Ladies - favorite Latin shoe?

[ballroomboilergirl]

Half the girls on my team own the Freed Tina shoe and absolutely love it...they say it fits well, feels good (compared to other latin shoes...I think its safe to say that no Latin shoe is the most comfortable shoe you'll ever wear!), and looks good. I've been told its the preferred shoe by several top latin and american rhythm competitors. Does anyone own them? If so, let me know what you think...I'm considering buying a pair if everyone is recommending them. If you don't own them, what is your favorite brand and style? Any sizing tips? This goes for smooth shoes too!!!

[pygmalion]

I don't know about Tina, although they are really pretty shoes. I like the stoning on the T-bar. I have Karina, made by International Dance Shoes. Very comfy, and a nice strap that wraps around your foot to keep the shoe snug. My dance shoe dealer also highly recommends Nadia, made by International, as well. I didn't get them only because she didn't have the color I wanted. Those babies really support your foot. They have two ankle straps, and it feels impossible for your foot to slip around.

Incidentally my shoe dealer recommended NOT getting the Supafit line by Supadance. They have a very flexible sole which aids in pointing the foot, but they give a lot less support to your feet, particularly if you're dancing long hours.

Hope this helps. :D

Oh yeah, and I know quite a few people who like the Elegance Sultana Chic shoe -- the one Julia Gorchakova wears. And those come in the 3 inch heel you like. If you get them, try backbaydancewear.com. Cheapest price on the web. I checked. 8) :lol:

[Vince A]

Almost all the ladies that I know wear Ladies Practice shoes (from Showtime Dance Shoes) 90% of the time for Latin and Swing dancing, especially if they are wearing slacks. These are the perforated ones that are supposed to let air get to the feet. I wish they made them for men - they must feel good if so many of the women wear 'em.

The women switch to the more dressier versions for competitions and to heels if they are wearing a dress.

[pygmalion]

I wish they made them for men - they must feel good if so many of the women wear 'em.


Yup, Vince, those ladies' practice shoes look cool with pants. BTW, there are quite a few models of perforated men's shoes out there. Showtime has style #6000 -- a ballroom oxford in perforated leather. backbaydancewear.com has many styles from different shoe manfacturers -- mixed in with the men's ballroom shoes -- in perforated leather.

Another suggestion for ladies' Latin is Dance Naturals' style # 4X. Nice support of the foot. And they come in leopard print, so they're something different than everybody else has.

[DancingMommy]

As a shoe lover extraordinaire, I think I've tried almost every pair of shoes every devised (ok that's an exaggerration) :lol:

My top picks are:

Latin:

LTB by International - good fit and classic look.

Classic by Freed - groovy in the multi glitter and super comfy for everyday-wear

Standard:

1008 by Supadance - it's the round toe elasticated one.

ICS by International - gold lurex is my special fave since it goes with most everything

Practice:

The perforated one by Supa has been the most comfortable so far.

I used to be a strictly International girl, but now I go for what feels good on my feet (at the time).

I must have owned and worn out at least 50 pairs of shoes in the last 6 years. I hardly get a chance to re-sole my shoes because I wear the bodies out so quickly.

I'm looking at the Cara (Standard/Smooth) by Freed (I think) for my next pair since they have a lower heel and are tan leather to go with everything. For comp though I'll stick with the 1008.

I've tried DanceNaturals, Freed, Supa, Coast, International, Tic Tac Toes, for the record. ;-)

[Vince A]

Yup, Vince, those ladies' practice shoes look cool with pants. BTW, there are quite a few models of perforated men's shoes out there. Showtime has style #6000 -- a ballroom oxford in perforated leather. backbaydancewear.com has many styles from different shoe manfacturers -- mixed in with the men's ballroom shoes -- in perforated leather.
I don't think any of those men's shoes are Latin???
Another suggestion for ladies' Latin is Dance Naturals' style # 4X. Nice support of the foot. And they come in leopard print, so they're something different than everybody else has.
I use Dance Naturals for Swing, Hustle, NC2S competitions, and although they took forever to "breakin" for feet . . . they are great shoes.

If it's just a Jack and Jill . . . you can't beat dance sneakers even with baggy dress swing slacks!

[pygmalion]

No, Vince, the only perforated leather men's shoes I've found standard issue have been smooth/standard ballroom. Although Elegance, Coast and Celebrity do allow you to custom order any shoe in any fabric or heel height. So, technically speaking, you could get anything you want in that perforated leather. And Elegance are nice, nice shoes. A little pricey, but nice.

[pygmalion]

ICS by International - gold lurex is my special fave since it goes with most everything

Practice:
The perforated one by Supa has been the most comfortable so far.


I have the ICS in gold as well! Great shoe. And I have the Roma by Supadance, I think. Edit: I remembered wrong. Freed of London. And I think the Supadance ones have a slightly lower, thicker heel than the Roma's, but the Roma's are a little cuter, IMHO. :lol: :D If you haven't tried it, Roma is a great shoe! Way comfy, and now available in black, black/white, or tan. You can't beat it for a comfy practice shoe.

[DancingMommy]

I'm on probation right now since I'm preg. I'm not allowed to buy shoes. :?

However, I rarely buy my shoes stateside anymore. I find that ordering from dancesport.uk (I think) is the way to go. The smae shoe that costs $120 here costs me a little over $70 including international shipping when I order online. Not to mention that as a pro, I only got a 10% discount off the retail price which barely covered the sales tax. No tax on international orders!!!!! I'm all about saving money.

I just don't order right before I need them, lol. I make sure to order plenty in advance!

[pygmalion]

What! :shock: :D I'm going to check it out. I've seen those ads, but always thought it was a come-on for a poor selection of shoes. Like maybe yesterday I saw an ad for dance naturals for $69 a pair. ( :doh: Duh! Must've been Wednesday. I had no computer yesterday!) Hmm. It's kinda late for my Christmas list, but still, I'm thinking a mile a minute here. And oh, btw, did you see the listing in the ads forum for Carmen's Dance Shoes? They're having a sale. Even if you're not buying shoes for yourself, they do have quite a few pairs of men's shoes you might want to check out for your husband. :D

[pygmalion]

Oh boy! I'm dangerous now! You're right, DancingMommy. I just checked the dancesport.uk website and the dancescape.com website, and I found some really good buys on shoes. Much less expensive than the same shoes here in the States, and a better selection of colors, too. Here I go again! (Edit -- except Supadance. Those prices are comparable to the ones I've seen here. I guess Supadance is just a good shoe, or they have the market cornered, so they don't have to lower prices. *shrug*) And, BTW, dancevision is clearing out its stock of Ray Rose shoes -- $49 for all men's and women's styles. Most of the men's stuff is sold out, but quite a few sizes and colors are stil available in the women's styles.

[DancingMommy]

I told you so! 8)

It get's even better though... If you want those babies FedExed, they still cost less!!!

I'm thinking of trying the PortDance shoes since they are under $60/pair and are getting rave reviews. I'm all about value and I'm willing to try some lesser known brand if it looks good.

I love internet shopping! Especially since most of my shoes have had to be "special ordered" since I moved here. When I lived in Atlanta, I'd just pop into Showtime whenever I needed something - ah the good ole days..... But now, half the time, the size I want or style, etc isn't "in stock" and I end up having to wait for it anyways. GRRRRRR

So, I figure if I have to wait, why pay full price????? Once upon a time I thought about being a dealer, but it was just tooooooooo much trouble.

[pygmalion]

Yes. The ladies at the local shoe dealer are very nice, though, and I highly recommend them for newbies who have never had dance shoes fitted before. Those ladies know what they're doing. 8) But with their entire stock stored in the garage/side of a residential home, there's only so much they can stock. Their shipments come in on Wednesday, and I think you need to order by Monday to get them Wednesday, btw. So if you go on Tuesday, you wait more than a week to get your shoes. :shock:

Now, about discount shoes ... :wink: I've also seen ads for shoes made in and shipped from Asia, but I've been wary of trying those. The prices just seem too low to be true, and the brands are totally unknown to me. Plus, returns to Asia must be tricky. Has anybody had experience with those?

[tasche]

Ebay can be a good place to look for if you know your size. I jut received a pair of 1008's brandnew ofcourse and I only paid $60 plus $10 shipping. This particular seller seemed to have alot of supadance shoes

[DancingMommy]

Their shipments come in on Wednesday, and I think you need to order by Monday to get them Wednesday, btw. So if you go on Tuesday, you wait more than a week to get your shoes. :shock:

If the shoes you ordered actually got ordered in the right size/colour to begin with. :(


Now, about discount shoes ... :wink: I've also seen ads for shoes made in and shipped from Asia, but I've been wary of trying those. The prices just seem too low to be true, and the brands are totally unknown to me. Plus, returns to Asia must be tricky. Has anybody had experience with those?

Asians are notorious for reverse engineering/flat out copying the brands. I have some Versace and Bulgari jeans that you'd NEVER know were fake as well as some Prada and Gucci Handbags. :-) My MIL sends them to me. I can't wait to go back over there to get more. My Versace fakes are so good, they come with a genuine cert of authenticity. :twisted:

The quality of clothes/shoes I've bought in Asia are very very good - and they are style mavens over there also (by way of HK). I'd have no problem trying any ballroom shoes made there. But myabe I'm biased.... :oops:

[redhead]

I don't know about EBay... Once I bought a couple of pairs of shoes from the same person, received them in 5 days and was totally pleased. Later, one lady from Kentucky was selling her shoes inventory - about 25 pairs(she sells stuff in her ballroom), and 2 models were just what I was looking for. Well, I paid and never received them. The funny thing is, she never shipped a single pair to anyone, but she provided a link of her ballroom website, with pictures and stuff... Creating good reputation, huh? I'm done with EBay.
Showtime is my favorite so far, but dancesport.uk prices look great.

[tasche]

Redhead

That bites. I've been ebaying since '99 and am lucky to have not been scammed yet even when I was an international buyer. I have recieved on fake bag but had purchases a money back guarentee so just had paypal refund me.

My personal thing is that if a seller doesn't ahve much feedback based on the item she is selling is to only buy if the photos homegrown. i.e not stock then that assures the item is in hand. Of course I break that rule sometimes and sometimes when I'm selling I do that too but if someone doesn't have a track record then thats a good idea

I'm totally happy with the seller I used

Natasha

[pygmalion]

I'll have to be careful with ebay, but I do want to try it. Right now, there are at least a hundred pairs of shoes for sale on ebay -- at good prices. And, in the past, I've seen shoe stores auctioning off certificates for any pair of shoes in stock. That's the sale I'm looking for. :wink: :D

[tasche]

Teh one that seems to ahve alot listed with the shoes pictured ontop of the boxes is the one I used and the shipping was quick and the shoes mint. PM if you want the sellers id.

[MadamSamba]

I love my Supadance, flesh-coloured, latin T-bars WITH diamantes!!!

Just don't fall for the advice I did when I started...get shoes that fit, NOT ones that are half-a-size smaller, for an allegedly "snugger" fit...
If the shoes weren't so darn expensive, I'd buy them in all colours, just like when you find a nice shirt and buy a few in different shades! :)

[pygmalion]

Is the style name Hazel? A wide bar across the instep, a t-bar with rhinestones on it, available in a bunch of colors?

[dolceamore]

My dance shoe dealer also highly recommends Nadia, made by International, as well. I didn't get them only because she didn't have the color I wanted. Those babies really support your foot. They have two ankle straps, and it feels impossible for your foot to slip around.

well pygmalion,
i have the Nadias and i wasnt too happy with them since they do not have heel support.it is hard to keeep your heel in. it always seems to slip out. i dont know, it might be different on you. my coach told me to get the melissas and i see alot of pros dancing in those. i like the ones that strap around under your arch. it keeps my foot in there lol.

[pygmalion]

Yeah. Good point. I think a lot of it has with the shape of your foot as related to the shape of the shoe. It really pays to try them on, if you can, not just go mail order.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Shoe update: I got a pair of Freed Tina for Christmas and I LOVE them!!!! :D They fit perfectly...after dancing for four months in shoes that were too big, it made a world of difference putting on a pair that actually fit and being able to do moves that I've struggled with due to ill-fitting shoes. Plus, they are GORGEOUS...my feet feel all sexified in them :lol: I have yet to do any hard-core dancing in them (my team doesn't practice over break), so I'll have to let you know how they feel after several hours of dancing :? , but they seem pretty comfortable, at least for short periods of time.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Oops, forgot to mention...

Hehe, I don't know if I should be mentioning this because I don't like dissing on certain brands, but the shoes that I struggled with for four months were a pair of Ray Rose Hurricane that I got from the Ray Rose closeout sale on dancevision.com that pygmalion mentioned :? Aside from being the wrong size, I found the soles to be of a rather poor quality and the stitching seem to come undone rather easily...I'm by no means trying to say that Ray Rose is crap, I am just advising CAUTION in buying them...maybe I just had a bad experience, but I would just hate to let other people waste money like I did :cry: Makes one wonder just why dancevision was so anxious to get rid of all those shoes...hmmmm....

[pygmalion]

Thanks for the update, ballroomboilergirl. anybody else have experience with Ray Rose?

[pygmalion]

Oh ballroomboilergirl, you must know I felt compelled to google Ray Rose shoes and look for dirt. Didn't find any, although I did find that they're endorsed by Brian Watson and Carmen. Maybe you had an isolated bad experience? And, of course, the shoes being too big was a fundamental problem to start with. And, while I've had great experiences overall with dancevision, I've never tried to return anything. Do they have a good return policy? Anybody know?

[SDsalsaguy]

Dance Vision probably had a clearance on Ray Rose shoe's as Nick & Elena are now the distributors for Ray Rose U.S.A.

As far as the shoes, while I have never had a pair many *top* dancers love them, including the likes of Jukka & Sirpa, Michael & Beata, Serena, and the aforementioned Bryan & Carmen. Given that any of these people could have any shoe sponsorship they wish, clearly they must truly like the shoes.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Hmmm....didn't know Brian and Carmen endorsed them :o I'm beginning to think that I probably just tore the hell out of mine...I was literally dancing in them for at least two hours every day for four months :? Plus it was my first pair of dance shoes, so I didn't really know how to take care of them...but hey, at least I only paid $60 for them rather than $100+, so I guess it was a worthwhile investment :D

[pygmalion]

Yeah. Taking care of dance shoes isn't easy. But you're right. They SHOULD last longer than four months. Hmm. I'll google and see if I can find one of the care of ballroom shoe articles. Two hours a day for four months shouldn't destroy a pair of shoes. There WAS a problem, and it could be with the quality of the shoes you got, or it could be poor upkeep. Either way, I'll try to get you the information, so those new Tina's of yours stay looking good and feeling comfy! :D Enjoy your new shoes. Nothing like a new pair of dance shoes to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :D :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

Just to put this all in perspective... I know a Blackpool finalist who can destroy a pair of his favorite shoes in one day at Blackpool! :shock: :shock: :shock:

It's true... he likes the thinnest, lightest pair he can get to dance in but, as a result, when he works the floor for round after round after round, he literally wears through a pair of new shoes by the end of a day!

[ballroomboilergirl]

In ONE DAY? Yeesh :shock: I guess I should be thankful I don't wear through shoes THAT quickly...and guys shoes are definitely pricer than womens! :(

...thanks so much, pygmalion. I'm definitely babying Tina 1 and Tina 2 (what I've been calling my new left and right shoes, respectively...I am such a nerd lol :lol: ). When they're not on my feet, they're in a shoe bag, and they only get worn on wood, linoleum, and smooth cement floors...and they never see the sun/wind/snow/rain/anywhere outdoors...I was going to scotch guard them, but I have found that scotch guarding often leaves a bit of dulling film on satin, plus I didn't want to risk getting any on the crystals on the t-bar and making them dull either :? So I am just going to be extra careful...I am considering always keeping a spare pair of heel tips and a pair of soles onhand in the event of an unfortunate "sole-gunk emergency", lol...I am debating whether or not to get heel protectors...does anyone have any experience with them? I am afraid they might impede my dancing, but I don't want to ruin my heels either...

[SDsalsaguy]

BB, if you want to really take care of them, wood and carpet ONLY!

On the heel protector issue, I don't know anyone who finds them problematic.

[tasche]

Actually I do find heel protectors to be problematic for two reasons. One they never seem to fit the heel snug enough so i feel woobly in them and two when I'm wearing 3" heels it just skews my balance in the wrong direction.

When I was enpointe I could rip through a pair of pointe shoes in about 3 hours YIKES!

Speaking of balance I found my last pair of latin shoes from supadance weren't balanced properly in that when I placed them on flat surface the heel was either off balance or the ball didn't touch the surface. I didn't have that problem with the Shoes I'd had from Capezio

I love my capezio Latinas and for the price ( get them $72 with free shipping) they can't be beat they are lined with suede ( I think some capezio models were lined with vynil so thats why I mention that) and they readily come in wide

I've been wanting to try the freed tinas though. How do they run on sizings as I haven't ahd chance to try them in person I'm between a regular and wide fit.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Actually I do find heel protectors to be problematic for two reasons. One they never seem to fit the heel snug enough so i feel woobly in them and two when I'm wearing 3" heels it just skews my balance in the wrong direction.

When I was enpointe I could rip through a pair of pointe shoes in about 3 hours YIKES!

Speaking of balance I found my last pair of latin shoes from supadance weren't balanced properly in that when I placed them on flat surface the heel was either off balance or the ball didn't touch the surface. I didn't have that problem with the Shoes I'd had from Capezio

I love my capezio Latinas and for the price ( get them $72 with free shipping) they can't be beat they are lined with suede ( I think some capezio models were lined with vynil so thats why I mention that) and they readily come in wide

I've been wanting to try the freed tinas though. How do they run on sizings as I haven't ahd chance to try them in person I'm between a regular and wide fit.

Hmm...I might reconsider the whole heel protector thing...come to think of it, most people on my team don't wear them unless we are making an appearance somewhere (such as the exhibition dance the team did at halftime of the first home basketball game this season) and the sponsors don't want their floor (READ: the basketball court at Mackey Arena! :shock: ) getting damaged...maybe I should just keep a pair on hand for that purpose...

I HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend the Freed Tina style, as do the five other girls on my team that have them :D One of the girls that has them is actually our faculty advisor who has been dancing for 8 years, and she owns three pairs of them! (one for practice, one for competitions, and one for social dancing/performances) I find that they run a bit on the narrow side...a guy on my team actually recommended the whole Freed brand to me because they do cater a bit more to narrow-footed ladies like myself...however, I think there is at least one place on the net that you can get them in wide. Mine came from freedusa.com (which I have found to be the cheapest place on the web to get them...if you order over $100 before Dec. 31 you get a free shoe bag!!! :D ), and there they only have the tan satin, 2.5" heel, regular width Tina, but I know that at showtimedanceshoes.com they carry the 2", 2.5", and 3" heel and have the flesh satin, tan satin, and prism glitter Tinas. So far those are the only two places I know of that carry Tina, but I am sure there are more...I would just google "Freed Tina" and something should come up.

As for sizing, freedusa.com recommends two sizes smaller than your American shoe size...don't listen to them. I wear an american women's size 7 and I wear a 3.5 in Tina. Two other girls on my team wear an american size 6 and wear a 3.5 in Tina, one woman wears an american size 5 and wears a 3 in Tina, and one woman wears and american size 8/9 and wears a 5.5 in Tina (lol, no I'm not nuts keeping track of everyone's shoe size...I just really did a lot of research on the Tinas before I got them because they are a bit of an investment :wink:) I think there is not really a constant size conversion factor for them...it really varies from person to person, depending on the width of your foot (my feet are really narrow, but my friend has wide feet and wears Tinas), how much of an arch you have (I have very high arches, and another girl that wears them has almost completely flat feet), and how you like your shoes to fit (my toes hang over the end about 1/4", but another girl likes her toes to just touch the end of her shoe).

The best advice I can give you is to either go to a dance shoe store and try on a pair for yourself, find someone who owns a pair and ask them if you can try theirs on for size, or, ideally, if you compete, go to a ballroom competition...they often have several shoe vendors there and you can try on shoes. If you can't get your hands on a pair of Tina's to try on, the next best thing is to try on another style of Freed Latin shoe (such as Sylvia, Eliana, or Karen)...they might fit a bit differently, but Freed tends to be pretty constant with their sizing from style to style. Worst case scenario: make an educated guess about what size you would be and order the shoes online. If they don't fit, you can always send them back and ask for a different size...I know freedusa.com has a good return policy and the people there are very friendly :D

Pros: I find them to be very comfortable, have great flexibility (good for showing line), and are just so darn pretty, my feet feel so sexy in them :wink: Several top rhythm and latin pros have adopted Tina as their shoe of choice. Cons: If the ball of your foot is really wide, you might have trouble squeezing your toes in the 5 toe straps, and the back of the shoe tends to be a bit low and doesn't completely cover the heel region, if you're the type that likes to have a lot of heel coverage. Again, these are just things that I have noticed, opinions vary from person to person, but the majority of what I have heard from people that own Tinas is positive :D

I hope this helped...let me know if you're jumping on the Tina bandwagon! :D

[samba ajr]

I find that I wear out my heel tips fairly quicky, so heel protectors have been a real money saver. If I keep replacing the covers, I never have to replace the heel tips :) . At my recent comp, I didn't buy shoes, I bought an eight pack of IDS heel covers! Also, it gives me another 1/4 inch of height! I also feel it gives me a bit more grip on slippery floor.

My first, and favorite Latin shoe is the Monica by International. I've practically worn holes in all the right places. I just got a new pair, and they fit differently. I was told that since they are handmade, each one will fit a bit differently. I haven't really worn them in yet, but hope they'll turn our just as well as the others.

I'm still working on finding a good smooth shoe--a new topic perhaps?

[tasche]

Thanks for your comments re the freed tina. I always used to wear freed pointe shoes so I know to expect the best from them. I do have a few good ballroom shops near me but none of them seem to stock any freeds at least not the ballroom shoes.

I guess the best thing is to try and find a place with free shipping and good return policies and just order the size I think I should be and go from there.

I do understand that shoes are handmade and vary but I have consistanly found that sipadance shoes tend to be unbalanced and it takes them a bit of gentle breaking in with the hands to make the sole lay flat.

I find the heel tips feel more slippery but maybe I need to try the suede ones but still adding things to the heels I think disrupts the balance of the shoes

I'm very fussy about my footwear =D

[tasche]

Ok so whats the difference between flesh and tan satin in the freeds.

[ballroomboilergirl]

The tan and flesh satin are slightly different colors...freedusa.com only carries the tan satin, which is kind of a honey-color...that's what mine are and I really like them :D showtimedanceshoes.com carries the flesh satin, which is more of a copper/bronze color...like the color of pennies. The people I know that have them are divided on the color issue...three of us have the tan and three of us have the flesh color. I guess it depends on what your skin color is...I have rather olive skin, so the tan looks better on me, but another girl that has them is Puerto Rican and prefers the flesh color to match her darker skin tone. I guess the one advantage the flesh color might have over the tan is that if you get it dirty, it won't show up as much :?

samba ajr, heel protectors work that well??? I've been curious about them for awhile but I've been afraid to try them because I thought they would feel different and affect my dancing :? Are yours made specifically for the brand of shoe you wear, or are they interchangeable with any shoe? I worry about them not fitting on my heels properly. Where did you order them? Do they break easily?

As for smooth shoes, I think somewhere in this thread Dancing Mommy mentioned her favorite smooth/standard shoes, and if I recall she mentioned the Supadance 1008, which is a rounded-toe elastic court shoe. However, I also talked to Larinda about smooth/standard shoes since I'm thinking of buying a pair (its getting too hard to do heel turns and heel leads in Latin shoes! :shock:) and she recommended the Supadance Liaison for smooth (its what most of the professionals wear...its basically a criss-cross strap closed toe shoe with mesh on the sides) and the Supadance 1216 or 1012 for Standard (basic rounded-toe court shoe, except without elastic...the 1216 is strapless while the 1012 has a strap). She warned against elasticized shoes because they lose shape over time and will pucker out, flared heels because it is wayyyy too hard to do heel leads in them, and pointed toe shoes because the extra length makes it harder to do toe leads.

So you've really had a lot of trouble with Supadance, tasche? I have never owned a pair of them but I'm thinking I probably will sometime in the future...any suggestions for what NOT to get?

[pygmalion]

Okay. Pet peeve time. Flesh colored shoes aren't. Not if you have darker skin. I wonder what dark-skinned Black girls do. They must have their shoes custom dyed, because I have a light/medium complexion and only the dark tan (I think color #18 in Supadance) is dark enough not to look neon against my skin. :x Really Black Black girls are out of luck.

Edit: I was wrong color #13 is the dark tan -- #18 is light tan

[SDsalsaguy]

Okay. Pet peeve time. Flesh colored shoes aren't. Not if you have darker skin. I wonder what dark-skinned Black girls do. They must have their shoes custom dyed, because I have a light/medium complexion and only the dark tan (I think color #18 in Supadance) is dark enough not to look neon against my skin. :x Really Black Black girls are out of luck.
Only if they're trying to match relative to their skin tone Jenn.... plenty of women compete in black Latin shoes for instance.

(Although I agree with you that "flesh colored" is quite the misnomer!)

[pygmalion]

True, SD. A lot of women do wear black shoes. But everyone I've talked to says that you should not wear black shoes. They truncate your leglines. And they really do. I've watched myself on video. Black shoes are a no go.

Oh yeah, and by the way, Black women aren't black, for the most part. They're varying shades of brown. Few of which are available in dance shoes. :x

[SDsalsaguy]

You know that's not what I meant Jenn! :wink:

In general I also agree with you regarding black shoes and how they shorten the leg line. At the same time, however, I also have to concede that I have seen some top notch competitors pull them off quite succesffuly... usually (although not always) with some type of black fishnet or some such so that the black shoes still function as extensions of the leg line.

[pygmalion]

Yes, SD. I wasn't trying to be unnecessarily difficult. And I've also seen some folks successfully pull off the black shoes -- usually something well-coordinated with whatever outfit they were wearing. You're right.

[tasche]

Well supadance are good dance shoes but when I buy a pair the bottom of the sole is usually shaped like this ) so they wobble until they get flatten out. Nothing I can't compensate for in the balance with my feet but I'd rather not fight my shoes. I also find the heel placed to far back whereas my capezio latinas have the heel place under the middle of the ball of foot. Its hard to describe how it feels different but it does to me and I know thats why. Also the shoes aren't as flexible and I find the metal shank far too long whereas the latinas seem to have a shorter 3/4 shank which allows more flexibility. I find that sometimes I find my feet actually fall asleep in my supadance sandals bc they can't felx enough. I ahve very strong feet and used to snap my shanks in pointe shoes so I like the most flexible shoes verus the one that lasts the longest

Also I love how my latinas are t bars but then they also have the strappy look to them and I can get 2 pairs for the cost of one of my supadance. I am liking my new supadance practice shoes with the 2" cuban heel thoug

[pygmalion]

Have you tried other Capezio ballroom shoes, other than the t-bars? I have a couple pair, some court shoes and some pumps, and I HATE them. I can't seem to find and keep my balance in them. What have you experienced, tasche?

I have to admit, they are less expensive. And Capezio has some pretty newer styles I might be willing to try. There are a couple websites that regularly discount them 25%. Oh yeah, and discount dance supply has them too, I believe.

[samba ajr]

samba ajr, heel protectors work that well??? ...Are yours made specifically for the brand of shoe you wear, or are they interchangeable with any shoe? I worry about them not fitting on my heels properly. Where did you order them? Do they break easily?
I got mine from Showtime. The ones I use are for flared heeled shoes (IDS) and once you get them on, they stay on. They usually wear down and need to be replaced before they'd break (it's a fairly flexible plastic). I've gotten used to them, but I think they could affect balance for some people. I've tried the slim heel ones, and they don't stay on as well. I tried them with suede on the bottom, which I liked, but whenever I released my toe, the cover came off!

I do have one pair of shoes that has suede on the bottom of the heel tip, and this keeps the heel from wearing down as well.

As for smooth shoes,... avoid flared heels because it is wayyyy too hard to do heel leads in them, and pointed toe shoes because the extra length makes it harder to do toe leads.
I've put off getting the slim heel smooth shoe because I thought I'd be wobbly, but if it solves my heel lead problem, I'm all for it. I've saved Larinda's shoe picks and will choose one of them when I order again.

As for shoe color, I've found that Capezio's "suntan" (this is in leather) makes my feet nearly invisible. I like to think of it as "pink" and works well with my ivory complexion. I really also like the "flesh satin"-- nowhere near my complexion, but they look great.[/quote]

[pygmalion]

Yeah. That suntan color looks pretty invisible on me as well. I guess it works with a range of complexions.

[samba ajr]

Have you tried other Capezio ballroom shoes, ... Oh yeah, and discount dance supply has them too, I believe.

I got a pair from Discount for $20 ("Vienna") , and a friend got two pairs for about $30--but be careful, they're "irregular". The first pair my friend got, each shoe fit differently. We wouldn't send them back, not for $15! So they're awaiting their Cinderella, on display at the dance studio.

Now I understand I shouldn't wear a flared heel for smooth--oh well, I can use them for general dancing. :D

[tasche]

I've only tried the latinas in the 2.5" and the 3" They seem to be one notch up from the rest of their shoes in quality. I went to the capezio store and tried every style they had and this was the winner hands down. So if you've had bad experiences with capezio ( we used to call it "crapezio") then try the latina it is a very well designed and constructed shoe. elandanse has them for $72 I think

[pygmalion]

I'll try on the latinas. I'm pretty sure a couple dance stors here carry them.

BTW, has anyone tried the flexi-soles? Elegance carries them -- I'm pretty sure you can special order any Elengance shoe with the flexible sole. And Supadance has their Supafit competitive dance shoe line with flexible soles.

My dance shoe seller didn't recommend them. She said they give the foot less suport. So I didn't get them. But does anyone here have experience with them?

[tasche]

They give you foot less support but they give you more flexibility. Its a trade off. Of course byusing flexible soles your forcing your foot to strengthen up by the mere fact that your not letting the shoe do all your work. I find that since I can do al the footwork best with bare feet that the shoe that brings me closet to that is the best one for me.

YMMV but its worth giving them a try next time and if it doesn't work out for you you can trade back to a stiffer shoe

[ballroomboilergirl]

On the issue of african-american women and what color shoes they wear (sorry if I'm jumping in a bit late on this one)...I was baffled by this as well...I mean, flesh colored shoes are typically the color of caucasian flesh, not african-american flesh...and if black women tried to wear flesh-colored shoes (which are lighter than their skin tone) wouldn't it just truncate their leg lines, much like wearing pure white shoes would for a white woman? :? Then I was looking through this really cool book about ballroom dancing my mom got me for Christmas, and I saw a picture of a couple from South Africa doing a cha-cha move...she was wearing chocolate brown shoes that had been dyed to match her skin tone perfectly! She had the most gorgeous leg lines, and the shoes were a beautiful color...I guess there are options for those who don't necessarily fit the shoe manufacturer's definition of "flesh-colored", but I still think they should offer multiple "flesh tones"...a light one for fair-skinned women, a bronzier one for us medium-skinned gals, and a dark one for our dark-skinned sisters. Then again, this is not necessarily the most economical choice, so it probably won't happen for a long time...

Hmmm...it's really puzzling to me how Supadance shoes seem to be wobbly when you first buy them :shock: I guess maybe they make them like that so that ever individual that buys them can break them in in whatever way is comfortable to them...? I don't know, I guess I am just so used to high-quality shoes (my first pair were Ray Rose and my second pair were Freed...not to say that Supadance is of bad quality!) with such a good reputation that I would hate to think Supadance is getting away with selling an inferior good. *shrug* I guess I'll just have to wait and see...my birthday is coming up and I'm asking for a pair of court shoes from them...I just hope they aren't wobbly, or if they are, that I have a chance to wear out the wobbles before my next competition on Feb. 21 :shock:

I remember you saying awhile back that your shoe dealer didn't recommend the Supafit line from Supadance, pygmalion, because the soles were so flexible that they didn't offer adequate foot support, so I have avoided them...until I was talking with the faculty advisor for our team about them. Basically, she said the same thing as tasche: they just require your feet to work more. The flexibility they give is unparalleled for showing line, but unless you have very strong feet (which most beginners haven't developed yet), they should be avoided because they can lead to foot problems, such as fallen arches (which my mother already has, and she has never even danced! :shock: ). Plus, she said they tend to wear out more quickly because they are made a bit thinner in order to accomodate the greater flexibility of the sole. So basically she said that they're good for more advanced dancers who need to show more line and have a lot of foot strength...not really a good shoe for beginners :? I don't plan on buying a pair of them anytime soon (me and the Tinas still have a lot of time to spend together :lol: ) but I'm sure as I become more advanced I will invest in a pair.

Ahhh, Crapezio, errr, CAPezio :lol: When I bought my first pair of shoes four months ago everyone told me "whatever you do, don't buy Capezio...they're CRAP!" Well, not that exactly...basically my team captain told me "If you plan on dancing for awhile, don't buy Capezio because they fall apart before the year is up. But if you don't plan on dancing for a long time or aren't sure, they're an okay buy." So I have avoided them like the plague...plus I haven't seen any ones that looked cool or came in a flesh tone (my legs just look stubby in black shoes :cry: ) But oh well, I have never tried them, so I guess my opinion has to be taken with a grain of salt...

[peachexploration]

I've been afraid to buy shoes for the longest time because I have a high instep. I do pretty good with a leather dance sneaker or a laced practice shoe because I can adjust fit across the top of my foot but now, I need at least a 2-inch latin-styled heel. I've tried on a few heels, including a capezio latin heel, but either the back rim of the front toe strap hits my instep (ouch!) or a strap across my instep is too tight. (double ouch!) :headwall: Even a wide shoe does not work because then my foot falls out of the shoe. Any suggestions?

[ballroomboilergirl]

I've been afraid to buy shoes for the longest time because I have a high instep. I do pretty good with a leather dance sneaker or a laced practice shoe because I can adjust fit across the top of my foot but now, I need at least a 2-inch latin-styled heel. I've tried on a few heels, including a capezio latin heel, but either the back rim of the front toe strap hits my instep (ouch!) or a strap across my instep is too tight. (double ouch!) :headwall: Even a wide shoe does not work because then my foot falls out of the shoe. Any suggestions?

LOL, after I say this I think everyone is going to start thinking that I'm working for Freed or something, but I think a pair of Tina's would solve your problem, peach! :D I have both very high arches and a very high instep, and my old shoes did nothing to help it...I felt off-balance and like I couldn't control my shoes because the ankle straps were tight but the rest of the shoe was loose. But now that I have my Tina's, which have 5 toes straps and then a t-strap that goes around the ankle, I feel like I have the right fit in all the right places. The ankle strap is extremely comfortable, as you can adjust how tightly it fits so it doesn't cut into your instep, but it also keeps your foot very secure so you don't just "slide out". Plus Freed is a great brand and the shoes are just so pretty...you might want to check them out at freedusa.com.

There are a few other shoes I can think of that are similar to the Tina that might work for you...the Supadance 1410, Supadance 1401, International Melissa, International LTB, or the Supadance 1029/Hazel Latin (hehe, I have a showtime catalog in front of me, I may be a shoe freak but I don't memorize shoe names and numbers...except Tina :oops:) They are all basically the same design: a t-strap shoe with some sort of strapping across the toes. I think t-straps might work for you since they don't have a bunch of straps that criss-cross over the instep or have multiple straps that could dig into your instep (I know the feeling of having straps dig into your instep...OUCH doesn't even touch it! :cry:) Really any t-strap shoe would work...you might also try shoes in which the straps can be worn as an ankle strap OR an arch strap, such as the Supadance 1067, Supadance 1403, or Freed Sylvia. If you wore them as an arch strap, I think they would accomodate your high instep and still keep you pretty secure.

There is one other option I can think of...since you said you were having trouble with the front toe strap hitting your instep, you might try a shoe with adjustable toe straps, such International Tasha, Supadance 1718 or Supadance 1618. These look like they could solve both your problems (with digging toe straps and tight straps across your instep), particularly the 1618...it has two adjustable-width toe straps and an adjustable width ankle/arch strap (again, you can choose which way you wear it...an added bonus!) Now that I think about it, I think you might do really well with the 1618...you could adjust the width of the toe straps so that they would either accomodate your instep or keep your foot back far enough so that they wouldn't dig into your instep, and you could adjust the width of the ankle/arch strap and wear it as an arch strap so that it wouldn't dig into your instep. Plus (my favorite part :D ) they are really pretty shoes...they have rhinestone buckles on all the straps! Hehe, I love sparkly girly things...anyway, most of these shoes can be found at showtimedanceshoes.com, or each shoe manufacturer's website. I hope this has helped...good luck and let me know if you find success!!!

[peachexploration]

Thank You Ballroomboilergirl! Great info. I'll let you know
how it turns out. :D

[pygmalion]

peachexploration, let me know if youwant to go dance shoe shopping together sometime. They're a little pricey, but there's a dance shoe store in Altamonte Springs which is a great place to buy your first pair of dance shoes. The ladies know what they're doing, and have a great selection of shoes, so they can help you find a good fit. After that first pair, you can go mail order, if you want, and search for bargains on the web.

Let me know if you need/want help. :D


Jenn

[pygmalion]

ballroomboilergirl,

I think you and I are kindred spirits. :D

Give me a moment to think fond shoe thoughts. mmm...

Oh sorry. Back to myself. I have shoe catalogs too, so when I go to the dance shoe store, I know exactly what to ask for -- style name, size, color, heel height, the whole nine yards. I usually have it pretty close to memorized. The ladies at the dance store think I'm nuts.

And, btw, at least my dance store does custom dying, but the darkest color they have is the dark tan -- Supadance color #13. Anybody darker has to buy white shoes and have them dyed at the shoe repair shop. :x

[Porfirio Landeros]

Anybody darker has to buy white shoes and have them dyed at the shoe repair shop. :x

I dye myself to match my shoes... but that's a different thread.

[peachexploration]

Great Jenn! Thanks alot. You guys are the best!

[ballroomboilergirl]

ballroomboilergirl,

I think you and I are kindred spirits. :D

Give me a moment to think fond shoe thoughts. mmm...

Oh sorry. Back to myself. I have shoe catalogs too, so when I go to the dance shoe store, I know exactly what to ask for -- style name, size, color, heel height, the whole nine yards. I usually have it pretty close to memorized. The ladies at the dance store think I'm nuts.

And, btw, at least my dance store does custom dying, but the darkest color they have is the dark tan -- Supadance color #13. Anybody darker has to buy white shoes and have them dyed at the shoe repair shop. :x

Jenn, this could be the beginning of a BEAUTIFUL friendship :D I think we should appoint ourselves as the official DF shoe goddesses...do you realize that we have been responsible for more than half the posts on this thread? LOL...I heart shoes and I heart you too, pygmalion :D I (literally) never leave home without my Showtime catalog...who knows when I might have the sudden urge to go shoe shopping/browsing! And I always know what colors, heels, widths, fabrics, etc. they have in certain styles...for instance, when I went to the Ohio Star Ball, I was trying on a pair of Tina's to get the right fit, and the guy handed me the box and I sat down to try them on and without looking at what heel height was on the box, I walked back to him, holding up the shoe, and I said "You accidentally gave me 2" heels...I wanted the 2.5" to try on" and he said "Those ARE 2.5" in heels" and I said "Impossible...the 2.5" heel doesn't come in tan leather, it comes in tan satin...and these are leather!" The man was astounded, but shook his head, laughed, told me I was right and went back to get me a pair of 2.5" heels. Yes, I officially have an unhealthy obsession with dance shoes :D If I'm ever in the Orlando area, or you're in Indy, we'll DEFINITELY have to go shoe shopping...that would be CRAZY! :lol:

I dye myself to match my shoes...but that's a different thread.

LOL...I'm not even going to ask.... :lol: :lol: :lol: You crack me up...are you a fellow fake tanner?

Thank You Ballroomboilergirl! Great info. I'll let you know how it turns out.

You're very welcome, peach. As Jenn can relate, it is never a chore for me to talk about shoes :lol: By the way, since it's getting a bit cumbersome for everyone to call me "ballroomboilergirl", you all can call me "Court" or "Courtney"...I don't care which :P

[tasche]

I ahve the 1618's with the two buckles. Two caveats The buckles can dig into your toes at the my inoportune time and the straps really dont provide alot of support to keep you in your shoe.

The roundness I find in supadance ( this comes from buying 3 pairs from them one sandal one court and one practice) in the soles gets flattened out by your feet soon enough and most people wouldn't notice any difference in balance. What I really mean by them being wobbly is if you stand them on a table they will fall over whereas other shoes I've bought do stand on their own straight out of the box no modification. The alst they use must have a curved bottom.

For adjustableness has anyone tried those supadance sandals with the velcro.

Ok now I have to ask a q which has probably been asking a million times. How long do you expect your shoes to last and is that a reasonable expectation. I expect mine to only last 3-4 months a pair before they start to break down and lose support.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Ok now I have to ask a q which has probably been asking a million times. How long do you expect your shoes to last and is that a reasonable expectation. I expect mine to only last 3-4 months a pair before they start to break down and lose support.

Good question...wish I could give you an educated answer :-P See, I've only been dancing about 6 months. My first pair of shoes were a pair of ill-fitting Ray Rose Hurricane that I got on sale and they were in bad shape after 4 months of dancing in them almost everyday for AT LEAST 2 hours, and were in dire need of resoling. Rather then put more money into fixing them, though, I held out and got my fabulous new Tinas for xmas. I am hoping that they will last AT LEAST a year without losing their shape, support, etc. Then again, I haven't been dancing long enough to make an accurate determination as to how long shoes will last...I think it definitely depends on how long you dance in them, how hard you dance in them, how many preservative measures you take to keep them nice, how good a quality they are, etc.

How often do you dance, tashe? It must be pretty often if your shoes are breaking down that quickly. And how hard are you on your shoes? What measures do you take to preserve them? Any pointers on keeping new shoes looking new?

[tasche]

I'm not saying that my shoes break down that quickly bc I rotate but thats how low I would expect them them to maintain reasonable support if I would only wear one pair. Its like running shoes you need to replace them before they start looking bad. I guess my indication would be if my feet felt sorer than normal.

1 year with 2hrs a day of hard wear is alot to ask of a dance shoe

Tash

[golddancer]

T-strap shoes are very popular for Latin dancing because the strap helps keep the front of the shoe with your toes.

I like Diamant dance shoes from Germany for court shoes. I have so many pairs but my illusions I brought from showtime are a favorite. My Freed I had to get repaired when I just brought them because the innersole came up after only wearing them two times.

I have two new shoe sources I haven't tried yet...Dance Naturals from Italy and Merlet from paris. Merlet has a cute pair of low heeled shoes that have gold block material on them fro about $90 american. After an injury I am trying to vary the dance height. Two hour seminar in 3 inches is wearing and sometimes I find my dance sneaks too flat. :roll: So I am saving to order a pair from Merlet.

[golddancer]

I'm not saying that my shoes break down that quickly bc I rotate but thats how low I would expect them them to maintain reasonable support if I would only wear one pair. Its like running shoes you need to replace them before they start looking bad. I guess my indication would be if my feet felt sorer than normal.

1 year with 2hrs a day of hard wear is alot to ask of a dance shoe

Tash

You bet that is a lot of wear!!! :!: I love my dance shoes and the steel arches are great support but usually it is the material in the rest of the shoes that stretches out too much or wears out.

I know one newsletter in a dance magazine said that the pros put the flexible foam arch supports in their stretched out shoes to "tighten" the fit. This is a good temporary fix for mostly closed toe shoes. On open toe shoes you can try those foam don't slide forward inserts--but when I had to get my Freed insole fixed my cobbler put new and thicker foam in the box of the shoe and they were so much more comfortable!!! :D

[pygmalion]

Hmm. I've had two pairs of practice shoes that both lasted about eight - nine months at ten hours a week. (Edit: That's before I started noticing a problems with foot support. I actually didn't throw them out for a few months more. A year or so, total.) Maybe they last a long time because practice shoes ARE pretty tough in construction. And I alternated them with other dance shoes, and also practiced at home mostly in socks or bare feet.

I can see that, the better you get at the dancing, the shorter time the shoes might last -- if you're actually using the proper foot action, etc., your shoes DO tend to get rubbed more in certain spots. The leather in the Romas I've had for the past year certainly stretched out more quickly than my previous pair of practice shoes.

(I love Romas, by the way)

[SDsalsaguy]

Also keep in mind, as has already been suggested, that the better you get the more flexible a shoe you'll tend to use... which also translates into less durable.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Also keep in mind, as has already been suggested, that the better you get the more flexible a shoe you'll tend to use... which also translates into less durable.

Amen to that...my faculty advisor can tear through a new pair of Tinas in under 6 months! :shock: Maybe it's time I should invest in a pair of practice shoes as well...I dunno if I can afford to rip though my Tinas that quickly! I'm a broke college student :cry:...hmmm, I need to find an occupation that makes enough $$ to support my shoe addiction lol :lol: Jen we should charge showtime and Freed for all the advertising we've being doing for them!

[pygmalion]

Hugs, Courtney!

Practice shoes are nice, because they have a lower, more supportive heel than the dance shoes most of us wear -- less wear and tear on the feet, leg muscles and back.

But you're right. It does get expensive trying to maintain multiple pairs of shoes. What's a girl to do? :cry: Plus, I doubt Freed or anybody else will pay me. :lol: I'm an equal-opportunity dance shoe addict.

[golddancer]

Ok now I have to ask a q which has probably been asking a million times. How long do you expect your shoes to last and is that a reasonable expectation. I expect mine to only last 3-4 months a pair before they start to break down and lose support.

I have found that my dance shoes last about 3 months when I was dancing about a minimum of 15 hours a week in them before they needed serious maintence. These were 3" heeled shoes not practice shoes. I had one pair of german court shoes that I wore only on special occassions and they lasted about two years before they were too stretched out and I needed to wear the clear straps with them. I have recycled that pair to street shoes. :wink:

[golddancer]

Tasche: "Amen to that...my faculty advisor can tear through a new pair of Tinas in under 6 months! :shock: Maybe it's time I should invest in a pair of practice shoes as well...I dunno if I can afford to rip though my Tinas that quickly! I'm a broke college student :cry:..."


Definitely invest in practice shoes! What I have done in past is 1 buy a pair of dance sneaks and two buy capezio character shoes that have hard dance leather soles--if you have $ but the all leather ones so that your feet breathe. This has helped me stretch my dance shoe budget. $$$

I am such a dance shoe junkie and I have been really disgusted with the quality of the street shoes that I have been recycling my old dance shoes that aren't covered with glitter to street shoes.

[tasche]

I think ballroomboilergirl said the comment about her faculty advisor ripping through pairs in 6 months

I ahve practice shoes and like them but I still prefer when possible to wear the shoes I'll ultimately end up dancing in just like a runner always trains in the shoes he'll compete in

It seems to me that most people wear their shoes until they fall apart. This may not be the best thing for your feet though I do understand the fiscal ascpects of it being a former broke AND starving student.

I thinking about converting a pair of black leather t staps ( latinas of course) into street shoes as they fit like no other heels I own. I'll need to add more padding and touger soles

I was browsing a website and found this site that offers imitation brand name dance shoes. Anyone know anything about this. I saw some cute social shoes that for that price I wouldn't mind buying just for fun but was wondering about the quality. I guess I should just be a guinea pig and try them

[ballroomboilergirl]

I ahve practice shoes and like them but I still prefer when possible to wear the shoes I'll ultimately end up dancing in just like a runner always trains in the shoes he'll compete in

It seems to me that most people wear their shoes until they fall apart. This may not be the best thing for your feet though I do understand the fiscal ascpects of it being a former broke AND starving student.

I was browsing a website and found this site that offers imitation brand name dance shoes. Anyone know anything about this. I saw some cute social shoes that for that price I wouldn't mind buying just for fun but was wondering about the quality. I guess I should just be a guinea pig and try them


More and more I am beginning to think that it would be worthwhile for me to invest in a pair or either practice shoes or jazz sneakers...both financially and physically, as I will not be wearing down my Tinas as quickly and I won't be torturing my feet as much. However, Brian (advanced guy on our team) is a BIG advocate of always dancing in the shoes you are going to be competing in, as you need to get used to the way they are balanced. But at least one girl on our team practices most of the time in Supadance jazz sneakers and practices in her Tinas only once a week, and she doesn't seem to have any problems with the transition :? And the sneakers would be good for social dancing as well...but I don't want to be "un-used" to my Tinas, either! And I worry about my feet...I'm going to the doctor next week to talk to her about my dancing and if there are any precautions I need to take to avoid causing permanent damage to my feet. Does anyone have any experience with the long-term effects of dancing in heels all the time? Gahhh, this is mentally taxing, worrying about whether to wear practice shoes or Tinas! :cry:

My main concern with "running my Tinas into the ground" is that once they get really worn out, it will negatively impact my dancing (hehe, I guess I'm not so much worried about my feet after all...as long as I can dance for the next 50-some years I'm good!). Is it harder or easier to dance in shoes that are "worn-out"? My faculty advisor seems to prefer very "broken-in" shoes, but it seems weird to me that it's easier to dance in them after they have lost their shape. Any comments?

Hmmm, don't know about the imitation brand shoes...definitely curious, though. Let me know if you find anything :wink:

[pygmalion]

Gotta love a shoe fanatic!

No offense intended, but I bet Brian isn't dancing in 3 inch heels! :shock: :lol: Practice shoes are much better for your feet, and alternating between them and higher heels every couple days seems to work fine for me. I have no problem performing in the higher heels. I switch into my heels a couple weeks before a performance. Other than that, it's practice shoes most of the time, with high heels every couple days so my feet don't "forget" them.

I saw an Argentine tango web page some time back that talked about the effects of high heels (Oh my goodness. You should SEE the heels those AT ladies wear -- 4.5 inch.. No exaggeration). I'll see if I can google and find that article again. There's also a thread here somewhere on dancing in high heels. (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1372)

[golddancer]

Hey Pygmalion and ballroomboilergirl,

1. I highly recommend changing heel heights occasionally because it is better for you calf muscles. I also stretch my calf muscles because too much of one height causes a lot of problems in the long run. (If you want my exercise info e-mail me. ) This height heel change was recommended to me by medical professionals and dance professionals.

2. The first person who suggested dance sneakers or practice shoes was an Argentine Tango instructor who is also has a degree in the physical or sports arena (its been a while)-- Some of you are familar with his work--Daniel Trenner.

3. When I asked Daniel then how do those lovely Argentine Ladies dance in those heels he said they learn in flats first and then practice and dance in the 4 inch jobs. They are not in 4" all the time.

One of the challenges of changing heels is the change of your center of gravity but its good for you. ':o'

[pygmalion]

Yup, golddancer. I practice in bare feet and in practice shoes every day -- I guess that counts as two different heels heights. ? :? And I add in the higher heels from time to time. And lots of stetches for the legs and ankles. Works for me.

[tasche]

A practice shoe with a 2" cuban heel might be a better option than the regular chunky heeled ones ( these are the ones that I like) as its not too different than a 3" flared.

Incidently to using the ballet comparision again there is not realy sucha thing a practice pointe shoe. sure there are half pointe shoes for strengthening your feet in preparation for pointe but thats different.

[redhead]

I've had quite a few pairs of latin shoes and fell in love with International. They fit better, last longer and are made with better care. I wear high-heeled dancing shoes for practice until they don't support my feet enough any longer, and after that they become my salsa shoes. I'm lucky to have narrow feet, so I can treat myself to new shoes more often - they're always on sale! Heel protectors with suede work great; I got them from Showtime, and they fit great (slim heels).

[pygmalion]

A practice shoe with a 2" cuban heel might be a better option than the regular chunky heeled ones ( these are the ones that I like) as its not too different than a 3" flared.


No, I don't work for Freed of London, but that's why I like Romas. They don't have the squat, thick 1.5 inch heel. It's a slimmer slightly higher heel -- a lot closer to my performance shoes. So, even though I can still feel a difference, the shift in balance is not as great as it would be with the chunkier heels.

[ballroomboilergirl]

Hey Pygmalion and ballroomboilergirl,

1. I highly recommend changing heel heights occasionally because it is better for you calf muscles. I also stretch my calf muscles because too much of one height causes a lot of problems in the long run. (If you want my exercise info e-mail me. ) This height heel change was recommended to me by medical professionals and dance professionals.

2. The first person who suggested dance sneakers or practice shoes was an Argentine Tango instructor who is also has a degree in the physical or sports arena (its been a while)-- Some of you are familar with his work--Daniel Trenner.

3. When I asked Daniel then how do those lovely Argentine Ladies dance in those heels he said they learn in flats first and then practice and dance in the 4 inch jobs. They are not in 4" all the time.

One of the challenges of changing heels is the change of your center of gravity but its good for you. ':o'

Yah I think I'm definitely seeing a pair of Supadance sneakers in my future...yay for more new shoes! :D Bah, so what if I'm a poor college student...who needs a couple weeks worth of food, anyway... :lol:

Golddancer, have you ever used any of Daniel's tapes from dancevision? I've been thinking about buying some of them and I wondered if they were worth it...anyone have any experience with them?

So now that we've sorta segued into practice shoes, what type of practice shoes do you all use (we already know Jen is a strong advocate of the Freed Roma :wink: )? Does anyone use the half-shank practice sandals? How should practice shoes fit...should they fit like regular shoes, or should the fit be similar to your dance shoes? Speaking of fit, how do you like your Latin and smooth shoes to fit as well? I prefer 1/4" of toe hanging over the edge of my latin shoes, and I am trying to figure out how smooth shoes should fit before I buy a pair...

[pygmalion]

I don't suppose there's any point in mentioning what practice shoes I wear, since the whole world already knows. :oops: :lol: But I buy them to fit just like my regular dance shoes. I still need the snug fit so I can control my movement.

[pygmalion]

Oh yeah, and I have a pair of sandals/open toe shoes style #1028 -- Supadance, I think. They come in a 2 inch heel and at least used to come in 2.5 inch as well. They're pretty comfortable, though I usually don't wear them for practice shoes, so I don't know how they'd hold up under all that wear and tear.

The problem with the low-heeled supadance practice sandals is that squat, chunky heel, I would imagine. I've never tried them for that reason. The balance is too different from my regular shoes.

[pygmalion]

Yah I think I'm definitely seeing a pair of Supadance sneakers in my future...yay for more new shoes! :D Bah, so what if I'm a poor college student...who needs a couple weeks worth of food, anyway... :lol:


You do know about ballroom sneakers with the higher heel and suede soles, don't you? Google tangoinmiami. $70. They look good, but that was the one pair I didn't get for xmas. I'm getting them soon, though. When I do, I'll come back and post.

[ballroomboilergirl]

You do know about ballroom sneakers with the higher heel and suede soles, don't you? Google tangoinmiami. $70. They look good, but that was the one pair I didn't get for xmas. I'm getting them soon, though. When I do, I'll come back and post.

Yah, I considered them...the only thing is, I feel like the Supadance ones would be a bit more practical as I can also use them as social dancing shoes, and I can wear them out to clubs when I go dancing and I don't have to hassel with hauling around an extra pair of shoes :P Plus, since they don't have suede soles, they're a lot more durable...but again, as time wears on, I'm sure I'll have more of a need for practice shoes with heels and suede soles :D I can always use more shoes.... :lol:

[tasche]

I wear supadance 1025 with a cuban heel and stripey witcheypoo socks just to complete the effect

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Nice looking shoe -- needless to say, I googled it. :lol:

How high is the heel? Looks like about 2.5 inches. Yes?

[golddancer]

Yah I think I'm definitely seeing a pair of Supadance sneakers in my future...yay for more new shoes! :D Bah, so what if I'm a poor college student...who needs a couple weeks worth of food, anyway... :lol:


You do know about ballroom sneakers with the higher heel and suede soles, don't you? Google tangoinmiami. $70. They look good, but that was the one pair I didn't get for xmas. I'm getting them soon, though. When I do, I'll come back and post.

I looked at those dance sneakers.... wild! I bookmarked that site and will check with an Arg Tango friend, I think she has a pair of his shoes.

[pygmalion]

Cool. If you get some info, please post. 8) :D

[golddancer]

Golddancer, have you ever used any of Daniel's tapes from dancevision? I've been thinking about buying some of them and I wondered if they were worth it...anyone have any experience with them?

So now that we've sorta segued into practice shoes, what type of practice shoes do you all use (we already know Jen is a strong advocate of the Freed Roma :wink: )? Does anyone use the half-shank practice sandals? How should practice shoes fit...should they fit like regular shoes, or should the fit be similar to your dance shoes? Speaking of fit, how do you like your Latin and smooth shoes to fit as well? I prefer 1/4" of toe hanging over the edge of my latin shoes, and I am trying to figure out how smooth shoes should fit before I buy a pair...

Smooth shoes should be snug and make sure that there is room for your toes. I find that the sizing runs about 1/2 to 1 whole size larger than my Latin shoes depends mostly on the manufacturer. I haven't really purchased a pair of smooth shoes since my first pair. I just use my Latins all the time.

I was fortunate to attend workshop with Daniel and to answer your other question I have used Daniel's tapes--Arg Tango only... The first tapes I used were from Dance Vision. l have expanded to Daniel's catalog Bridge to the Tango. Google the website because they carry his other tapes. He is no longer involved (he retired) but it is an excellent source for music and instruction by the premier Arg Tango dancers; both old and modern styles of the dance. 8)

[pygmalion]

Yes. Smooth shoes should be as close to your toes as possible, but should never rub them, even straight out of the box. If they rub, they're too small. Also, many styles come in round toe or pointed toe. I've found the round toe styles to be more comfortable, because there's less toe "scrunching" likely to happen. While we're on smooth shoes, I also prefer the non-elasticized ones, with a clear shoe strap to hold the shoes on, just in case. It's just a personal preference, but I don't like the way the elasticized ones look.

[golddancer]

Yes. Smooth shoes should be as close to your toes as possible, but should never rub them, even straight out of the box. If they rub, they're too small. Also, many styles come in round toe or pointed toe. I've found the round toe styles to be more comfortable, because there's less toe "scrunching" likely to happen. While we're on smooth shoes, I also prefer the non-elasticized ones, with a clear shoe strap to hold the shoes on, just in case. It's just a personal preference, but I don't like the way the elasticized ones look.

I also prefer round toed smooth shoes. Don't forget to flex those hard working tootsies after a hard dance session. :D

[ballroomboilergirl]

Yes. Smooth shoes should be as close to your toes as possible, but should never rub them, even straight out of the box. If they rub, they're too small. Also, many styles come in round toe or pointed toe. I've found the round toe styles to be more comfortable, because there's less toe "scrunching" likely to happen. While we're on smooth shoes, I also prefer the non-elasticized ones, with a clear shoe strap to hold the shoes on, just in case. It's just a personal preference, but I don't like the way the elasticized ones look.

I also prefer round toed smooth shoes. Don't forget to flex those hard working tootsies after a hard dance session. :D

Good deal...I got about the same feedback from Larinda when I asked her about smooth shoes: rounded toe, non-elastic, no flared heels, roughly 1 size bigger than your Latin shoes, depending on the manufacturer...my birthday is coming up soon so I think I'm going to ask for a pair of Supadance 1016 (Larinda recommended :wink: ) Gosh, I am REALLY beginning to turn into a hard-core shoe addict...just talking about them gets me all excited, I'm such a nerd :lol:

Wow, it sounds like Daniel Trenner's tapes are worth the investment...I'll definitely look into them :D

[golddancer]

Wow, it sounds like Daniel Trenner's tapes are worth the investment...I'll definitely look into them :D


Daniel's video tapes feature two different partners--Brook Burdett and Rebecca Schulman. http://www.thetangocatalogue.com[/url]

My friend who introduced me to Daniel's instructional videos had a preference and I think it was Rebecca. I'll ask her and post her reply asap.[[/quote]

[yvonne]

the crystal and melissa GOLD from International dance shoes are my favo dance shoes. I like te Melissa T-bar too!
Kuzzzzzzzzzz yvon

[pygmalion]

Hi yvonne. Thanks for joining the conversation. It's nice to have you with us. Melissa T-bar, huh? That's a nice-looking shoe. What do you like about it? Is it just the looks, or is it comfortable too? It looks pretty supportive; I've just never tried them on.

[pygmalion]

I don't know if this will help anyone, but you never know ... I found a web site today that has the biggest/best selection of character shoes I've ever seen.

Google on La Duca Shoes. They have a great selection. Not ballroom shoes, for sure, but shoes for SOME dancers. ... or actor/dancers. 8) :)

[BayAreaBallroomLady]

I love my Supadance, flesh-coloured, latin T-bars WITH diamantes
ahh yes, I borrowed a pair of those once when I forgot my own shoes.... I LOVED them!
BTW:
Here's a bit of research info for you who like the Diamante brand. They are the same as Dance Art. I get mine straight from the manufacturer in Germany, and they arrive within a few weeks. The price has increased considerably since I purchased mine (I paid $48 bucks for them in 2002) but they are still cheaper through Dance-Art.com than through Ballroom Dance Supply (BDS) who charged me $89... which still sounds like a good deal from what many of you are currently quoting.

They do runs on certain widths, so if they don't have your width this month, they might in a couple months. This is especially nice if you are particularly narrow or wide. It runs in letters such as D,E, F, and G. The G width fits perfect on a wide foot, but eventually stretches. The F width will fit a widER foot, but would be a loose fitting medium.

[pygmalion]

Cool. Dance Art, huh? I'll have to google, and see if I can find a direct link to the manufacturer site. Dancing Mommy also gets a good deal by ordering from Europe. Hmm.

[delamusica]

I love the Karina by International. Pygmalion also mentioned the Nadia - but while it is secure (and very sexystrappy looking!), all the straps rub against each other and give huge sores!! Maybe it's just me, but I find that shoes with fewer straps (although enough to be secure!) are usually more comfortable. International's Monica is also very comfortable, and really secure with an arch strap! I'm currently wearing a pair from a company called Dancesport International (can't remember the style) - extremely flexible soles!

[delamusica]

Also, w w w.showtimedanceshoes.com usually has a fairly large selection on their sale page, if anyone's looking. :)

[pygmalion]

Yup. Gotta love thse special buys. 8)

[sunderi]

I didn't take the time to read through the whole thread :oops: but my favorite rhythm shoes are International Nadia with a 2 1/2" heel.

My favorite smooth shoes are International ICS Superstar.

I used to wear Elegance, but I started getting an allergic reaction to the metal in the buckle. Anyone else ever heard of that?

[pygmalion]

I used to wear Elegance, but I started getting an allergic reaction to the metal in the buckle. Anyone else ever heard of that?

Really? :?

I've heard of allergic reactions to rings and earrings, but never shoe buckles. Bummer. :( What did you think of Elegance shoes, otherwise? I hear they're nice. A little pricey, but nice. Yes?

[mamboqueen]

I used to wear Elegance

me, too! But I didn't have the allergic reaction problem; but I rarely wore them without panythose or knee hi's. I did have a problem, at the Empire State, where I was due on the floor in about 15 minutes and couldn't get the buckle to unbuckle. I had to go two doors down and knock on someone's door to help me get the shoe off. All I could think of was Michelle Officer and Eddie Simon when she had a shoe problem backstage and couldn't get out to the stage when they were calling the finalists and they were the first ones called....

I switched to International Melissa's. I love them, although it took quite an adjustment from the Elegance, which have thicker soles. I love the fat that I can get the Melissa's in an extra-narrow width and not have to wait 10 weeks like I did for the Elegance shoes.

[sunderi]

I've heard of allergic reactions to rings and earrings, but never shoe buckles. Bummer. :( What did you think of Elegance shoes, otherwise? I hear they're nice. A little pricey, but nice. Yes?

Otherwise, I liked them a lot. They were very comfortable, and cute. :) (Both are important!)

The allergic reaction was really unfortunate. I got it even if I was wearing pantyhose! It was awful! The woman I talked to from Elegance said she'd never heard of it before. I have really sensitive skin, though, so I'm not surprised that if it was going to happen to someone, it'd be me. ;)

The only other thing I *didn't* like about my Elegance shoes was the color -- the tan was too light and pink for me.

[delamusica]

I really like the Dancesport International (not International Dance Shoes) Tan Satin Flexible Sandal. It's simple, and honestly the most comfortable latin shoe I've ever worn (and I've worn a lot of them!). DSI shoes don't last as long as ones I've had by International (my former brand), but they're not as expensive and worlds more comfortable. Not that they wear out particularly fast, but my International shoes lasted for about three years of hard dancing before they were done.

Anyway, that's my pick. Dancesport International (DSI) Tan Satin Flexible Sandal. So comfy!

[cocodrilo]

All of my heels are Elegance. I didn't think they were any pricier than the Supadance shoes and all the shoes I purchased were on sale. The cheapest pair was $60!

[dancin_feet]

I have always had leather latin shoes, but since I bought a pair of Supadance in flesh satin, I love them!! They are still a bit tight around my toes, but dance shoes have always rubbed on my toes. They are so lightweight and flexible. I just have to be careful not to wear them too much because they get scuffed so easily. I've got spot cleaner to clean them, but don't want to use it too much because no matter how careful you are, the satin will fray if they are rubbed too much. And I want these to last FOREVER!!! :D

[cocodrilo]

I have always had leather latin shoes, but since I bought a pair of Supadance in flesh satin, I love them!! They are still a bit tight around my toes, but dance shoes have always rubbed on my toes. They are so lightweight and flexible. I just have to be careful not to wear them too much because they get scuffed so easily. I've got spot cleaner to clean them, but don't want to use it too much because no matter how careful you are, the satin will fray if they are rubbed too much. And I want these to last FOREVER!!! :D
I have one pair of satin Elegance shoes I have never worn(as our salsa scene died out here in May and I am practicing salsa shines these days COMFORTABLY in jazz flats!) but all the girls that I know that have used satin latin shoes say they wear out really easily. I opted for leather for all my other pairs.

[standardgirl]

I have wide feet. I am currently wearing the two straps ajustable latin shoes by supadance, but they are NOT comfy! I have two pairs of latin shoes from capezio sofia wide width 2.5 inch, and they are deifnetely a better fit for me than my supadance. The only problem with those shoes is that their soles don't seem to last as long. But they are my favorite, and they are really comfy and easy to dance/walk in.

[ShyDancer]

My favorite would be Supadance 1413s in flesh satin.Love them. Its like they were made espescially for my feet. They are easily the most comfortable shoes I own (even when they arent broken in).
They look very cute on too. I reserve this pair for competitions and exams though, worn them once for social dancing when I forgot (yes ME, I actually forgot!) my other pairs of shoes. Never wear them to practice.

[Roadrunner]

I came across a website that makes dance shoes called the Star Dance Shop and that is where I got my first pair of "real" dance shoes after upgrading from my not so good practice shoe. I'm amazed at how well they have held up. The style is 160601, and they are definitely more latin than anything else but I can wear them for ballroom, swing, practice.. They are definitely my most comfortable shoes.

That being said.. A girl must have more than one pair of shoes :) So I alternate between the above, my practice shoes (by Capezio), and the Supadance 1208.

[dawnmaines]

Who would have the best shoes for narrow feet?
I saw one post that said you can get great deals on shoes in Narrow because they're always on sale at websites. Can anyone send me in the direction of these webistes? :D

[cocodrilo]

Who would have the best shoes for narrow feet?
I saw one post that said you can get great deals on shoes in Narrow because they're always on sale at websites. Can anyone send me in the direction of these webistes? :D
Elegance & Showtime. Just do a search.

[MacMoto]

I came across a website that makes dance shoes called the Star Dance Shop and that is where I got my first pair of "real" dance shoes after upgrading from my not so good practice shoe. I'm amazed at how well they have held up. The style is 160601
Looks nice, Roadrunner :D

Their style 163001 looks very similar to the pair of shoes I've just ordered, except mine's closed toe with chunkier heels (salsa shoes rather than latin) and in contrasting colours. From Heavenly Dance Shoes in England -- I love their mix'n'match system. 8) Ready in 5 weeks. Can't wait!

[pygmalion]

What do you consider salsa shoes rather than Latin, MM? No challenge. Just curious. 8)

[MacMoto]

I suppose there aren't clearly defined "salsa shoes" as such -- many girls dance salsa in ballroom latin shoes. I do think salsa dancers tend to prefer shoes with a wider heel base than what you get with typical latin shoes though. Just my personal impression.

[pygmalion]

Cool. Thanks. 8)

I'm beginning to like a wider heel base, myself, but that really doesn't work for ballroom, IMO. :(

[amrimi]

I suppose there aren't clearly defined "salsa shoes" as such -- many girls dance salsa in ballroom latin shoes. I do think salsa dancers tend to prefer shoes with a wider heel base than what you get with typical latin shoes though. Just my personal impression.

I think I haven't seen anybody in those kind of shoes for salsa around here most were sandals with flared heels or dance sneakers.

[randomMysh]

peachexploration--

i don't know if i'm repeating what someone else already said, but i've been dealing with the same problem (wide foot, high arch) that you've mentioned, so i thought i'd share.....
i found that the best shoe for wider feet is the supadance, even though they do sometimes have rounded soles which is the ugh. actually, i didn't have that problem with the 2.5" heel, only with the 3", and even that not with every pair. i think it depends on the particular cobbler that was lasting that particular pair--if they do it too tightly, the sole will curl.
i personally loved the 1718 for a variety of reasons....they come with two different straps, one across the ankle and one to wind around the instep, which gives you two different shoes as far as the feelings of your feet are concerned....they don't have any straps that bite into your toes and the upper has a buckle which allows you to adjust the width (the best!). i've tried the 1518 and the 1618 as well, but didn't like them as much.
hope that helps, and good luck in your quest!

[randomMysh]

oh, does anyone know where one might get the new dance naturals? they have this AMAZING new line that is breathtaking and i am coveting it with all my heart :oops:
just so people know what i'm talking about, here is the link to the pictures:
http://www.dancenaturals.it/ingl/collection/frameset_collection.html
you can't buy them there :headwall: so i don't think i'm violating the guidelines (sorry if i am!)
i will love forever anyone who'll point me to an actual site with dollar signs on it :)
not that i can actually afford it, but as someone already said, who needs the couple weeks of food? :roll:
thanks in advance!

[SalsaAmore]

Wow! You all sure know your shoes. It has been so informative reading this thread. Pygmalion, I have the Elegance with flexible sole. I've been so bummed about them wearing out so quickly, though. I have the 3S's with 3" heels. They are the ones with the 3 straps around the ankle that can be styled in many ways. These are the most comfortable pair of latin dance shoes I've owned and tried on thus far. But, I only had them for 3 months. It's such a pity, because they ARE quite pricey. But, I am pretty hard on my shoes dancing an average 15 hours a week in them. And, as SD said, the softer and thinner and more flexible the shoe the less durable they tend to be. Nonetheless, I feel like I'm dancing on clouds in these shoes and have been very happy with them and am considering getting another pair. But, I haven't tried the Internationals, DancingMommy recommended, though. So, I'll have to check those out. Also, thanks Dancing Mommy, for the wonderful dancesport.uk website info. Whoohoo! With those prices, I can get a couple of pairs at a time. I'm in heaven.

[pygmalion]

Back Bay Dance Wear sells some of the Elegance line at a slight discount (cheaper than dancehappy, anyway.) But their selection is limited, and I'm not sure if they offer the flexible soles. When I'm over at their site the next time, I'll browse around. 8)

[SalsaAmore]

Thanks Pygmalion for the Back Bay Dancewear website info. When I checked it the last time you mentioned, for some bizarre reason I couldn't find the Elegance. I checked it again and the prices are much better. An $18 discount from the other site and my retailer. That is a really nice deal. To check out their shipping and handling charges, I went through the checkout process and they only charged $2.50 handling with no shipping fee during checkout for FedEx ground service. I wonder if that is correct because using UPS ground, there is a fee. Have you ordered from them before? Are they pretty good?

[pygmalion]

Yes. They're good. At least, they were when I bought shoes from them about two years ago.

Happy shopping. :D

[standardgirl]

peachexploration--

i don't know if i'm repeating what someone else already said, but i've been dealing with the same problem (wide foot, high arch) that you've mentioned, so i thought i'd share.....
i found that the best shoe for wider feet is the supadance, even though they do sometimes have rounded soles which is the ugh. actually, i didn't have that problem with the 2.5" heel, only with the 3", and even that not with every pair. i think it depends on the particular cobbler that was lasting that particular pair--if they do it too tightly, the sole will curl.
i personally loved the 1718 for a variety of reasons....they come with two different straps, one across the ankle and one to wind around the instep, which gives you two different shoes as far as the feelings of your feet are concerned....they don't have any straps that bite into your toes and the upper has a buckle which allows you to adjust the width (the best!). i've tried the 1518 and the 1618 as well, but didn't like them as much.
hope that helps, and good luck in your quest!

I have wide feet and high arch as well. But I found Supadance annoying.....I mean, their shoes don't give me enough support.
I bought the 1718 thinking that they will be the best shoes for me b/c of the adjustable straps in the front, but the medal on the front straps actually hurts the wide feet.....Before I had the 1718 Supadance, I had a pair of Capezio Sofia in wide style with 2.5 inch heel. Those shoes are in leather, so they strech out better than satin, and they do NOT hurt my feet at all. They are the BEST shoes I have ever had so far. Plus, they are a lot CHEAPER! Basicaly, I bought Supadance thinking of getting a higher quality shoe, but they are just not suitable for me... :(
Then I recently got a pair of the new Capezioe Paris since they claim that this is the highest, finest quality shoes from Capezio. I got those in the same size and wide width, but they are not as comfy either. So far, the only shoes that I found comfortable are: Sofia from Capezio (order wide width and half a size smaller than street shoes.), and Gabriella from International. Gabriella also has an adjustable strap in the front. oh, btw, I also have a pair of latin shoes from WK. It's wide width comfort style. The shoes is really comfy, but they only come in 1.5 inch heel, black or a weird color. They just don't work for competitions.....

BTW, if you are wondering.....POOR me, yes, I have LOTS of latin shoes only because I wasn't able to find the right one for my feet. :cry:

[pygmalion]

Back Bay Dance Wear sells some of the Elegance line at a slight discount (cheaper than dancehappy, anyway.) But their selection is limited, and I'm not sure if they offer the flexible soles. When I'm over at their site the next time, I'll browse around. 8)

They have Elegance 3S for $120, but no flexisole. Probably worth a call to see if you can special order the flexible soles from back bay ... still cheaper than dancehappy. :lol: :lol:

[SalsaAmore]

Thanks for the info Pygmalion. You are so sweet to check. :)

[pygmalion]

Good luck finding the shoes. The way I found back bay in the first place was by finding a shoe style I liked, then googling on the shoe maker and style number (maybe along with the word discount?) and looking for the lowest price. :wink:

[angelbaby]

oh my i do so love the veneres - but i also am on probation (was actually a most gorgeous painting called 'dancing the night away' that blew my budget)

i love my 3" diamants and they have lasted extremely well. also they are very comfortable to dance in and they take my orthodics as well.

am thinking i would like a pair of emerald green dance shoes (tango & salsa mainly) - has anyone seen any? (yes i know i can colour them but easier to buy them already green)

[randomMysh]

angelbaby--
i bought a pair, even though i'm broke...they'll be here in 6-8 weeks and i can't wait! i'll post with the testing results, of course. :)
regarding emerald green....hmmm....i thought showtime dance shoes did custom dyeing....otherwise, buying white shoes and taking them to your local shoe repair place along with an actual example of the color you're talking about might be a good way to do it. the reason for the color sample is that your idea of emarald might be very different from theirs, and overdyeing doesn't always work. good luck!

[angelbaby]

cheers :) also found a new zealand site that offers shoes made in south america - both ready and custom made. can give the link if anyone interested. will discuss the green thing with my friendly bootmaker man.

yes pls do let us all know re veneres :wink: there might be more broke ppl like us who are well able to find a way around....

[chachachacat]

I also find the heel placed to far back whereas my capezio latinas have the heel place under the middle of the ball of foot. Its hard to describe how it feels different but it does to me and I know thats why.
Thi is one of the MAIN things I look for - FEEL for, in a dance shoe! The heel in the middle of your heel, not at the back.
That's one of the reasons I love my Capezios. The other reason is, I've always loved Capezio and their logo (the grand jete flying ballerina sketchy one - it may have changed,) and their image, since childhood.

I used to wear Supadance, then Internationals. I did not, sorry, like my custom-made Elegants. They were "rustically" made, not balanced at all. Balance is most important to me, then comfort, I mean glamour, I mean both! : )

I went to London once, and stayed right down the street from Freed! Whoo-hoo! I bought a lovely pair of 3" Latins, supposedly the new Gaynor super-flexible ones, which they didn't turn out to be. Then I took them to the wrong shoe dyer, on advice from someone, and they RUINED them! My over-$100-from-England special shoes!! They dyed them a bright Peach, than sprayed them with some dye that made tham matte! Satin shoes! I should have taken that jerk to small claims court! Imagine getting your imported shoe that you bought in England, ruined!

Does this win the prize for the worst dance shoe horror or what?

[delamusica]

Does this win the prize for the worst dance shoe horror or what?

It's got to be pretty close! So sorry your shoes got ruined - and new shoes are always so exciting! . . . :cry:

[labelledanseuse]

My first - and so far only - shoes that I have for ballroom/latin dancing are Capezio. They are really comfortable and easy to dance in. I also have Hip Hop, Tap, and Lyrical shoes that are made by Capezio. It's a very good brand.

[musicchica86]

I'll weigh in on the Tina sizing issue. It's taken me all summer, but I've finally got a pair that fits. I usually wear a size 7.5 American dance shoe, which would translate into a size 5 English--and yet my Tinas are a size 4. It seems that the Freed sizing for at least this style is way bigger than the norm, at least for me. That said, I love my Tinas and think they're beautimous!

I still have my Supadance 1518s though, and I absolutely love them too! They fit my feet perfectly, and (I think) they're really flexible, not to mention they're so pretty with all the rhinestones!

[pygmalion]

Is the Tina sizing anomaly a foot-width issue? Meaning, do you have narrow feet? :?

[musicchica86]

Nope. I've got normal-width feet. And it's so funny because my shoe size is always so uniform. It's a rare occasion when I need a size different from what I always wear.

[cocodrilo]

Nope. I've got normal-width feet. And it's so funny because my shoe size is always so uniform. It's a rare occasion when I need a size different from what I always wear.
"Beautimous"? Where you from, girl? :)

[musicchica86]

The South! :D Charleston, SC to be specific, although I'm currently living in Nashville, TN for college.

[cocodrilo]

Cool! I'll keep your newfangled word in my word list! 8)

[pygmalion]

Nope. I've got normal-width feet. And it's so funny because my shoe size is always so uniform. It's a rare occasion when I need a size different from what I always wear.

Hmm... Thanks for the info. I guess it must be something about the way that shoe is cut, then. *shrug*

[chachachacat]

I just got to try on some Very Fine shoes, and I liked them! Good balance, nice padding! Great prices online. I got to find out what size I needed, 5 1/2 - I wear a 6 1/2 street shoe.

[caityrosey]

Oog, I tried to process this whole thread but I don't think i succeeded. I'm in the marked for some smooth/standard shoes.
From what I gathered:

1008 supadance is good but it stretches out after a while (should I put in a clear plastic strap?)
Roma Freed good
Supadance 1216 and 1012 good but don't stretch (is that bad?)

Any new thoughts?

I noticed that a lot of supadance court shoes have flared heels exclusively which seems odd as the slim heels are supposed to be better.

[fascination]

Oog, I tried to process this whole thread but I don't think i succeeded. I'm in the marked for some smooth/standard shoes.
From what I gathered:

1008 supadance is good but it stretches out after a while (should I put in a clear plastic strap?)
Roma Freed good
Supadance 1216 and 1012 good but don't stretch (is that bad?)

Any new thoughts?

I noticed that a lot of supadance court shoes have flared heels exclusively which seems odd as the slim heels are supposed to be better.hockey tape works better than those clear straps...I like any supadance court shoe without a flare...I dont care for the romas...I thought I would but they dont stretch at all and pinch in the toe even though my foot is narrow....and the heel was gone in a flash and you cant put heel protestors on those babies

[pygmalion]

hockey tape works better than those clear straps...I like any supadance court shoe without a flare...I dont care for the romas...I thought I would but they dont stretch at all and pinch in the toe even though my foot is narrow....and the heel was gone in a flash and you cant put heel protestors on those babies

Your Roma's didn't stretch? :?

[fascination]

nope...love my fruedian typo ...dont you? (heel protestors:rolleyes: )

[chachachacat]

nope...love my fruedian typo ...dont you? (heel protestors:rolleyes: )
Yes! In fact, I was tempted to make some kind of joke about it.

[RIdancer82]

I too currently use Supadance for smooth/standard and have been happy with them. For the past few years, I've also used Supadance for latin as well but have recently switched to Eckse for my latin shoes and are absolutely thrilled with them. (definately not going back to Supadance latin shoes) I'm curious though.... Has anyone out there tried any Eckse smooth/standard shoes? and what did you think of them?

[_malakawa_]

now i have rey rose for latin with 3,5" heel - and for me. great.

and for ballroom i have freed of london. quit good.


now i have a question - do you wear socks ot tights when you are practicing or going on a competition??

because, i don't now is it only with my ballroom shoes, but they smell disgusting, and i put them evry day on a balcony.

[Fizzipop]

For Latin, I got a pair of bargainous Ray Rose 3.5in flare-heeled Monsoon shoes off ebay. Ah the memories: I remember the bidding was due to end during my first competition. I was so anxious that I ran back to my computer on returning to check if I'd won the auction - and I did! But another bidder had come dangerously close to beating my bid in the last few seconds.

I'd bought them because Ray Rose were my team's recommendation ('the Louboutin of Latin', I was told), but unfortunately I didn't know that they are really ideally catered for narrower feet. I love their shape - really beautiful - but my little toe keeps popping out of the front bit, which looks a bit silly. Still love them though :)

For ballroom, I have Supadance shoes (wide fitting... have annoyingly mega-wide feet) with a mary-jane strap. The inner sole is now completely destroyed, I have to smooth it down forcibly before popping my foot in!

[elisedance]

Hi fizzipop - welcome to DF :)

I have terribly wide feet too and now use both Supadance and International. I get inserts from the pharamcy and cut them for the bulges on my feet - it makes them more comfortable and protects the insole (not to mention you can throw them away if they start to get pongy ;)).

[Fizzipop]

Thanks for the welcome! :) That's a good idea about the inserts elisedance - although does that mean you have to buy shoes a little too big, to allow for the space taken up by them?

I don't have bulgy feet... they just stretch across like one large land mass, haha. Like a wide rectangle. I hate them!

[Bella]

JUST got my Ray Rose Blizzards and I loooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Special thanks to Sambagirl for her advice on shoes for narrow feet, and dansa for her thread/posts on shoes!!!!

PS - If you're looking to order shoes... get it through Worldtone! I ordered mine a couple days ago and WHAM, they're on my doorsteps! :)

[Bella]

For ballroom, I have Supadance shoes (wide fitting... have annoyingly mega-wide feet) with a mary-jane strap. The inner sole is now completely destroyed, I have to smooth it down forcibly before popping my foot in!

Have you tried Internationals? Their shoes are wider than most brands... I can't wear them...

[Fizzipop]

Have you tried Internationals? Their shoes are wider than most brands... I can't wear them...

Hmm, no I haven't! That sounds interesting. I'll definitely track them down to try!

One thing that irked me about my Supadances are that although a 4W fit my toes, I got crazy blisters on the backs of my heels from the rubbing. Even gel heel strips did little to alleviate it... in the end I just waited for the skin to thicken up! If Internationals will stop that, then they're definitely worth a shot...!

Thanks :)

[Bella]

Hmm, no I haven't! That sounds interesting. I'll definitely track them down to try!

One thing that irked me about my Supadances are that although a 4W fit my toes, I got crazy blisters on the backs of my heels from the rubbing. Even gel heel strips did little to alleviate it... in the end I just waited for the skin to thicken up! If Internationals will stop that, then they're definitely worth a shot...!

Thanks :)

You're welcome! I think we've all had experiences with blisters! Actually there's a whole thread about it! Use the search engine to find other threads on shoes, more specifically on blisters, and I'm sure you'll find some helpful tips! Dance Forums will become a great resource for you! :)

(lol, I used exclamation points for every sentence, I must be having a great day! ;))

[sambagirl]

JUST got my Ray Rose Blizzards and I loooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Special thanks to Sambagirl for her advice on shoes for narrow feet, and dansa for her thread/posts on shoes!!!!

Glad you like them! Only drawback is, you no longer can blame the shoes. :)

[latingal]

Glad you like them! Only drawback is, you no longer can blame the shoes. :)

*grin* I still try that one once in awhile!

[Bella]

Glad you like them! Only drawback is, you no longer can blame the shoes. :)

That's funny you say that.... My coach joked with me and said "so now you're fabulous, and your balance will be flawless, right?" I said "uh huh! It's all in the rayyyy roseeee!" hehee.

Definately noticed the better stability in the RR. Quite evident in the rumba! Thanks again sambagirl. I love them!

[j_alexandra]

That's funny you say that.... My coach joked with me and said "so now you're fabulous, and your balance will be flawless, right?" I said "uh huh! It's all in the rayyyy roseeee!" hehee.

Definately noticed the better stability in the RR. Quite evident in the rumba! Thanks again sambagirl. I love them!

I'll have to try the Ray Rose -- the Supas I've been using went from OK to fugeddaboudit overnight. Wonder what changed? Had to be me and my sense of balance -- but today, it feels like my Supas heels are way too far back.

Oh -- maybe it's my new court shoes with heels in the proper alignment. Now I know what's right, I can't deal with what's wrong any more.

Funny how you learn as you go, make a shoe decision, live with it, learn more about it, change the decision, etc. First, it was pretty, danceable shoes, then better shoes, then even better, "real" dance shoes, then deciding it doesn't matter what they look like, I need them to work. And upward from there.

The money I've spent on the wrong shoes... but it's all learning. I have so much to learn.:neutral:

[Bella]

Absolutely J. Lex. (My nickname for you haha) It took me 5 different pairs, 4 different brands, to finally settle on 1. :)

[j_alexandra]

Absolutely J. Lex. (My nickname for you haha) It took me 5 different pairs, 4 different brands, to finally settle on 1. :)

Ho! Thanks, Bella! I'm like J Lo, only REALLY, really different!:eek:

[dansa]

JUST got my Ray Rose Blizzards and I loooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Special thanks to Sambagirl for her advice on shoes for narrow feet, and dansa for her thread/posts on shoes!!!!

PS - If you're looking to order shoes... get it through Worldtone! I ordered mine a couple days ago and WHAM, they're on my doorsteps! :)

lol :D im happy u are happy with your new shoes, its such an amazing feeling ! i know cause im sooo picky with my shoes and totally obsessed by them :)

[dansa]

That's funny you say that.... My coach joked with me and said "so now you're fabulous, and your balance will be flawless, right?" I said "uh huh! It's all in the rayyyy roseeee!" hehee.

Definately noticed the better stability in the RR. Quite evident in the rumba! Thanks again sambagirl. I love them!

which brands did u use before that u felt were less stable then ray rose?

[sambagirl]

Oh yes I made all kinds of mistakes - I even once thought I'd found "the shoes" and bought three pairs, only to find out they weren't right. My progression: International Nadias, Capezio Latinas, Supadance 1066, and, finally, my Ray Rose Blizzards.

Congrats Bella! Make the most of your fabulous new balance!

[latingal]

Yep, like sambagirl and many others that take their latin seriously....finding the shoes that work for me has been an expensive and ridiculously painful endeavor. Just wait until the company that makes your chosen shoe decides to discontinue it...have had that happen already too.

I went through one model of freed, three models of internationals, one model of dance naturals, two different models of supadance and three models of ray rose before settling on my current pick in ray rose.

[Bella]

Ho! Thanks, Bella! I'm like J Lo, only REALLY, really different!:eek:


Oh good! You got it right away lol, J Lex! ;)

[Bella]

which brands did u use before that u felt were less stable then ray rose?


Dansa! Long time no talk huh? ;)

The brands I've used: Stephanie's, Freed, Supadance, and then Rays. I stuck with Supadance for a
while before Rays.

I tried on Supadance standard shoes and they were fabulous!

[Bella]

Congrats Bella! Make the most of your fabulous new balance!

lol thanks!

[NonieS]

I LOOOOOVEEEE Ray Rose!! I have the 3 inch Monsoon... best shoes ever :D

[dansa]

Dansa! Long time no talk huh? ;)

The brands I've used: Stephanie's, Freed, Supadance, and then Rays. I stuck with Supadance for a
while before Rays.

I tried on Supadance standard shoes and they were fabulous!

hehe true, ive been hiding a bit to be honest ;)

Also wanted to mention, because you remember i was loving my Aida shoes to death when i first got them. However im not as happy anymore, and think im gonna go back to Rayrose... I dont know what it is, but they are just the best in quality and stability...

Anyone can recommend me a model of Rayrose (besides Carmen or the other T-bar style) where the pinky toe dosent pop out for you? Id love to try Blizzards or Cyclone but i know im gonna have my pinkytoe out all the time and it annoys me so much and affects my dancing... :(
(and i really want to find a shoe where i dont have to sew the straps or glue something to it to cover as it ruins the hole look :cool: )

[latingal]

dansa, have you tried the earthquakes? The forefoot sole shape is like the carmens, but it is a strappy sandal. There is an extra strap to help the pinky toe stay in. It'll depend on your foot and how it fits in the shoe, but you might want to see if it will work for you.

Also, just checked my cyclones and the straps are placed in such a way that they do keep my toe from coming out. However, that's on my foot structure and again you'd need to try them out. Also, the cyclones do have a strap configuration that have bothered the tops of some toes of people I know who have tried it.

I haven't tried the blizzards.

[Bella]

Anyone can recommend me a model of Rayrose (besides Carmen or the other T-bar style) where the pinky toe dosent pop out for you? Id love to try Blizzards or Cyclone but i know im gonna have my pinkytoe out all the time and it annoys me so much and affects my dancing... :(


Blizzard is the most narrow pair that RR carries. The few straps on them wrap perfectly around my toes. Amazingly, the pinkytoe doesn't pop out. It's ridiculously flexible too, since there's no leather interior on the straps. I love them, they accommodate my needs very well!

I'd try LG's suggestion, and go from there. :)

[NURDRMS]

Just wait until the company that makes your chosen shoe decides to discontinue it...have had that happen already too.


Or until the company moves production to another country...apparently they're using the same lasts as before but shoes don't fit nearly the same. Happened with my favorite shoe for smooth. Grrr...

Went through several styles and different heel heights with Capezios before I switched to Ray Rose. Although I liked the way Capezios fit, I noticed an immediate difference in balance with the Ray Rose shoes. And they last much longer, too.

[chica latina]

It took me a little longer to fall in love with my RR but I did... I really like them, they are flexible, it's easier to feel more grounded, like the color, etc...

The only thing is that they dont last as long. A pair I bought not too long ago has the straps desintegrating (the ones close to my big toe) ..

The other thing (which I am not sure if it's shoe related... but I started developing a callus on the ball of my foot... So when I stop dancing, I feel the pain by just putting my weight on my foot) and made me wonder if it's because the shoe is so soft that doesnt protect my feet...

but even with those issues,... I love the RR, they are my fav shoe. I will just use a different brand for everyday practice.

[dansa]

It took me a little longer to fall in love with my RR but I did... I really like them, they are flexible, it's easier to feel more grounded, like the color, etc...

The only thing is that they dont last as long. A pair I bought not too long ago has the straps desintegrating (the ones close to my big toe) ..

The other thing (which I am not sure if it's shoe related... but I started developing a callus on the ball of my foot... So when I stop dancing, I feel the pain by just putting my weight on my foot) and made me wonder if it's because the shoe is so soft that doesnt protect my feet...

but even with those issues,... I love the RR, they are my fav shoe. I will just use a different brand for everyday practice.

what model do you use? just curious...

[dansa]

i can talk about latin shoes forever... ahh so obsessed.. cant wait to buy my next pair...
hehe :)

[Bella]

Well... shoes in general. ;)

So glad you came out from under the rock dansa! lol!

[latingal]

Interesting....for those of you who wear RR, I just ordered and received a couple of new pairs. I noticed they changed the heel tip. Don't know if it's permanent, but the old RR shoes used a dark brown [edit - actually they're black now that I look at them again], small flared heel tip with an exposed, but recessed nail in the middle of the heel (I normally just use a heel protector or cover with suede). One of the shoes has a tan brown, slightly larger/higher flared heel tip with no exposed nail. On first try, the slightly bigger flare seems to add more stability but I haven't worn them dancing and I'm sure it will take a little time to get used to.

If you hadn't noticed, I'm kinda' a princess and the pea type - very sensitive to changes in my shoes. If I were a prima-ballerina I'd be the type that would rip apart all her new toe shoes, bemoaning that fact that none of them fit.

[dansa]

Interesting....for those of you who wear RR, I just ordered and received a couple of new pairs. I noticed they changed the heel tip. Don't know if it's permanent, but the old RR shoes used a dark brown, small flared heel tip with an exposed, but recessed nail in the middle of the heel (I normally just use a heel protector or cover with suede). One of the shoes has a tan brown, slightly larger/higher flared heel tip with no exposed nail. On first try, the slightly bigger flare seems to add more stability but I haven't worn them dancing and I'm sure it will take a little time to get used to.

If you hadn't noticed, I'm kinda' a princess and the pea type - very sensitive to changes in my shoes. If I were a prima-ballerina I'd be the type that would rip apart all her new toe shoes, bemoaning that fact that none of them fit.

interesting !
what kind of model you used, and what models you ordered recently? any feedback on them in general?

[NURDRMS]

Interesting....for those of you who wear RR, I just ordered and received a couple of new pairs. I noticed they changed the heel tip. Don't know if it's permanent, but the old RR shoes used a dark brown, small flared heel tip with an exposed, but recessed nail in the middle of the heel (I normally just use a heel protector or cover with suede). One of the shoes has a tan brown, slightly larger/higher flared heel tip with no exposed nail. On first try, the slightly bigger flare seems to add more stability but I haven't worn them dancing and I'm sure it will take a little time to get used to.

If you hadn't noticed, I'm kinda' a princess and the pea type - very sensitive to changes in my shoes. If I were a prima-ballerina I'd be the type that would rip apart all her new toe shoes, bemoaning that fact that none of them fit.

Interesting...my RR shoes also have the 'older style' heel tip, dark brown with the exposed nail head (which is actually very slightly recessed so no contact with metal to the floor.) let us know how the new style differs.

[chica latina]

what model do you use? just curious...

I'm using Blizzard... I have very narrow feet though, I'm considering next time getting the straps adjusted so they will be tighter.

My 2nd pair also had the different heel tip; but I also order them 1/2 size smaller... can't tell if heel tip cause any differences.

[NonieS]

I too have experienced something different with the new RR shoes... besides the new logo and packaging (don't get me started), the shoes seem to not fit as tight... I bought a pair of brand new monsoons and after trying to dance in them I had to return them bc they were way too loose in the toes :( And this only happens with the new ones... the ones with the old logos still fit the way they always do!! I'm sooo sad!! Has anyone else noticed this?? I am picky princess when it comes to my shoes too....

[dansa]

I contacted Rayrose and they said that they do wider fittings on blizzards, earthquake and snowflakes.. that you have 2 options for these models...
Im very curious to try the Blizzards now since you can get them in Wide...

I guess nobody in here tried them or any other models in wide-size?

[dansa]

I too have experienced something different with the new RR shoes... besides the new logo and packaging (don't get me started), the shoes seem to not fit as tight... I bought a pair of brand new monsoons and after trying to dance in them I had to return them bc they were way too loose in the toes :( And this only happens with the new ones... the ones with the old logos still fit the way they always do!! I'm sooo sad!! Has anyone else noticed this?? I am picky princess when it comes to my shoes too....

can u actually return the shoes and get a new pair / money back although you danced in them already?
im curious because that would be great. i mean normally id return a pair of shoe if i try it at home and the size is wrong or something.. but you only get to feel how the shoe feels after one dance, and sometimes the shoe dosent feel so good and its not possible to return it since its been used already sort of.. how are the rules for that if you know?

[dansa]

What do you guys think about these new models on Rayrose?

Typhon
http://www.rayrose.com/acatalog/870_dt_lg.jpg

Metheor
http://www.rayrose.com/acatalog/890_dt_lg.jpg

I must say i really like the Metheor, but unfortunatly they dont make it in wide fitting, and i dont know how thir regular fitting is on this shoe as they seem to be new and maybe is very narrow like some of their shoes are...
But i must say i feel tempted... Hehehhe....

[Bella]

Dansa - not too crazy about the design of Typhon... and plus you said you didn't want a T-strap. I like the Metheor.

PS. where are these shoes coming from.... are they on RR's website??? Are these pairs just released????

[Bella]

Interesting....for those of you who wear RR, I just ordered and received a couple of new pairs. I noticed they changed the heel tip. Don't know if it's permanent, but the old RR shoes used a dark brown, small flared heel tip with an exposed, but recessed nail in the middle of the heel (I normally just use a heel protector or cover with suede). One of the shoes has a tan brown, slightly larger/higher flared heel tip with no exposed nail. On first try, the slightly bigger flare seems to add more stability but I haven't worn them dancing and I'm sure it will take a little time to get used to.


I'm looking at them now... My heel tips are black with like the little indented hole in the middle.... is that the old version or new?? I wear heel protectors always so it doesn't really feel differently for me. Well, plus this is my first pair of RR...

[dansa]

Dansa - not too crazy about the design of Typhon... and plus you said you didn't want a T-strap. I like the Metheor.

PS. where are these shoes coming from.... are they on RR's website??? Are these pairs just released????

no they are not on rayrose.com yet ... however they are online in their shop-site .. you can find it here: rayrose.com/acatalog/Ladies_Latin_Sandals.html
I got found out about these shoes since ive been bombarding the support with questions *being a shoefreak*
so i think they are pretty new additions...
Im very eager to try the Metheor pair.. So i think i will just order a pair of Blizzard and a pair of Metheor and try them out and then just send the pair i liked least, back and get a refund.. because im getting a bit tired of trying to research every little shoe, better i just order several, try them on, and then decide and send back.,.,,, will save me some time online :)

[NonieS]

can u actually return the shoes and get a new pair / money back although you danced in them already?
im curious because that would be great. i mean normally id return a pair of shoe if i try it at home and the size is wrong or something.. but you only get to feel how the shoe feels after one dance, and sometimes the shoe dosent feel so good and its not possible to return it since its been used already sort of.. how are the rules for that if you know?


I was sneaky.... I wore socks over the shoes so that the soles would not get scratched and then I did some cha cha steps with my partner.. That was all I needed to tell that they were too loose. The store took them back because they did not look like I danced in them and I didn't say anything :evil:

I am super bummed about the shoes fitting differently all of a sudden... it took me ages to find a shoe I liked and now they had to go and make it fit wider :( Perhaps I will try the blizzards, though I know that I will eat through them so fast... I went through a pair of monsoons every three months... ridiculous!!!

About the Meteors.. I tried them on in the store and did not like how the straps felt... but they may really work for you so do not listen to me ;)

[chica latina]

Dansa, if you do that.... let us know how the 2 shoes compare...

In the past when I try a shoe that doesnt have just straps, my feet feel like they will slide out of the shoe (I have extremely narrow feet)

[dansa]

I was sneaky.... I wore socks over the shoes so that the soles would not get scratched and then I did some cha cha steps with my partner.. That was all I needed to tell that they were too loose. The store took them back because they did not look like I danced in them and I didn't say anything :evil:

I am super bummed about the shoes fitting differently all of a sudden... it took me ages to find a shoe I liked and now they had to go and make it fit wider :( Perhaps I will try the blizzards, though I know that I will eat through them so fast... I went through a pair of monsoons every three months... ridiculous!!!

About the Meteors.. I tried them on in the store and did not like how the straps felt... but they may really work for you so do not listen to me ;)


thats clever! thanks for the tip, will do that as well next time i order some shoes! :)

[Bella]

can u actually return the shoes and get a new pair / money back although you danced in them already?
im curious because that would be great. i mean normally id return a pair of shoe if i try it at home and the size is wrong or something.. but you only get to feel how the shoe feels after one dance, and sometimes the shoe dosent feel so good and its not possible to return it since its been used already sort of.. how are the rules for that if you know?

Worldtone (just an FYI for Worldtone customers), you can't return them if the soles have the slightest indication that it's been worn... Understandable.

[Bella]

I was sneaky.... I wore socks over the shoes so that the soles would not get scratched

Ouuu, livin' on the edge huh Nonie? ;)

[Bella]

[Funny, I'm raving about RR while I'm tying to sell my Supadance. Awesome selling skills, Bella...]

[latingal]

what kind of model you used, and what models you ordered recently? any feedback on them in general?

I ordered cyclones and earthquakes (in wide), only one pair of earthquakes had the tan, slightly bigger flares (with no nail head exposed).

[latingal]

I contacted Rayrose and they said that they do wider fittings on blizzards, earthquake and snowflakes.. that you have 2 options for these models...
Im very curious to try the Blizzards now since you can get them in Wide...

I guess nobody in here tried them or any other models in wide-size?

Actually I wear wide shoes (I have a very wide forefoot). I think I posted earlier on it, but I have worn; Carmens, Cyclones, and wide Earthquakes (I do wish they still had the wide Monsoons).

May have to try the wide Blizzards since I tend to wear out a shoe before showing any wear on the straps (since the Blizzards have unreinforced straps).

[chica latina]

May have to try the wide Blizzards since I tend to wear out a shoe before showing any wear on the straps (since the Blizzards have unreinforced straps).

which styles have the reinforced straps? where do you find that info?

thanks

[latingal]

which styles have the reinforced straps? where do you find that info?

thanks

Actually I guess I should be more careful about my wording....the RR site actually says they are reinforced satin straps, but they are not "lined" with the leather that is normally used.

I believe the blizzards and the drizzle use these types of (reinforced satin - not leather lined) straps.

[Bella]

Actually I guess I should be more careful about my wording....the RR site actually says they are reinforced satin straps, but they are not "lined" with the leather that is normally used.

I believe the blizzards and the drizzle use these types of (reinforced satin - not leather lined) straps.

The straps are so flexible, without the leather interior, it's amazing. If you have wider feet, it might cause these straps to stretch and tear quicker...

If you have narrow feet and would NOT prefer to have Blizzards due to the reason above, the next most narrow RR would be Monsoons. [Just an FYI]

[dansa]

Actually I guess I should be more careful about my wording....the RR site actually says they are reinforced satin straps, but they are not "lined" with the leather that is normally used.

I believe the blizzards and the drizzle use these types of (reinforced satin - not leather lined) straps.

actually what the difference in the feeling of normal straps with leather under and satin straps without leather?

[dansa]

The straps are so flexible, without the leather interior, it's amazing. If you have wider feet, it might cause these straps to stretch and tear quicker...

but if you order according to your size, like lets say i order Blizzard extra wide size, then it should wear out the same as if a person with narrow feet buy the normal blizzards, or?
im really tempted to try them now, eaven if i will have to tejp my pinkytoe to its neighbour toe every time I dance! :D

[Bella]

but if you order according to your size, like lets say i order Blizzard extra wide size, then it should wear out the same as if a person with narrow feet buy the normal blizzards, or?
im really tempted to try them now, eaven if i will have to tejp my pinkytoe to its neighbour toe every time I dance! :D


Dansa - do you wanna try them because of the straps or just out of curiosity? If you have wider feet, I'd say to go for Cyclone or Earthquake.

Oh, and don't fret about the pinkytoe... the straps on my RR actually crosses over my pinkytoe allowing them to stay in tact! You just gotta try them on.

[dansa]

Dansa - do you wanna try them because of the straps or just out of curiosity? If you have wider feet, I'd say to go for Cyclone or Earthquake.

Oh, and don't fret about the pinkytoe... the straps on my RR actually crosses over my pinkytoe allowing them to stay in tact! You just gotta try them on.

i want to try them out because everyone keep saying how extremely flexible they are, and thats whats most important for me in a shoe ... and since they have blizzards in wide model, im thinking of trying it in the wide model which should be ok for my wide feet...

[latingal]

Actually for those with narrow feet, I believe mamboqueen has posted in the past that the Queen B model is very narrow too.

[Bella]

Actually for those with narrow feet, I believe mamboqueen has posted in the past that the Queen B model is very narrow too.


GOOD CALL LG! I think Beata wears these. DANSA- If they sell Queen B in wide, this will be the perfect pair for you. The strappy side does not have the leather interior and the covered side will fix your pinkytoe problem.

LG, do you know if they sell these in wide?

[latingal]

GOOD CALL LG! I think Beata wears these. DANSA- If they sell Queen B in wide, this will be the perfect pair for you. The strappy side does not have the leather interior and the covered side will fix your pinkytoe problem.

LG, do you know if they sell these in wide?

Nope, not in wides.

[latingal]

By the way, love the look of the Meteors, wonder if anybody has tried them for sizing? Would love to try them if they're wide enough for my feet (though they probably won't make them in wide *sigh*).

[dansa]

By the way, love the look of the Meteors, wonder if anybody has tried them for sizing? Would love to try them if they're wide enough for my feet (though they probably won't make them in wide *sigh*).


yeah eaven me i feel exactly the same about them, hope that maybe their size is a bit wider then normal although its not made in a wide fitting. like cyclone and carmen are for example... anyone knows?

[mamboqueen]

I tried on the Meteor this weekend (the vendor told me they've been around for 4 months or so). They are definitely for a narrow foot; I ordered a pair. I wear the 888 (Queen Bee) and find the other shoe, forgetting the name -- the one with the knot in the front -- to be too loose for me.

[latingal]

Dang, wish Ray Rose would make another shoe model for us ladies with a wider forefoot (that's not a t-strap).

[danceronice]

Dang, wish Ray Rose would make another shoe model for us ladies with a wider forefoot (that's not a t-strap).

This. Though I'm happy with my Capezios. The new pair is the same model as the old, but I swear these heels feel like a genuine 3", unlike the old pair.

I also discovered an advantage to brand-new shoes. Everyone at Tri-State seemed to think the floor was slippery. If anything I was sticking in Rhythm! (In my old shoes during Smooth it seemed fine to me.)

[dansa]

I tried on the Meteor this weekend (the vendor told me they've been around for 4 months or so). They are definitely for a narrow foot; I ordered a pair. I wear the 888 (Queen Bee) and find the other shoe, forgetting the name -- the one with the knot in the front -- to be too loose for me.

Thanks for the info!
Will for sure NOT order them now, although i really like the design.. Damn Rayrose, cant they just make all of their shoes available both in Wide or Narrow sizes.. :(

Seems like i'll be trying the Blizzards + wide size then :)

[NonieS]

Worldtone (just an FYI for Worldtone customers), you can't return them if the soles have the slightest indication that it's been worn... Understandable.


I used the sock trick on worldtone shoes.... and they took them back no questions asked... I have skills like that!!

[NonieS]

Ouuu, livin' on the edge huh Nonie? ;)


I am like the ninja rebel of the ballroom dancing world lol!!!

[mamboqueen]

So utterly annoyed. I picked up a brand new pair of (RR Queen Bee) shoes at the comp yesterday, put them on tonight and the buckle broke right off the bat. Am I the only one who has buckle problems??? The bizarre thing is that the buckle is a brand new type of buckle. So back to the store they go. It's so frustrating because it's really the only shoe I can comfortably wear. I hope the Meteors aren't going to have the same issue.

[latingal]

Wow MQ, I haven't had any buckle problems on my shoes.

[Yanou]

I haven't had any problems with buckles, either. I have Carmen and Monsoon.

I do have problems with stretched straps, tho. When I got Monsoon, they were perfect but straps (in the toe part) got loose very easily. The "perfect" condition lasted about 1-2 months. Now they don't give me good ankle support because I can put a finger into the heel cup. I was going to try to take the shoe apart and tighten the straps but haven't had the time to do it.

I'm thinking of buying another pair but am hesitant to buy another RR. Maybe I'll try Freed of London this time.

[mamboqueen]

Well, as luck would have it, the Meteors have arrived, so they're going to just let me swap the shoes with the broken buckle for the Meteors. I will let you guys know how they work out. I have a feeling my pinky toes maybe a little blue in the upcoming days. Love it!

[Bella]

lol alright MQ!

Women and their shoes.... :rolleyes:

[mamboqueen]

no kidding...it's really the only part of my life that I'm a diva over.

[NonieS]

no kidding...it's really the only part of my life that I'm a diva over.


I feel you!!! I have very high standards about my shoes....

[chica latina]

Has anyone tried the Sunrise and compared to the Blizzard. Does the extra straps make the shoe narrower? or hold better?

I wish I could just go somewhere and try them on.. I like the Blizzard but if I could find a narrower style or straps would last longer would be better.

[mamboqueen]

Okay; I have my new Meteors on :) The buckles are different; no "rhinestone" trim. They are pretty snug; in fact, my pinkies are already rebelling. The straps do seem to hold my foot in place pretty snugly. I'll practice in them later and report any problems. But definitely for a narrow foot.

[dansa]

Okay; I have my new Meteors on :) The buckles are different; no "rhinestone" trim. They are pretty snug; in fact, my pinkies are already rebelling. The straps do seem to hold my foot in place pretty snugly. I'll practice in them later and report any problems. But definitely for a narrow foot.

thanks for update.. very disappointed that its a shoe for a narrow foot. :( they look very nice

[Xavia]

Hello everyone! I've been lurking this forum for a little while and I'd like to thank all of you for the useful posts and information. I've recently tried my first Ray Rose and here are some comments. Please take these opinions lightly since everyone has specific shoe preferences and requirements. The Meteors are very snug even for narrow feet. They hold your foot in place well, are comfortable, help your balance, and look great. However I feel as if this style doesn't allow you to feel the floor as well and the front straps feel strange and unnatural. It seems I prefer the spaced out and light strap arrangement, flexibility in the sole and straps, and "closeness to the floor" of my previous Supadance 1063N and 1516 shoes compared to the more rigid Meteor. However, I now love the extra balance and comfort RR gives. I'm looking forward to trying the Monsoon or Blizzard, since they seem to have the advantages of both Supadance strap flexibility and RR balance.
RR Meteor (left), Supadance: 1516 (middle), 1063N (right)
http://www.rayrose.com/acatalog/890_dt.jpghttp://www.supadance.com/acatalog/1516FS_MS.jpghttp://www.supadance.com/acatalog/1063N-DTS_ML.jpg

[chica latina]

Xavia, please let us know what you think of Monsoon or Blizzard compared to Meteor...

THanks for the info.

[latingal]

Welcome to DF Xavia!

[Xavia]

Thank you Latingal. :) The Blizzards are perfect, they are now my favourite shoe! They are extra comfortable, provide better support, help more with balance, and feel light and moulded to your feet as opposed to Meteor. Even though reinforced satin straps may not last as long, I would gladly trade that up for the extra flexibility. I've also noticed Meteor has a metal tip showing through the bottom of the heel, but Blizzard does not.

[dansa]

Mmmmmm enjoying the great feeling of ordering a new pair of latinshoes! *love it*
Ordered a pair of Blizzards! Cant wait to try them out now! ohh..

Btw, have a question regarding that..
I have on my current shoe the strap closest to the big toe giving me blisters on both feet, and was wondering if the straps give more or less blisters on the Blizzards model?
Im wondering because since its plain satin straps, and my logic in my head works out that just normal satin straps should cut in even more into the skin = give blisters. Am i right or wrong?

[NonieS]

Dansa, I think that plain satin straps would have much more give to them than the straps reinforced with leather... i.e. you should get less blisters with plain satin straps...

[dansa]

Dansa, I think that plain satin straps would have much more give to them than the straps reinforced with leather... i.e. you should get less blisters with plain satin straps...

hehehe i hope so! :)
my logic didnt work out so well in my head i guess..

well if that is true, then i can immagine blizards being perfect for me! :D

[j_alexandra]

I've been wearing Supadance 1403 for a few months, these are my first "real" latin shoes. Problem: I stepped in some water on the gym floor yesterday, and now I have brakes instead of shoes. The big question: are the soles ruined forever and it's time to buy new shoes or at least get these resoled?

Also, has anyone tried Supadance shoes with what they call the SupaSole?

[NonieS]

j alexandra, if the water was just a one time thing, the shoes should be fine... they should dry overnight and then if you brush them they should be back to normal. I have some old practice shoes that I had soaked a few times, but the damage is not permanent. I have RR, though, so maybe the soles are different, but I would think that after they dry and have been brushed a few times they should be back to normal....

[j_alexandra]

j alexandra, if the water was just a one time thing, the shoes should be fine... they should dry overnight and then if you brush them they should be back to normal. I have some old practice shoes that I had soaked a few times, but the damage is not permanent. I have RR, though, so maybe the soles are different, but I would think that after they dry and have been brushed a few times they should be back to normal....

Thanks, Nonie. I hoped that would be the case, and am going to give them a brush after they dry. Haven't saved up enough $ for a trip to Worldtone any time soon, so glad for the extra time.

JA

[canismajor41]

I'm not sure if this is the best place for this post but...

For all you 10-dancers that have narrow feet and love Ray Rose Blizzards but have a hard time finding court shoes to fit, try Paoul. They sell them at World Tone. I got a pair yesterday and I'm loving them! They are slightly more narrow in the heel but don't squeeze the heck out of your toes. I'll probably still have to put a heel cushion in because my feet are so narrow, but they are super comfy, have just enough cushioning, and of all the court shoes I've tried thus far (supadance, international, ray rose, werner kern, celebrity) they just seem more luxurious and well-made. For narrow feet I would also recommend Werner Kern Laura, but Paoul 1040 has more room in the toe box and has more cushioning in the sole. The thing I like about the WK Laura shoe though is that the fabric on the side of the shoe comes up higher than most other brands (including Paoul) and so it feels like it is holding you in more.

[NonieS]

I agree that Paoul is more comfortable because it is more flexible... however, their heels (not the cup, but the actually heel) are thicker/wider... instead of being contour, slim, etc.. .they are quite wide... I find it very hard to dance standard in heels that are so wide... I prefer the more narrow heel. I have a pair of Supas that do me just fine... though, I do wish they came in a narrow fitting...

[canismajor41]

Nonies - have you worn Paoul latin shoes? Do they have any that are comparable in fit to RR Blizzards?

[NonieS]

Never worn their latin shoes.... only tried on their standards and felt that Supa was better..

I actually don't wear the RR blizzards though I think that they are very comfortable. I have a knack for killing my shoes at an extremely rapid pace (the pple at Worldtone now recognize my voice when I call bc I'm there all the time) and Lani told me that I'd probably destroy them in like 3 weeks... I use the Monsoons, though lately they have been fitting loosely so I may have to begrudgingly change shoes once more... so I might end up wearing the blizzards after all...

why is it when you finally find a shoe you like, they have to go and change everything????

In terms of Latin shoes, however, I think that Aida, RR, Supa, International, and Dance Naturals are probably the best out there....

[canismajor41]

I know....I pray RR doesn't change the Blizzards because those are the only ones that fit my narrow, flat feet. In most open toe shoes, there is a gap between my feet and the shoe straps large enough to fit my hand in!

[NURDRMS]

Got my new Ray Rose Blizzards in the mail last night. Woo Hoo!!! had my previous pair for nearly a year - can't believe how long they lasted compaired to other brands I'd used. I dance in them several hours a week and the only problem I had was the heel cup stretching out slightly. (and of course rubbing off the satin on the side of the heel.) I love these shoes!

[dansa]

I got my Rayrose Blizzards yesterday,, and tried them out already during yesterdays dancetraining... My thoughts so far...

+
They feel soft and comfortable.
The heel (3") is perfectly high like all rayrose.
Shoe feels very flexible already although its not even broken in yet.
The sole feels soft and padded.
The straps are covering all my toes perfectly.
The quality of the shoe in general feels very high, perfectly made and feels like this shoe will last me for a long time.

-
Although the straps do cover my pinky toe, while dancing, the straps (due to its flexibility) dont stay in their place, so i have to all the time stay arranging the straps because toes keep popping out and as soon as one toe pops out, the other toes fall out as well and i totally lose grip and have to take off and put my shoes back on again to adjust... Not okay.

This could maybe be because the fitting is a bit too big... I have wide feet, and normally every shoe i buy is always a bit too snug.. This were perfect, almost a bit too wide. I bought wide size. But i think that these are made a bit too wide!! The fitting could have been more tighter, in fact i dont feel as stable in this shoe as in my other shoes... which is very surprinsengly because rayrose always makes very stable shoes...

Another minus is i got already one blister from the straps, although i must admit Satin straps with no leather underneath is amazing and comfortable! but yes, i still got a blister...

All in all i really like this shoe. Its sooo comfy! But, it dosent seem to be able to fit my feet. The wide-fitting is too wide for me, which really ruins the shoe although the sizing is good. And if i buy the regular model, im sure the shoe will be too narrow, so i guess it wasent right this time either :( :(
If only this shoe could fit my feet im sure it would be amazing.
However gonna dance in them a bit more and see how it feels..

Just curious if there is anyone else who ordered Wide sizes from rayrose and can tell me if they feel that its too wide? i am a bit disappointed....

[dansa]

dont feel like going trough the whole thread, but i remember someone wrote that the blizzards with the regular fitting became sligthly wider then before?
is it true? maybe i should risk and try to the regular fitting although im pretty sure it will be too narrow for me??

man, why are rayrose fittings so weird... either very very narrow, or very very wide. at least my experience.. why not something in between ?

[latingal]

dansa, I order the wides in RR and the fit my wider forefoot well. As most people have experienced with latin shoes, you have to do a lot of searching to find your "perfect" fit.

[canismajor41]

That was me who got a pair of blizzards that were wider than usual. It was my third pair of blizzards (my first pair of black blizzards) and they were much larger in the toe box than the first two pairs (which were both tan).

I hope my next pair are consistent (in size) with the first two and that the black pair was just a fluke in manufacturing. Perhaps the black is wider than the tan - but that wouldn't make much sense.

[dansa]

im thinking of next time buying the regular blizzards and then just stretch them to perfect fit, since the wide are too wide... just curious if anyone can tell me if the regular blizzards are very very narrow or narrow-ish ?

[liz]

had the same problem with them being to wide. I changed to dance naturals. But, was looking at the RR earlier and am considering trying them again... I wear 9 american, 38 in dance naturals, how does this compare to RR? Should I do 38 or go to 37?

[Natalka]

had the same problem with them being to wide. I changed to dance naturals. But, was looking at the RR earlier and am considering trying them again... I wear 9 american, 38 in dance naturals, how does this compare to RR? Should I do 38 or go to 37?

Hi Liz,
I wear a 9 as well and I use a size 37 in Ray Rose...