Men's/Women's Standard/Latin Shoes - Buyers' Guide

[Josh]

Please copy/paste the following and use it for your review, and please surround it in the CODE tag so that it stands out! :-) Below the code section, write your review! (Putting the review in code section will cause problems so write it below):


Gender: M/W
Heel: 1"/1.5"/2.75"/etc.
Style: Smooth/Standard/Latin/Rhythm/Swing/AT/etc...
Model: SomeBrand 1234
Material: Leather/Patent/etc
Price Paid: $XYZ
Rating: X/10
Recommended: Yes/No


Review: I love/hate these shoes because... XYZ.

It would be great if there was a single thread where people could post reviews, prices, and all the details about shoes they have purchased and danced in. Hopefully this thread will fill that need!

[Mandicraft]

Great Idea Josh!

Gender: W
Heel: 2"
Style: Standard/Smooth
Model: Supadance 1008
Material: Flesh Satin
Price Paid: $149
Rating: 10/10
Recommended: Yes - absolutely love them. I use them for both Smooth & Standard.

Gender: W
Style: Latin/Rhythm
Heel: 2"
Model: Supadance 1618
Material: Flesh Satin
Price Paid: $189
Rating: 8/10
Recommended: Yes - The adjustable width is great for me since I have wide feet.

[Ithink]

Great idea!

Gender: W
Heel: 2.5" slim
Model: International/ICS Superstar with Strap
Material: Satin
Price Paid: $125 with shipping from Dancesport.uk . com
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Yes, love the look of it, love the strap (no more of those ugly clear straps to keep the shoe on); elegant and comfortable. The only demerit has to do with US suppliers refusing to carry them in slim heel anymore, forcing one to ship them from England.

[Ravenmoon]

I didn't know how to do the code thing either but here it goes:

Gender: W
Style: Latin Rhythm
Heel: 3" flare
Model: Very Fine 9273
Material: Tan Satin
Price Paid: $80
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Yes, I really like these shoes. Not the best of quality, but they are a cheaper alternative to some of the more expensive brands. They mold to my feet really well and fit nicely.

Gender: W
Style: Latin Rhythm
Heel: 2.5" Slim Flare
Model: Freed of London Sylvia
Material: Tan Satin
Price Paid: $115
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: This is a very nice shoe, however, I wish it came in a darker satin. Very comfortable though and very well made.

[Mandicraft]

To use the code function you can either put these ( [ CODE ] & [ /CODE ] ) without the spaces around the section you want to stand out or if you go to the advanced reply it's the # symbol.

[fire_dancer]

Gender: W
Heel: 2 1/2"
Model: Supadance 1618
Material: Flesh Satin
Price Paid: $189
Rating: 8/10
Recommended: Absolutely - I have wider feet, so I can adjust the shoe to fit me. Also, the straps are extra long, meaning that someone with high arches like me can vary the way the straps wrap (I go under the shoe and over the arch) to make them stay snug.

[Egoist]

Gender: M
Heel: 1"
Model: International Dance Shoes Tango Air
Material: Patent
Price Paid: $150
Rating: 8/10
Recommended: Yes. Durable and I like the fit, high in the back. I don't know if the holes make a difference but my feet sweat so the holes can't hurt. The only minus is that it is not available in the US so I have to order them from the UK.

[thomasy]

Sounds good....


Gender: M
Heel: 1"
Model: Stephanie Black Patent Leather/Flex Split Sole
Material: Patent
Price Paid: ~$110
Rating: 8/10
Recommended: Yes
- Extra cushion makes them very comfortable.
- Flex sole provides better foot control.
- Relatively cheaper than similar model from SupaDance.

[DancingJools]

Josh - may be you should add a line that states the style of dance (Standard, Latin, WCS, etc.)

[Josh]

Done DJ! And thanks all for the support so far!

[Joe]

Gender: M
Heel: 1"
Style: Standard/Smooth
Model: International Pino
Material: Patent/Nubuck
Price Paid: $125
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Yes. Said to be based on the International Tango, which I had
worn for years previously, but with a subtle two-tone styling that
I liked (and which minimized the amount of patent leather to stick
to). I docked one point for somewhat varying sizes--I realize
dance shoes are all handmade so some variation may be expected
but I expect more!

[Josh]

Gender: M
Heel: 1"
Style: Standard/Smooth
Model: DanceLife 0020 "Dominator"
Material: Calfskin
Price Paid: Retail is $133, paid less b/c of discount
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Highly!!

Wow, never had shoes fit so well out of the box... perfect fit, nice heel feel. These are split soles and so have a short shank, which does IMO seem to make them more comfortable and makes foot articulation a bit easier, though I could just have a bias. I only got them Saturday so I've only had them on about 10 hours but they seem so far to be dynamite.

[kayak]

Gender: M
Heel: 1"
Style: Smooth/Rhythm/Swing
Model: Capezio Ballroom BRO2
Material: Leather
Price Paid: $85 with shipping
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Yes


Review: This shoe has been a workhorse for me. They get used a lot and take a pretty good beating and still look great and work well. I have been very happy with them. Highly recommended from someone who is not that careful with taking care of their dance shoes. Wides fit a normally medium width foot.

[Stillharbor]

Gender: W
Heel: 2.5"
Style: Latin
Model: International Nadia
Material: Leather
Price Paid: $127 about
Rating: 6/10
Recommended: The best thing I can say about this shoe is it fits your foot and ankle with the straps. Especially, good if you have a wide fore foot and narrow heel (a plus here). The balance in the shoe is not great. They fade to the outside and caused me several mishaps. Feels like there's not enough sole to cover the bottom of your foot. Also, there is not much in the way of cushion in the sole. Makes impacts with the floor very hard on your feet.

[Jananananana]

Gender: W
Heel: 3"
Style: Latin Size 4UK
Model: RayRose 820 Blizzard
Material: Satin
Price Paid: $130
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Yes
Review: I love them because they're ultra flexible. One drawback is that the straps are completely satin - they wear out a little easier - however, they are also the reason why the shoe is so comfortable and flexible.


Gender: W
Heel: 2.5"
Style: Standard
Model: RayRose 106: Landslide Size 4.5 UK
Material: Dark Tan Satin
Price Paid: $125 :-D
Rating: 10/10
Recommended: Yes
Review: I LOVE these shoes. Comfortable, never blistered.


Gender: W
Heel: 3.5"
Style: Latin
Model: RayRose 840: Cyclone Size 4 UK
Material: Dark Tan Satin
Price Paid: $130
Rating: 7/10
Recommended: Yes
Review: I liked them, but the straps around my toes cinched them a lot because of the loopy design. They were a little tough at some points almost and so my toes' circulation was cut off after hours of dancing. The heel height also wasn't a good idea.

[ChaChaMama]

Mandicraft and firedancer--I just got the Supadance 1618 in dark tan, 2.5". (They arrived Friday, so I've only worn them once so far.) Glad to see you giving them positive reviews!

I too have the wide feet problem. I saw this one pair of Supadance shoes that I thought were much cuter, but they were vice-like around my foot, which seemed like it might be a disadvantage! :rolleyes: The 1618s do not feel like they are going to cut off circulation, and they are reasonably good looking. (My 5-year-old likes the sparkly buckles. Then again, my 5-year-old likes sparkly anything.)

[dancerman]

Mandicraft and firedancer--I just got the Supadance 1618 in dark tan, 2.5". (They arrived Friday, so I've only worn them once so far.) Glad to see you giving them positive reviews!

I too have the wide feet problem. I saw this one pair of Supadance shoes that I thought were much cuter, but they were vice-like around my foot, which seemed like it might be a disadvantage! :rolleyes: The 1618s do not feel like they are going to cut off circulation, and they are reasonably good looking. (My 5-year-old likes the sparkly buckles. Then again, my 5-year-old likes sparkly anything.)

I'm curious. Did you have to buy directly from England or did you get them in the U.S. If direct how much did the tariffs ad to the cost? The original 1618 flesh satin seemed too light for open. I hope you don't mind my being inquisitive. This is a color in this style that has been much asked for. Maybe that's why they added it, eh?

[dancerman]

Gender: M
Heel: 1" or 1-1/2"
Style: Smooth/Rhythm/Latin
Model: Stephanie Professional 93001 and 94001 Series
Material: Leather
Price Paid: $116 plus shipping
Rating: 8/10
Recommended: Yes


These are a flex/split sole for men and are even available in Patent Leather!! When I first put these on it was like a had no shoes on my feet. I have a very wide foot (4E) and these fit perfect. Finally a split sole that I don't have to spend $185 for. I gave an 8 rating only because I don't know yet how long they will last.

[ChaChaMama]

I'm curious. Did you have to buy directly from England or did you get them in the U.S. If direct how much did the tariffs ad to the cost? The original 1618 flesh satin seemed too light for open. I hope you don't mind my being inquisitive. This is a color in this style that has been much asked for. Maybe that's why they added it, eh?

Got them in the U.S. from Showtime. They were at the Manhattan Dancesport Championships. I did have to order them through them, but I think they had some in the dark tan satin right there, just not my particular size. (I didn't get around to going to the vendor area until Sunday afternoon.) Price was $189 and shipping was free.

[dancerman]

Got them in the U.S. from Showtime. They were at the Manhattan Dancesport Championships. I did have to order them through them, but I think they had some in the dark tan satin right there, just not my particular size. (I didn't get around to going to the vendor area until Sunday afternoon.) Price was $189 and shipping was free.
Thanks. I had a customer who needed them but Showtime was out of her size . She ordered from England and got them pretty quick. She paid directly to England and paid a different amount. Not sure if it was higher or lower. I'm surprised Showtime was at Manhattan. They weren't last year.
Thanks for the info.:cool:

[sambagirl]

Gender: W
Heel: 3"
Style: Latin
Model: Ray Rose Blizzard
Material: Dark Tan Satin
Price Paid: $135
Rating: 10
Recommended: Yes


Review: The ONLY shoe that works for my extremely narrow foot (especially my narrow heel). Has a strap which is wound around the instep -- this keeps my arches in contact with the sole and my foot from sliding too far forward into the front of the shoe. Because the front of my foot is narrow as well I don't have a problem with the satin straps breaking, and they are comfortable enough to dance in nearly out of the box. Heel is perfectly placed for good balance (though you should check individual pairs because of some quality assurance issues), much better than International Nadias, which I have also worn. Supadance 1066, which is somewhat similar with an instep strap, has a wider heel cup which causes me heel pain.

[dansa]

Gender: Woman
Heel: 3"
Style: Latin
Model: Carmen - Rayrose
Material: Tan Satin
Price Paid: $150
Rating: 7/10
Recommended: Yes


Review:
I like this shoe alot. However it dosent fit my "needs".
Its a very stable shoe, i love it for that. But me i didnt manage to point my feet well in this shoe so i cut off the T-bar and it became very flexible, but the stability were not the same anymore.. Great shoe, but does not satisfie my needs. However i love it for its confort, never had a blister or pain in my feet after wearing this shoes!



Gender: Woman
Heel: 3"
Style: Latin
Model: 070 - Aida
Material: Tan Satin
Price Paid: $150
Rating: 9/10
Recommended: Yes



Review:
I love this shoe alot. Its very stable, the heel is slightly more flared then the Rayrose so stability is great. Its also very soft so there is great flexibility! The only thing that dosent want me to give it a 10/10 is that the Satin is not of the best quality so i dont see this shoe last forever. Plus My pinkytoe keeps popping out, but thats something to do with the model ofcourse and my own feet.

[dansa]

Im very curious if more people can add their re-views. Im very curious of brands like International and Dance naturals? How are they? Very stable?

[Hanmyo]

I think it would be a good idea to post what size people ordered and their corresponding street shoe size so people can get an idea of that brand's sizing as well.

[kathyt cupcake]

Gender: W
Heel: 3"
Style: Latin
Model: Ray Rose- Cyclones
Material: Satin (straps are reinforced w/ leather backing)
Price Paid: $110 USD (RR website, incl. shipping which took 6 business days)
Rating: 8/10
Recommended: Yes


Review: I think the Blizzards felt comfortable when I tried them on but I can't wear the RR shoes that have satin only straps b/c I would dance through those too fast. (I am wearing through the leather on my two old pairs of cyclones as well.) I would like to imagine that there is still something comfier out there for me as my feet hurt after about 2.5 hrs, but I haven't found it yet and I've been to worldtone in NY twice to try on as many different styles as possible.

I have a wider forefoot and a bunion one foot and the cyclones work out well for that. Normally I wear a 6.5 US street shoe (open toed), 3C in the cyclones, 2.5 C in the same style with a 3.5" heel. I recently ordered off the RR website and it seems to have worked out fine.

[Bella]

Blizzards straps are satin straps? No leather interior? Sigh... I'll order them anyway, and see...

[sambagirl]

Blizzards straps are satin straps? No leather interior? Sigh... I'll order them anyway, and see...

Yes, that's right, satin only. I haven't had any problems with straps breaking, but that's because I have very narrow feet.

[NonieS]

The heel height also wasn't a good idea.

LMFAO!! I know your pain!!! I stupidly bought 3.5 inch heels last year bc they made my feet, ankles, and legs look sooooo nice!!!! PAIN!! OUCH!! Never again!!

[NonieS]

I wear the same shoe as Sambagirl (Ray Rose Monsoon 3") for latin and I LOOOOVEE them!!!! They are soo flexible and I love how Ray Rose angles the heels... they give me such good balance!! :D

[NonieS]

Gender: Female
Heel: 2.5"
Style: Standard
Model: Supadance 1012
Material: Satin
Price Paid: $150
Rating: 10/10
Recommended: Yes
- I've tried on sooo many Standard shoes and these are really the only ones I like.
- I like the round toe, bc my does can reach to the end of the shoe and I feel the floor better.
- I like the strap bc I don't have to worry about the plastic strap stretching out and not holding my foot in.
- The strap is sparkly... that makes me happy :)
- I feel that my foot is held in and supported by the shoe, which is always a plus!

[NonieS]

^ *sigh* I tried to do the coding thing... and apparently I fail at life :(