The Evolution of 'your' Dance Shoes

[jemessex]

5 years ago - Bloch Trainers - dont use anymore
4 years ago - Freed Ballroom - couldnt get on with them
since then, 4 pairs of Werner Kerns Herrentanzschuhe, Tanzschuhe Herren, Danceshoes Men(varying styles) - all wonderfully comfortable and highly recommended and 1 pair of Aris Allen captoe Aris Allen Captoe (my personal favourites) but very fast sole and not recommended for someone just starting out in the dance world.

[Gav]

My current favourites are a pair of Clarks normal men's leather shoes. . They're very comfortable, leather soled and they're holding up well too.
I bought them because I wanted a new pair of smart shoes for formal occasions, that I could also dance in. Turned out I prefer dancing in them to all of my real dance shoes.
I always keep a pair of blochs in my bag though, just in case the floor's too fast.

[clevedonboy]

I'd love to buy a pair of these... However, I have been thwarted in my attempts. Twice I've tried them on at Southport to find that not only was a size 9 too small, but a size 9½ was even smaller. The folks at Kingdom of Dance didn't seem to care especially.

With random sizes like these, what chance do I have ordering them mail order (especially when it can take months to get them?)

FAME OF SURREY 01737 779617 stock Aris Allen & are VERY helpful - I'd give them a call

Bloch Stealth -> Supadance ballroom -> Rumpf Oxford -> Heavenly (suede sole) -> 2 pairs Green Flash (stuck on suede)

[Lynn]

Phew - not all - just the significant ones then...

Bloch trainers
Freed Sophia - first heels
Freed Marissa - all time fav heeled pair
Freed Roma - first pair comfy slightly lower lace ups
Artesnal tango shoes - umm, for tango!
Seski WCS lace up practice (with comfort insoles) - perfect weekender shoes
WCS sandals (like Minnie's pic at top of thread) - wear trousers when dancing a lot now!

Various other additions along the way but its interesting that the above, bar the trainers and the tango shoes (unless doing AT of course) tend to be the ones I still wear the most. Though I have two pairs of sparkly Heavenlies (heeled and WCS) that come out at parties!

[Steven666]

My current favourites are a pair of Clarks normal men's leather shoes. . They're very comfortable, leather soled and they're holding up well too.
I bought them because I wanted a new pair of smart shoes for formal occasions, that I could also dance in. Turned out I prefer dancing in them to all of my real dance shoes.
I always keep a pair of blochs in my bag though, just in case the floor's too fast.

I probably brought the same pair. You can't fault them, except my pair now have a big hole in the sole.

[CJ]

Tackety Boots...... forever
LilyB kicking my butt
Split soul jazz shoes with suede.... last year v. good
Leather cubans with suede soul... 9 months LOVE
Jazz shoes... for THE suit
split soul jazz shoes with suede... 1 month.... if it aint broke....

[Gadget]

Russian combat boots (worn rubber soles)... for the first few years, untill they fell appart
Gents dress shoes (leather soles)... worn to nothing and fell appart
Gents dress shoes (another pair)... sole came off and they fell appart
Gents dress shoes (another pair)... cracked the sole and then fell appart
1st pair of dance shoes with leather soles... falling appart - I've now worn through the sole and a bit of the side. But the stitching is still fine and I've not burnt a hole in my socks from spinning yet.
I've got a new pair of shoes ordered; just waiting for them to arrive.

And I've got my brogues to wear with my kilt - they are still shiney with decent leather soles.

[JonD]

My name is Jon and I'm a shoe junkie. I could handle it at first, just the odd pair every year or so but then it started to get out of control.

Clarks leather soled brogues for the first 18 months
Natty, made to measure, black nubuck/leather uppers, suede sole, low heel. Ordered at Bognor in Jan and delivered in June!
Capezio trainers like basketball boots - made me feel like a carthorse; I look like one but don't need to feel like one.
An amazing pair of black & whites bought from a period clothing shop for £12
Bloch stealth trainers
Supadance latin shoes - teetered around like a drunk the first time I wore them. I never got used to them.
Tango shoes, then more tango shoes and some more tango shoes. Leather, nubuck, black, two-tone, pointy toes, round toes, mainly suede soles but some leather, different heel heights....

I finally faced the truth of my addiction when I got up to 12 pairs. I'm in rehab now and managed to give 2 pairs, that I'd only worn about twice, away to local WCS dancers who wanted Cuban heels.

These days I mostly wear a pair of wonderful, light, beautifully balanced, flexible yet supportive Victorio shoes that cost me £32 in Buenos Aires. 1st reserve is a slightly heavier pair with a stiffer sole from Suipacha 256 and 2nd reserve a pair of very light, very very soft & flexible shoes from Darcos.

[Yliander]

bloch character shoes - leather sole great for random surfaces - concrete, roads etc

Supadance latin sandals - adore these currently on my 5th pair

D&K latin shoe - adore these also - can put the on and dance the night away no breaking in required - currently awaiting my 4th pair

jazz shoes - YUCK!!! - bought these to use when feet got tired at southport - feet were more comfy in my latin shoes

Heavenly dance shoes - these are at home waiting for me - hope they are are comfy as they are lovely

[Little Monkey]

First ever pair of dance shoes were flat leather-soled jazz shoes. The soles wore out, so I had them re-soled..... Then the new soles wore out, so I got:

Katz 'jive hoppers' black'n'white lace ups with cuban heel (now worn out)
Ballroom open-toed (Katz again, I think) low heel. Didn't fit properly, sold them.
Black 2inch heel character shoes
Another pair of ballroom shoes with low heel
Bloch split-sole trainers. Too lumpy, hardly use them
Made-to-measure Heavenly Dance Shoes silver/black shoes with cuban heel.
New pair of Katz 'jive-hoppers'
Made-to-measure Heavenly Dance Shoes with lower cuban heels.
Seksi split sole (suede and fabric) shoes. Wore out after less than ONE weekend, now in the bin.
New flat suede soled jazz shoes

[Lory]

My name is Jon and I'm a shoe junkie.

My name is Lory and I'm a fellow junkie Not that you could tell

[jeanie]

My name is Lory and I'm a fellow junkie Not that you could tell

Holy Cr@p!!!

I currently have 4 pairs of dancing choes.
1st pair bought - Capezio character shoes, just the right heel for me but not my fav shoes....
Then I decided best to save the poor feet & get some Capezio trainers, black with pink webbing, love the colour but not always the comfiest.
Next pair were a satin L'Elena shoe, small heel with lovely suede soles
And to be a bit different and because I fancied a change I got some country dancing shoes which have turned out to be a fab investment...

Just gotta decide what to get next, am thinking sparkly shoes

[Little Monkey]

My name is Lory and I'm a fellow junkie Not that you could tell

No less than 4 pairs from Heavenly...

Like the sparkly dark multi-coloured ones from Heavenly.....

[Jamie]

Bloch Dance Trainers for about 6 months

Cuban Heeled shoes (suede soled) which I used for a few months after

Standard Ballroom shoes (suede soled) which I've used ever since.

I've been given a pair of cuban heels but I've not worn them in enough yet to use!

[Lory]

Holy Cr@p!!!

In my defence, they do get a lot of wear, as you can clearly see!

No less than 4 pairs from Heavenly...

Yes but to be honest, They arent' the only ones I've had from there but I've given a few pairs away, cos it took a few times to work ot what worked for me and what doesn't

[nebula]

I've got about a dozen, and use about 5 regularly...
Favourites
Bloch trainers - 1.5 years and counting...
2 pairs of "teaching" sandals - white and peach (hunting for black and sparklies that don't cost the earth)
Black lace-ups cubans
A low heeled silver sparkly & bronze leather pair
Others
Still have a few pairs of high heels that can't wear anymore since hurting my left ankle last September: 2 blacks, 1 white silver sparkle, 1 black & red (perfect tango pair!), and one multi-sparkle
Own one pair of werner kerns - but funnily enough, don't find them that comfortable - and they cost an absolute fortune!
A few others came and went quickly, not being comfortable (including Freed, Werner Kerns and Capezio) and still have some that don't serve any purpose rather than waiting for next half-price listing day on eBay

[Martin]

1. Hush puppy brogues, with leather sole and a plastic flexible insert to the sole
2. Rock and roll flat split bottoms * 3 (rubber heal and sole, rubber heal and suade sole, suade sole and heal)
3. Black and whites (Lindy style)
4. Red and blacks (Lindy style)
5. Suade bottomed ballroom shoes, with cuban heal (tried them, but did not get on with them)
5. RM Williams boots, leather sole rubber heal
6. Blocks split sole trainers.

In the first few years I wore mostly the hush puppies, and took the rock and roll shoes along in my bag, and wore what was good for the floor.
I got through about 5 pairs of hush puppies.

The Lindy type shoes were just for dressing up, dependant upon what I was wearing to balls.

Block split sole trainers I now only use if dancing in the street, to avoid wearing out leather soles on harsh surfaces.

Now I dance exclusively (unless street dancing) in my RM Williams boots and have done for many years. They are great quality, I bought my first pairs in Nottingham, only when coming to Australia and taking them in to be repaired at an official RM Williams shop, I was told they were the wrong size... So I bought a different size and junked the others... The shop assistant was right, the new size was a better fit
I have 2 pairs and both have been totally refirbished 3 times. (complete bottom of shoe replaced)
They are hardwearing and only need a refirb every 16 to 24 months.


R.M.Williams | The Bush Outfitter

Did I mention I REALLY like my RM Williams

[Minnie M]

My name is Lory and I'm a fellow junkie Not that you could tell

Can anyone beat that ?

I did have as many, but did a clear out last year and gave a lot away as most were hardly worn. Mainly my character shoes, which I find really uncomfortable now and some ballroom shoes as the heels where too high.

My very very first dance shoes (when I was a teenager) was a pair of proper ballet shoes - they were amazing - I wore them out (I wore them to dance Rock 'n Roll)

I have a couple of pair of 'copy ballet' shoes now with a small heel, which are good but unfortunately no support for my old feet now. I now need to add arch supports in most of my shoes, since getting Plantar Fasciitis (aka heel spur) a couple of years ago which was very painful

[Lou]

Can anyone beat that ?

Nope. I've taken a quick snap of all of mine, though, just 'cos I can't resist. Not quite as many as Lory. I would love to see Lily B's collection.

I have a couple of pair of 'copy ballet' shoes now with a small heel, which are good but unfortunately no support for my old feet now. I now need to add arch supports in most of my shoes, since getting Plantar Fasciitis (aka heel spur) a couple of years ago which was very painful

Me too. Comes of having high arches, apparently.

Anyway... started off in a pair of character shoes (sadly long departed), then had several Freed Oxfords in a row. Got bored of them - went into Bloch trainers for a tiny while, but then discovered Heavenlies. I wear the animal print, the purple and the black ones most of the time now.

[Lory]

Nope. I've taken a quick snap of all of mine, though, just 'cos I can't resist. Not quite as many as Lory. I would love to see Lily B's collection.

Yours are in much better nick than mine.. I actually threw 5 pairs of mine away yesterday... oh dear... i'm feeling an overwhelming urge to replace them now....

Me too. Comes of having high arches, apparently.

Snap! High arches are a pain, I rarely get shoes where my arch gets any support, I can usually get two fingers between mine and the shoe!