shoes (and am wearing my vibrams right now).

First off, GET SOME DANCE SHOES. Seriously. I'm not kidding when I say how much it changes your style, your comfort, and your general awesomeness on the floor.

I've danced in everything from barefoot to sneakers to high-end dance shoes, and I gotta say, for health and longevity dancing, go with the dance shoes. I've done sueded keds (they're Okay - better on the joints because you don't get torsional stress while turning, but they don't do anything to help your dance form), I've done dance 'sneakers' - sueded more padded shoes, I've worn soft-soled tap heels, and I've done mens flats. My favorite for swing are the mens flats (I have a pair of white Aris Allen Cap toes (which I dyed green) found here: http://www.dancestore.com). Those have amazing leather soles which provide very little traction (good on the joints! A bit slippery to get used to the first few nights.) and I love love love love LOVE them. I have reasonably high arches, and I've not had a single support issue with them, either too much or too little. They're comfortable. They wear well. The last a long time (I was dancing about 3 nights a week and they lasted a few years). And for the price? Can't beat them.

It is a fallacy that you can't dance fast in heels - I have a pair specifically for Balboa which is great for dancing at 220 bpm and above. I also use them for swing sometimes. It requires different styling and a different skill set but it is possible. That said, I'm also a tall girl, and unless it's Balboa (which form-wise is vastly helped in heels) I don't bother with them. I have a pair of soft-soled women's tap heels which I use for this, and which work great. If you're looking for super-high-end dance heels, everyone I know suggests remix (I have too big of feet for them) vintage shoes for dance shoes. Professional dancers the world over SWEAR by them, and they're absolutely gorgeous.

Finally, if you're on relatively clean and splinter free floors, you can get a pair of these http://www.zappos.com/capezio-foot-undeez-nude which just work by slicking the ball of your foot. They're my dance 'shoes' for when I can only carry a small purse, and are wallet-sized. They're not good for long dance events, but if you want something you can slip on or bring easily somewhere for an hour or two on a half-decent floor, they work.

ALSO, get good socks. It makes a HUGE differences on blisters when first breaking in a pair of shoes. Dress socks, or nice wool thin socks work so so so so well.

Final thoughts: A bunch of the kids can get away with crappy footwear, but if you have in any way marginal joints, or are over 30, it really really helps to have an ACTUAL pair of dance shoes, with slick soles which promote proper alignment when dancing. If you have other dance questions I've got tons more to say I've probably forgotten - let me know!

[Bumblebee4]

Wow thanks 'Roos. I currently wear two pair of Aris Allen. These and these but buying them online made the sizing a little off and no one sells them locally. I can only find Aris Allen online. The Retro running shoes looked cute online but they are very bulky in person and I feel like a clown in them.

I just took a private lesson yesterday and she agreed that since I'm doing more Lindy that flats would be better. I think I could swing dance in dance heels but I still get dizzy and wobbly doing Lindy.

['Roos]

Yeah - I have a pair of the clown shoes too - I tend to use them on really awful floors that might permanently scar my captoes. Depending on if you go to out-of-town events, there are sometimes vendors and/or dancestore itself that comes and sells. ALSO one of our guys found some ballroom shoe stores in the area that also carried Aris Allens. I know it's total dancer cliche, but they're really some of the best (outside of remix - those are actually 100% the best *drools). And I have to recommend the dude's shoes for the hard-soles (I love hard leather soles - they feel so goooooood!) and their long-term wear. I can't really say anything about the aris allen's womens' shoes 'cause I've never worn them.

Lindying in heels (and shag, and charleston for that matter) is really a skill. I've definitely 'spun out' in a pair of heels before (wiped out on the 4-and-5 of a swing out). That said, I've also fallen over in my flats, a lot. Hilariously a lot. Just please, unless you're dancing in the street, sueded keds are more expensive than decent/ok dance shoes, and they are NOT any better.

[Bumblebee4]

I looked quickly at Remix and saw these and knew I better get off this site before I start justifying! I love heels!

So maybe I'll try another pair of Aris Allen in one size smaller and see if they fit better. The good thing is that Aris Allens aren't terribly expensive.

['Roos]

These http://www.remixvintageshoes.com/ginger.html and these http://www.remixvintageshoes.com/avenue.html hideous little puppies are the ones putting stars in my eyes. I can dream...

[Arashi]

Roos, are these shoes you mentioned similar to tango shoes? I've heard tango shoes are the most comfortable things ever, I am curious.

['Roos]

@Arashi They're very similar to tango shoes in a lot of ways - the soles are similar and they're built by a tango cobbler, I believe. The main differences are that they tend to have much thicker heels, in a lot of cases they tend to have a much lower heel (than some tango shoes) and they tend more towards closed-toes and less straps. They're designed to be a bit more resilient to really hard action (stomping, hard strikes to the ground, heel taps and rythmic footwork) than tango shoes.

[Arashi]

The clumsy tomboy in me likes the idea of thicker, lower heels...