Latin Shoes

[jaredv21]

Does anyone know what latin shoes I can get that the pros use?
Ever pro i see in latin seems to have a nice shoe that forms right to their foot and creates a very nice point. All the shoes I've tried get these creases and are difficult to get a clean point out of.
Any ideas?

[syncopationator]

Does anyone know what latin shoes I can get that the pros use?
Ever pro i see in latin seems to have a nice shoe that forms right to their foot and creates a very nice point. All the shoes I've tried get these creases and are difficult to get a clean point out of.
Any ideas?

I bought a pair of Dance Naturals made of italian leather which my pro had suggested because that was what her partner was wearing. They were the most comfortable shoes I have ever danced in. They were also the shortest lasting pair of shoes I have everdanced with as they began to fall apart by the 4th or 5th time I wore them. The suade on the heel actually fell off while I was in the middle of dancing a heat at a competition. This is the case with almost any competition-quality shoe you will buy - the vendors will tell you this too. They simply do not last very long.

Now I only buy practice-quality-heavy-duty shoes which are prety stiff at first, but once you break them in and get used to them, they are not that much less comfortable than the competition-quality shoes.

As far how your dancing differentiates with both types of shoes, there is really no effect on it since you are supposed to dance with your center and not with your feet.

[ACtenDance]

My partner's Dance Naturals fell apart after 2 weeks use. I was able to sew them back together into something usable for Nationals, but we won't buy Dance Naturals again. Her Supadance latin shoes have lasted over 3 years now.

[lil glam gal]

Yes, I find that Supadance shoes last for ages... and are very comfortable too.

[Adwiz]

The best men's Latin shoes I've found are Freed Donnie Burns Pro flex sole. A pro put me onto them and I've been grateful for the recommendation ever since. They have very soft leather construction, with a beautiful flexibility so you can point them easily with clean lines. They last a long time, even longer than most other shoes. Cost is typically $125-130. The biggest problem is finding them in stock.

The soft construction is hard to get used to at first. It's a lot like learning to use ballet slippers. Your feet will be incredibly sore for the first few weeks because of what feels like direct contact with the floor all the time. But that contact gives you far more control and a feel for the floor that no other shoe can match, not to mention the great pointe. After a while the feet get accustomed to the abuse and then any other kind of shoe feels restrictive. I have five pairs of Latin shoes, and just can't stand wearing any except the Freed DB Pros.

[chocolatchica]

I have this fairly new brand out called Dance Feel that I saw for the first time at Emerald. I love them! They are still holding out strong and they werent too stiff or soft when I bought them. I was goign to buy Dance Naturals but now I'm glad I didnt! I didnt know they fell apart so fast. What a shame too because they are very pricey shoes. I have also heard that Ray Rose shoes are also very good

[SyrU_dancer]

I have this fairly new brand out called Dance Feel that I saw for the first time at Emerald. I love them! They are still holding out strong and they werent too stiff or soft when I bought them. I was goign to buy Dance Naturals but now I'm glad I didnt! I didnt know they fell apart so fast. What a shame too because they are very pricey shoes. I have also heard that Ray Rose shoes are also very good


dance feel is a sub division of dance naturals or a "spin off" brand anyway fyi

[chocolatchica]

Oh I know. The vendor that was selling them had both. I tried both on but what convinced me was that they were just as if not more comfortable than the dance naturals and they came in 3.5 heel. So I am very satisfied. They arent your usual knockoffs though. They are great quality. Awesome knockoffs! I got some other K.O. of another company (cant remember) but the shoes were so flimsy and cheap! They look the same but feet terrible. Luckily DanceFeel, in my opinion, makes great quality shoes :-)

[icequeen]

More on latin shoes!

I just acquired a pair of latin shoes for an upcoming comp. They fit well, but I don't think I realized how high the heels are until I tried practicing in them. They are at least 1.5" higher than I'm used to (which are already really high for me--my training in other dance forms has been on bare feet). I'm realizing that I can't really dance in them! I'm having trouble even balancing and walking normally in them. The major problem is that I can't get on to the balls of my feet--the heel comes clunking down, and I have little control even when doing simple relatively slow things like a rumba walk. Let's not even talk about jive....

Any suggestions for how to "break in" to shoes with a much higher heel? Am I doomed if I want to get used to this much higher heel in 1.5 weeks?

[DancerForLife]

More on latin shoes!

Any suggestions for how to "break in" to shoes with a much higher heel? Am I doomed if I want to get used to this much higher heel in 1.5 weeks?

That's tough, especially if you aren't used to wearing heels otherwise. I'd just wear the shoes as much as possible - even at home etc. and just trying to normally walk in them. If you don't typically wear heels, then I think it is going to be VERY difficult to be competition ready with the new shoes in time - muscles needed to keep you balanced on heels take time to develop.

[icequeen]

That's tough, especially if you aren't used to wearing heels otherwise. I'd just wear the shoes as much as possible - even at home etc. and just trying to normally walk in them. If you don't typically wear heels, then I think it is going to be VERY difficult to be competition ready with the new shoes in time - muscles needed to keep you balanced on heels take time to develop.

Yikes....

Any specific exercises to help stretch/build muscles?

[latingal]

icequeen, I'm afraid that you'll just have to bite the bullet (and hang on for dear life to your partner?) or wear lower shoes for your first comp. As you will see referenced in many of the latin (shoe) threads, the balance and work is much different in heels than it is in 1 1/2" practice shoes or flats.

I also danced in styles that required flats or barefeet and it has taken me a couple of years to feel really stable doing latin in heels. Might take others less time (I've got notoriously bad feet for heels), but I'm sorry to say I think it's going to take a bit more than a week and a half.

[Mawmaw]

dance feel is a sub division of dance naturals or a "spin off" brand anyway fyi

I think you are wrong here. Dance Feel shoes are from Portugal and Dance Naturals are made in Italy. They are not the same company.

Mawmaw

[chachachacat]

ice queen, you won't be able to dance your best in the higher heel for a while. I'd def. use the lower heel for this comp. my 2 cents.