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Thread: Men's dance shoes

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    Registered User DundeeDancer's Avatar
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    Question Men's dance shoes

    Just wondering what shoes people would recommend to buy and dance in.

    For the last 6 months or so I have been happily dancing away in my old leather shoes and ankle boots. They were both bought over 10 years ago! Have been recently re-soled though. They are both fairly heavy duty leather and feel very solid.

    I have noticed that they are getting stretched where the sole meets the top part of the shoe and guess it will only be a matter of time before they split, I guess they weren't really design to be danced in.

    Therefore I'm wondering what options I have for dance footwear.

    I do like shoes to look and feel robust and the two tone (white/black & White Brown) look really funky.


    Also do people feel there is a big difference from dancing in shoes bought from dance outlets compared to shoes bought in normal high street stores?



    Cheers, DD

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    There is a big difference in Normal and dance shoes. Dance shoes are better equipped for spinning, turning moving etc. They also should offer better support for the feet and ankles.

    Unfortunatly, there is not much choice in the way of mens dance shoes. I can never find a decent pair and will prob end up getting some made for me. Take storm just gone as an example. 20 odd different styles of womens dance shoe, 3 styles for men.

    You will notice a big difference in putting on a pair of dance shoes. Most people (myself included) noticed a big difference in their dancing in their first pair.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Dancing in normal leather shoes hurts your feet if done excessly.

    Dance shoes are built for the job.

    Incidently I've just discovered suede and for me leather is a thing of the past!

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    I wear Aris Allen captoes. Raw leather sole, beautifully cushioned insoles - great if you like sliding, or for sticky floors, or if (like me) you have wide feet - they also come in an extra wide fitting. They also do black-and-white or brown-and-white versions, but I've never been keen on that style.

    The Aris Allen suede-soled 'running shoe' is also great - but you have to be a lot more careful of suede (on evening on the wrong floor can wreck them)

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    Registered User Northants Girly's Avatar
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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Think most of Matt's dance shoes have been bought from Kingdom of Dance whilst at weekenders or other events (including some beige/brown ones like you mention). They will probably have a diary on their website.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by DundeeDancer View Post
    Also do people feel there is a big difference from dancing in shoes bought from dance outlets compared to shoes bought in normal high street stores?
    Dance Shoes are generally lighter and more flexible than street shoes and with various sole options, leather, suede, topi.

    inaddition they will offer support to your feet for the actions that you are doing and if a shoe is for a specific style of shoe it will generally encourage you to move in certain manner

    here are some sites to check out


    Heavenly Dance Shoes

    Supadance

    Dance Naturals

    Werner Kern

    Bloch has also ventured into the world of ballroom shoes

    hope that helps get you started

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by straycat264 View Post
    you have to be a lot more careful of suede (on evening on the wrong floor can wreck them)
    As a fully paid up member of the "ballroom suede soles stuck onto trainers" brigade, I'd like to balance that remark by saying that for me they are just about indestructable. I've had a pair of Dunlop Green Flash trainers for over two years with suede soles that I've taken no care of at all - I even wore them at an outdoor event in a muddy field in the rain - they won't stay like ballroom shoes but will become extremely slick - marvellous.

    For "Normal" dance shoes I'd go with something like the Rumpf Oxford shoe - leather sole, very comfortable and durable or look at hand made shoes made by someone like Heavenly in Watford. The ballroom shoes from the likes of Supadance are ok but the soles tend to be very flexible - great for ballroom but lacking in support for the rigours of MJ

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by clevedonboy View Post
    they won't stay like ballroom shoes but will become extremely slick - marvellous.
    ... don't you think that by this point they've lost all the suede-like qualities they used to have?

    I agree that if you don't really take care of 'em, you can still have a nice shoe for dancing purposes... but you do lose that wonderful suede feeling...

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by straycat264 View Post
    but you do lose that wonderful suede feeling...
    I used to feel that way but unless the floor is like glass, or I'm dancing Ballroom (when i wear 'proper' shoes) I want my soles to be polished - it suits the way I dance. If you look at the US Lindy web sites you'll find active advice on how to mess up your suede soles to create the perfect Lindy shoe (mud and Coca Cola are popular)

    EDIT forgot to say if I want to bring them back to life then 10 mins with the wire brush returns them to fluffy suede.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    For me... I wear 2 differing types of really comfy shoe for my size 12 plates of meat.
    My Aris Allens which are extremely fast and I wouldnt recommend to someone who has just started out and also my Werner Kerns ( on my 3rd pair) which have a lovely soft feel to them. Both are around £65 and I do not think I would go to any other manufacture in the future but its trial and error until you reach that point.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew View Post
    There is a big difference in Normal and dance shoes. Dance shoes are better equipped for spinning, turning moving etc. They also should offer better support for the feet and ankles.


    You will notice a big difference in putting on a pair of dance shoes. Most people (myself included) noticed a big difference in their dancing in their first pair.
    I find the complete opposite.
    I tried on a few pair of dance shoes and all were very floppy and lacked support in comparison to lightweight "fashion" leather soled shoes.
    I also found the Cuban heels have taken a long time to get used to. My left toes will start to hurt after about 3hours and I've been dancing in them for 5months.
    The only advantage of dance shoes I've noticed so far is the availability of the suede sole option that especially suits very slippy floors.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by dep View Post
    I find the complete opposite.
    I tried on a few pair of dance shoes and all were very floppy and lacked support in comparison to lightweight "fashion" leather soled shoes.
    I also found the Cuban heels have taken a long time to get used to. My left toes will start to hurt after about 3hours and I've been dancing in them for 5months.
    I'd say that you're probably not trying on the right ones for you. There's a lot of different dance shoes out there, giving different degrees of support, and suiting different shapes of feet.

    Quote Originally Posted by dep View Post
    The only advantage of dance shoes I've noticed so far is the availability of the suede sole option that especially suits very slippy floors.
    You could always go the clevedonboy route, get a suitable pair of non-dance-shoes, and glue on your own suede soles (or have them put on for you) - there's a lot of people who swear by that.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Both my partner and I use Aris Allen shoes for dancing - since we've discovered these we don't use anything else - they really are the best dance shoes available. You can get them with leather or suede soles, but also they have a really good insole that really cushions and supports your feet. We do Lindy Hop as well and use them for all our dancing now. We've both used lots of other shoes in the past but honestly wouldn't use anything else now. They're available in the UK - best by internet. Just google 'Aris Allen shoes'.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by clevedonboy View Post
    As a fully paid up member of the "ballroom suede soles stuck onto trainers" brigade, I'd like to balance that remark by saying that for me they are just about indestructable. I've had a pair of Dunlop Green Flash trainers for over two years with suede soles that I've taken no care of at all - I even wore them at an outdoor event in a muddy field in the rain - they won't stay like ballroom shoes but will become extremely slick - marvellous.
    I'm with that, I have a pair of white Pumas that I had done professionally, and a gorgeous pair of Brazil coloured Pumas that I did myself, very comfortable and look good unlike the pig ugly 'proper' dance trainers.

    I also have a pair of Werner Kerns that make it out on special occasions - very fast though - wore them to the Champs and I could hardly stand up !

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    I'd say a lot of what you wear depends on your dance style. If you dance normal, step-type Ceroc then there's little point in investing in proper dance shoes, but if you take things a little more seriously and want to concentrate on style, they will be a very valuable investment. Personally, I'm not a fan of the Bloch trainer style shoe, as they do horrible things to your posture, but they work for some people. If posture and style is important then a leather dance shoe with a Cuban heel is worth the money. Proper suede soled dance shoes are much better for spinning and give you a lot more feel on the floor as they feel almost like a second skin on your foot. However, they do take a little more care and you should avoid getting the sole wet at all costs. One thing worth noting is that the wrong kind of shoe can lead to foot damage, especially if you take up other styles of dancing, such as ballroom and Latin, and spend a lot of time on your toes.

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    It's down to the individual shoes. Try on as many as you can before choosing a pair and be prepared to find that you have to get used to dancing in them. You may get lucky and find they're perfect straight away, but don't expect that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew View Post
    There is a big difference in Normal and dance shoes. Dance shoes are better equipped for spinning, turning moving etc. They also should offer better support for the feet and ankles.
    You will notice a big difference in putting on a pair of dance shoes. Most people (myself included) noticed a big difference in their dancing in their first pair.
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven666 View Post
    Dancing in normal leather shoes hurts your feet if done excessly.

    Dance shoes are built for the job.
    However, I have Bloch dance trainers and suede soled dance shoes, but my favourite and most comfortable pair of dancing shoes are a pair of ordinary Clarks leather soled shoes. I can wear them all day and all night with no problems and they're just right for dancing.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Bartholomew View Post
    Unfortunatly, there is not much choice in the way of mens dance shoes. I can never find a decent pair and will prob end up getting some made for me. Take storm just gone as an example. 20 odd different styles of womens dance shoe, 3 styles for men.

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    Not a spoon! Lou's Avatar
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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    Quote Originally Posted by clevedonboy View Post
    As a fully paid up member of the "ballroom suede soles stuck onto trainers" brigade, I'd like to balance that remark by saying that for me they are just about indestructable. I've had a pair of Dunlop Green Flash trainers for over two years with suede soles that I've taken no care of at all - I even wore them at an outdoor event in a muddy field in the rain - they won't stay like ballroom shoes but will become extremely slick - marvellous.
    I've found the most brilliant pair of suede soled dance trainers - the Sansha Salsette. They don't look as clumpy as a lot of trainers do - AND they don't make your feet look huge, like the Stealths do. I doubt they'd be a robust as Andrew's Dunlops above, but they cost under £20 a pair - even in men's sizes, and they're so comfortable....

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    Re: Men's dance shoes

    I always recommend Etonic Flame bowling shoes for dancing, and that continues.

    Quote Originally Posted by Filthy Monkey View Post
    I'd say a lot of what you wear depends on your dance style.
    I take the opposite approach: I like to have a variety of danceable shoes to hand, because that forces me to have more variety in my dancing. Also, I find a variety of shoes allows me to dance a little longer - if the balls of my feet start to ache, for example, I can change shoes to a pair with more cushioning (but less "feel").

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