New Shoes! (Ladies, help!)

[Sakura]

Ladies of DF, I call for aid! :wink: 8)

My new dance shoes have just come in (after having to wait almost three months!!!! :shock: ). They're a very nice leather shoe with suede bottoms, and I want to make sure that I have proper fitting dance shoes, seeing as:

1. I've never had a pair of *real* dance shoes before.
2. I've never worn a pair of "high heels" in my life (my platform-esque shoes don't count to me), so I don't know the feeling of a toe box in them {high heels.}
3. I got them online. =^__^=

I realize that as far as high-heeled shoes go, the toe boxes are supposed to get smaller; but since I've never had any shoes like this in my life, how small is it supposed to get? Is it supposed to feel rather tight? I've heard that one's shoes are supposed to be tight when you get to the toes so that one can feel them better and thusly react better when dancing; any truth to this? (I saw it here on DF somewhere...) I got my feet measured before I bought these (since they were UK sizes, and I had no idea about the width of my feet), so I was sure they'd be fine; and while the middle of my foot is comfortable in these shoes, the ball of my foot seems to stretch that part of the shoe out! :shock: :shock: I'm not quite sure if that's normal.. :?

Also, with the problem of having feet differ in sizes; my left shoe seems a bit tight. Do I just deal with this? Is there any way to make it better? I don't want to have to return/exchange these; mostly for the reason that my parents wouldn't be happy with me (mum showed her being irritated with me last night with a well placed, "Because you just had to buy them online!" comment... :evil: ), as well as that I've been waiting for these shoes for a loooooong time.

The last thing that I'm nervous about is that the back of the heel is low, and very sturdy, so I'm worried about it going into the back of my heel and causing blistering when I go to my lesson tomorrow. So should I just try and find a band aid and put it on that spot of my heel, or wait for sure blistering? :D :oops: :D

Thanks girls!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[10Dancer]

Can you tell us what brand and style of shoe they are? It should be on the box.

Sounds like a standard shoe so I'll write something about that but most of this applies to any dance shoe.

The shoes should fit like a glove. All dance shoes will stretch with wear, especially leather ones. It may take a few hours of wearing the shoes to have them mold to the foot. The more you wear them the more they can stretch, though my satin ones generally get comfy and stay that way.

As for the toe box and stretching, i'm not quite sure I understand what you mean. Your foot should fill the toe box and maybe stretch it a bit but if it is too much you may need a wide shoe. Your toes should come as close to the front of the shoe as possible with out rubbing. The comfort level may differ from person to person on this type of thing.

The back of the shoe should be sturdy as that will lend to the support of the shoe. If you are worried about it scraping your heel I suggest the use Moleskin or Molefoam rather than a Bandaid. Bandaids don't have the sticking power of moleskin/foam. I would put the foam on at least 1/2 and hour before your lesson, this will give it more time to attach to the skin. If you put it on right before you put on the shoe, it might not adhere well and could come off or move around, thus defeating the purpose.

The main rule is that dance shoes are not suppossed to kill your feet. If they hurt a lot, you need to get a different pair to avoid serious foot injuries. I know that sounds crazy with the amount of money we pay for these suckers but $100 is not worth killing your feet and possibly ruining the future possibility of comfy dancing. If you think there is the possibility that you may need to return or exchange them, don't wear them to the lesson tomorrow. Wear them around the house with a think pair of socks for a few hours and see if they stretch to fit your feet properly. Going one more lesson in the old shoes probably won't kill you. :D

Also, your coach should be able to give you some insight on if the shoe is fitting properly. Most of the Pros are pretty good at telling you if the shoe is too big or small etc. Ask one of the female coaches in your studio to take a look but stay on the carpet. If you soil the bottom of the shoe, most places won't exhange it.

Sorry for the book. Hope it helps.

10Dancer (still on the quest for the perfect dance shoe :P )

[Chris Stratton]

Generally rule is that you want to try dance shoes on carpet for someone who knows how they should fit (initially friend or teacher, later yourself). Once you wear them on a wood floor they generally cannot be returned. I remember standing on the doormat of the studio trying to decide if I wanted to take that first $120 step onto the wood floor (okay, probably could have cleaned them up enough after a step or two, but you get the idea)

Also if these are smooth/standard shoes you want to put heel covers on them right away, before you wear the heel point unevenly and make the shoes unstable.

[pygmalion]

Everything that's been said is good advice, IMHO. Congrats on taking the plunge with your first pair of dance shoes. :D 8)

[Sakura]

(=O_O=!!!!! I would have replied sooner, but DF didn't email me saying there had been upadates!)

Let's see... This is a shoe from the "Heather" brand. I got it from www.showtimedanceshoes.com.

Like I said, most of my foot is very comfortable in this shoe, it's just right where you get to the ball of the foot (farthest end of the metatarsals) that it stretches. Since I've never had a set of shoes, I just didn't know if that was right. The idea that you, 10Dancer, and Chris gave me, about trying them on infront of a female teacher sounds like something I just might do tomorrow... I'd rather wait for a new set than have to spend three months without dancing again! :evil: :cry: :evil: And there's a lovely carpeted area in my studio; so it's plausible to do. Lindsay's not always dancing... Hmm... The reason why I really just want these shoes to work is that I've been doing my Latin (and little bit of Standard) dancing in Jazz shoes! They have virtually NO heel, and no real support for my foot in the dancing that I'm doing... I am/was really looking forward to these shoes; they felt *MUCH* better than the jazz shoes when I tried them on.

One thing I was wondering that might have affected my "trying on" stage was that I was wearing normal socks. Mum said that for those shoes I should wear 'hoes. (I'm thinking that's from her experience with tap and ballet shoes. The premise is the same maybe?) I need to try on the shoes doing that tonight.

My toes do not quite touch the end of the shoes, but they're close! :) 8) It's just that the toe box gets very narrow as the shoe gets towards the end... Let's see, here's a link that shoes a picture of my shoe (it's the black one of the three): http://www.showtimedanceshoes.com/sho/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&User_ID=333471&st=9641&st2=58365084&st3=33903785&Product_ID=149&CATID=2

Hopefully you get a good view. If you look at the second picture box for the top view, mine's the 02 Black Leather version.

Moleskin, I don't have any... :blinks: In fact, I never even heard of it in my Sports Med. class... First time I heard of it was here on DF! I must check it out!

Chris: heel covers?!?!? :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: I have no clue about those! Please explain, at least for my sake, so I don't ruin my shoes!!

Pygmalion, thanks for the congratulations! :friend: It's good to go through this event with people who understand the terror! :wink: :roll: :wink:

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Laura]

There aren't heel covers for those kinds of shoes, so don't worry about that. If you're wearing competition-style shoes with "high heel" type heels, you can get suede or plastic heel covers to slip over the ends so they don't wear quickly and unevenly.

Finding the ultimate dance shoes is a difficult and expensive process. I've tried between 15 and 20 different combinations of style/size/brand. Sigh. I still don't feel like I've found the ultimate shoe for me, to tell you the truth. Maybe it doesn't exist.

[Genesius Redux]

Good to hear you've gotten your first dance shoes. Keep it up and one day, Pinocchia, you may become a real live girl! :lol: :wink:

You've got good advice here. I would just stress having your teacher look at the fit. Dance shoes should be a bit on the tight side, and usually when you first get them, they kill you for weeks. Remember the whole point is support and balance. That makes it very different from buying street shoes.

And go get some regular heels for dancing at clubs and just going out. Ditch the platforms. You'll be 16 in October, which makes you a young lady. :wink:

[Chris Stratton]

Yeah, I'd agree that with leather shoes it's okay to buy them a bit tight, as they will stretch to conform to your feet over the first month or two (from what I've heard fabric shoes would not stretch as much, at least before they start to fall apart, which would be a lot sooner than with leather ones). I have a pair of soft leather shoes that at 2 months are just getting to be about right - and another that at 18 months have repeatedly patched holes but feel like having a pair of gloves on my feet.

Actually, my dance shoes are the first footwear I've ever owned that actually fit. Between getting used to that, and dance training getting my feet to hold their shape better, I'm now buying street shoes 1.5 sizes smaller than I used to (same maker, same shoe, but now the old size ones feel like rowboats)

[bjp22tango]

Sakura Kitty:

I bought a pair similar to yours several years ago. I was told the shoe was supposed to be tight and that "leather stretches". I went with a shoe that felt nice and comfortably tight at the beginning of the dance practice. By the end, my toes were constantly pushing against the end of the shoes and it was obvious they were too small, and no amount of stretching was going to solve the problem.
In fact, I almost lost a toenail before I cut the toe out like a latin shoe (Aren't exacto knives great!) I actually love these shoes now. They give me the most support of any shoes I have and the open toe lets me feel the floor when doing latin. What I find amusing is that I like MY shoe style much better than the open toed variety sold by dance stores :lol: http://www.showtimedanceshoes.com/sho/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Product_ID=4404&CATID=2

However, the moral of the story is - there is tight, and there is tight. If your toes are pushing up against the end of the toe box in this type of shoe, it will never stretch out. In fact, the stretching of the shoe sideways across the width of the foot will put more pressure on the toe area.

I think you mentioned that your foot is stretching the toe box of the shoe. You may have a wider foot than the shoe was designed for. Your teacher should definitely be able to help gauge your fit. There is also a forum listed elsewhere on this sight that specifically answers foot questions.

Good luck with your shoes and your dancing!

Bonnie

[cocodrilo]

I've got a dozen pair of open-toe latin shoes and I was advised by the on-line shops to order them a half size SMALLER than my street shoe size. All of the shoes have stretched out to form-fit my foot(my left is just a tad bigger than my right, but they fit just fine now) and one pair, which I've had from the start, are so stretched out my toes practically slide through the front band, so I've put in some inserts that start from the ball of the foot & this has made things snug again. I know of people who buy them(I am talking strictly salsa dance here) the same size as their street shoes, only to end up wearing SOCKS after the shoes get stretched out after a few months. It takes me on average, 2 months of heavy dancing to break in a new pair of latin shoes and the first month I'm packin' moleskin!!!

[10Dancer]

SK - I have a pair of the same shoes. Mine did stretch out some. The good news is that they lace up so if they stretch too much you can easily put an insole in them and it won't show. I don't wear them very often anymore because I don't like the low heel but they are still great shoes. I use them for social dancing since I can do both standard and latin in them without worrying about having to change shoes.

I think the others here covered most everything else about them.
Best of luck. Let us know how it turns out.

[Sagitta]

Great to see you have a proper pair of dance shoes sk! :cheers:

Leather shoes do stretch, and mine did. I got a pair with suede soles. I've found it is worth paying a little extra to get a pair that fits you fine. After I got my pair of ballroom shoes I couldn't wear the lindy capezio suede sole shoes that I bought as the ballroom ones were so comfortable and supported my feet really well. My feet are slightly different sizes too, but it worked out. Hopefully yours will too. :)

[Sakura]

First off! Thanks so much for all of the good advice and congratulations you all have given me! :banana: :friend: :banana: This is going to be a long post, only because I have a *very* bad short term memory, so I can't remember the main points in everybody's posts... :) :oops: :) So, thanks again, and here I go with responding!

One thing before I do though: many of you mentioned having my teacher look at my shoes. Is there anything particular they should be looking for? --Like I said, my shoes stretch out at the balls of my feet; besides that, the right shoe fits *very* nicely, but the left shoe cramps my toes together... They're not touching the end of the shoe, but they kinda feel like sardines! :shock: :roll: (Not quite as serious, but it gets the idea across...) Does that part of the shoe stretch out at all, or is that a sign that maybe I should go with another size? Like I said, everything besides that fits *very* nicely. =^__^=


There aren't heel covers for those kinds of shoes, so don't worry about that. If you're wearing competition-style shoes with "high heel" type heels, you can get suede or plastic heel covers to slip over the ends so they don't wear quickly and unevenly.

Finding the ultimate dance shoes is a difficult and expensive process. I've tried between 15 and 20 different combinations of style/size/brand. Sigh. I still don't feel like I've found the ultimate shoe for me, to tell you the truth. Maybe it doesn't exist.

*deep breath of relief* Phwee! Thanks for telling me that; I thought I'd forgotten to get something critical to the survival of my shoes! :shock: :D

:? I hope you find your ultimate shoes soon! =^__^= I'm sure it'll come along someday! And if it doesn't, you still have good shoes to whisk you away to a night of dancing! :D

Good to hear you've gotten your first dance shoes. Keep it up and one day, Pinocchia, you may become a real live girl! :lol: :wink:

Dance shoes should be a bit on the tight side, and usually when you first get them, they kill you for weeks. Remember the whole point is support and balance. That makes it very different from buying street shoes.

And go get some regular heels for dancing at clubs and just going out. Ditch the platforms. You'll be 16 in October, which makes you a young lady. :wink:

But I am a girl!!!! *waits for the nose to grow* Eh, heh... =^_^='' *nods* I'd heard that leather stretches, and I had tried them on with socks on first (=O_O= Bad kitty!), but once I tried them on with 'hoes, it was much better, and the fit is very nice (except for the aforementioned left toes -- curse the left foot being just a little bit bigger!) They're very supportive, so I'm happy... I can't get rid of my "platforms!" I need my Rocky Horror Picture Show boots, and my sandals that I wear with my cool dress, they're platform, but I got them so that I could still RUN in them!!! (*Tomboy Forever...* :twisted: :roll: ) 'Sides, *grins* I dun wanna grow up! :wink:

I have a pair of soft leather shoes that at 2 months are just getting to be about right - and another that at 18 months have repeatedly patched holes but feel like having a pair of gloves on my feet.

(same maker, same shoe, but now the old size ones feel like rowboats)

I was thinking about that -- the leather stretching and conforming to the feet -- when I tried them on. I hope that's what happens with my left foot. We'll just have to see I guess, and keep plenty of ice on hand when (if?) I start breaking them in!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: =^__^= Rowboats!

By the end, my toes were constantly pushing against the end of the shoes and it was obvious they were too small, and no amount of stretching was going to solve the problem.
In fact, I almost lost a toenail before I cut the toe out like a latin shoe (Aren't exacto knives great!) I actually love these shoes now. They give me the most support of any shoes I have and the open toe lets me feel the floor when doing latin. What I find amusing is that I like MY shoe style much better than the open toed variety sold by dance stores :lol: http://www.showtimedanceshoes.com/sho/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Product_ID=4404&CATID=2

However, the moral of the story is - there is tight, and there is tight. If your toes are pushing up against the end of the toe box in this type of shoe, it will never stretch out.

I think you mentioned that your foot is stretching the toe box of the shoe. You may have a wider foot than the shoe was designed for. Your teacher should definitely be able to help gauge your fit. There is also a forum listed elsewhere on this sight that specifically answers foot questions.

Good luck with your shoes and your dancing!

:shock: :shock: The leather not stretching is actually one of my biggest worries; but they fit well enough (save the left toes! :roll: ), that I think they'll be fine. I can't believe you almost lost a toenail though!! :x Ouch! But the shoes on Showtime looked pretty interesting!

No, like I said, my toes do not reach the end of the shoe, although it's close on the left foot. I think (and hope!) that it will be fine. So, I'm hoping everything will turn out fine tonight.

As far as having a wider foot, all of the shoe fits until I get to the balls of my feet -- then it stretches out. And the left toes are a bit crunched. It's not unbearable, but then again, I haven't done one of my "big" lessons in them yet. If I can survive one of those and have my toes feel okay, then I know they're good to go. So, yes, I'll be asking my teacher tonight.

It takes me on average, 2 months of heavy dancing to break in a new pair of latin shoes and the first month I'm packin' moleskin!!!

...Must go find some of that moleskin! :D Anybody else notice that "2" seems to be the magic number on breaking shoes in? :mrgreen:

SK - I have a pair of the same shoes. Mine did stretch out some. The good news is that they lace up so if they stretch too much you can easily put an insole in them and it won't show. I don't wear them very often anymore because I don't like the low heel but they are still great shoes. I use them for social dancing since I can do both standard and latin in them without worrying about having to change shoes.

I think the others here covered most everything else about them.
Best of luck. Let us know how it turns out.

Yay! Good news! :D It's always great to get experience from people who've gone through what you're going through!

I got this shoe in particular for a few reasons:
1. I liked how it looked better than any of the other practice shoes.
2. Never having owned a pair of 'heels" in my life, I wanted to start out wiht the lowest, most stable heel I could! I didn't think it'd be very smart if I started out with a 2 1/2" Stiletto-like heel! :shock: :D

Thanks for the luck! I'll actually be posting about it tonight!

Great to see you have a proper pair of dance shoes sk! :cheers:

Leather shoes do stretch, and mine did. I got a pair with suede soles. I've found it is worth paying a little extra to get a pair that fits you fine. After I got my pair of ballroom shoes I couldn't wear the lindy capezio suede sole shoes that I bought as the ballroom ones were so comfortable and supported my feet really well. My feet are slightly different sizes too, but it worked out. Hopefully yours will too. :)

*nods* So do I! Thanks for the congrats, Sagitta!
*******

Well, my lesson's tonight, and I'm nervous! I don't want to use the jazz shoes anymore, because I don't have the heel and support that I need for at least my Latin dancing... *crossing her fingers* So, I'll post about everything tonight, and I hope that everybody's luck to me is going to help me out! :D Thanks guys and gals!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Chris Stratton]

One thing I don't know about these particular shoes is how stiff the sole is. In general, the women's shoes of this type tend to be more stiffly built than similar-looking men's shoes so that the heel doesn't fold under when you dance standard in them (guys shoes that look like this are for latin only). If the overall construction is stiff all the way to the toe, that may limit the degree of available stretch.

Another thing to look at is how the outline of the shoe matches your foot. In particular, does it force your big to to curve towards the others just a little more than it wants to, or a lot more?

BTW, if you do start to see excessive wear on the back corners of the chunky heels, you can still glue a piece of suede leather on the heel and wrap it up the back. But this would not happen anywhere near as fast as with a small heel tip.

[Sakura]

One thing I don't know about these particular shoes is how stiff the sole is. If the overall construction is stiff all the way to the toe, that may limit the degree of available stretch.

Another thing to look at is how the outline of the shoe matches your foot. In particular, does it force your big to to curve towards the others just a little more than it wants to, or a lot more?

BTW, if you do start to see excessive wear on the back corners of the chunky heels, you can still glue a piece of suede leather on the heel and wrap it up the back. But this would not happen anywhere near as fast as with a small heel tip.

I'd say the sole is a medium stiffness. It's not like steel or anything, but it's got the stability to provide support.

It's not actually making my big toe curve, which is the interesting bit! (It's only a *tiny* curve inward.) The other four toes seem to be the ones being forced inward from the left side of the shoe! :shock:

Thanks for the sole-saving tip! =^__^= I've seen this around on DF -- most of you, apparently, are carrying glue sticks in your shoe bags! :D :wink:

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[DancingMommy]

(=O_O=!!!!! I would have replied sooner, but DF didn't email me saying there had been upadates!)

Let's see... This is a shoe from the "Heather" brand. I got it from www.showtimedanceshoes.com.

Ok, if they are leather you should be fine. They will stretch out a bit over time - that's good. :)

I had these in lycra and hate hate hated them. I have the Supdance ones in leather and LOVE LOVE LOVE them.

[Sagitta]

Long time no see DancingMommy!! :) How's it going? Didn't you have some sort of competition/auditions way back? Or little one keeping you too busy?

[DancingMommy]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Busy, lol!

The oldest has been in dance camp all week - she may not be potty trained, but at last she is in dance class, lol!

I've got a double-header beuaty pageant for the bambinas on July 4th Weekend... They have matching dresses, too. 8)

I'm moderating a couple of forums over at Delphi again and so now my schedule is getting comsumed with that, too. Not to mention that my website is now up and I'm getting my home-based biz going...

Add a trip overseas in the fall and you can see why I haven't been around much lately. ;)

[Sakura]

:shock: :shock: :shock: MAN, DM! You must be "dancin'" all over the place to get to all of this stuff! :wink: ...However... That trip in the Fall doesn't sound half bad! :D Where're you going?

*dramatic music* And now -- SHOE STORY!!!!!! (Sorry I didn't update that night: things got busy around the house.... :shock: )

The shoes worked out GREAT! They were fabulous! :D :banana: :D :banana:

I tried the shoes on for my teacher; we went over them, and we decided that they fit pretty darn well!

It was funny: I had to learn some basic things all over again with these shoes! I was so off balance, it was very akward; being that I have my "tomboy syndrome," I've never had anything closely *resembling* these shoes! So we spent about five minutes or so re-learning some *really* basic basics. :roll: :oops: :roll:

So, once we finished that, I got to learn the dance I've been waiting to learn ever since I started dancing. I LEARNED THE VIENNESE WALTZ!!!!!! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: I'm soo happy! It's the greatest thing ever! My conclusion is that it's about as close as one can get to flying while one's feet are firmly planted on the ground! (Of course, that could come from the dizzy feeling that happens when everything in your line of sight becomes blurred into one multi-colored line! :D :mrgreen: It's another one of those "legal highs!" :twisted: ) The floor was really crowded too, so my teacher and I were weaving in and out of all of these people, and anybody who's done VW knows how fast one goes, so it multiplied the dizzy-ing effect! :D

Then we worked on Samba afterwards. =^__^= It was a good night.

There was *one* bad thing though... Both of my big toes had bruising under the nails... :( :x :( It's very slight though; only a little bit at the end. It's mostly healed up now, it's on the edges on both toes, mostly on the left though. *shrugs* I hope that part of the shoe will stretch out with time; everybody else's shoes that I've seen has the big toe part of the shoe stretched out. =^_^=;;

So, besides that, everything is great with them, and I'm *very* happy!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

PS- VIENNESE WALTZ RULES!!!!! *happy happy* =^__^=

[Laura]

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know! I'm so glad that you enjoy VW and that your shoes have worked out. You've reminded me that I need to get new shoes...my old ones are so soft that I can crush most of the sole up in a roll, and crush the sides of the heel cup area in. I like them soft, but this is going a bit too far.

[10Dancer]

SK - I'm so glad they worked out for you. :D Next we know you will be in 3" heels speeding around the floor!! :shock:

[dancin_feet]

Sakura, just a little advice on your bruised toes. Make sure you keep your toenails cut as short as you can. I have ended up with really sore and bruised toes, purely because my nails were pushing against the end of the shoe. They don't have to be long to be a problem!

Maybe try rubbing a little vaseline on your toe and on the inside of the shoe. This will help stop any rubbing and help to mould the shoe to your foot shape while you are breaking them in.

[Sakura]

=O_O= Crushing them in like that?! Wow... I think your idea of new shoes is a good one! :roll:

3" heels?! :shock: :shock: :shock: 10Dancer, I think I'd fall and kill myself! =^__^=;; It might be worth a try someday though! *laughs* But I don't know what 3" to my heighth would do for me... Some people do well with height additions and some don't, apparently... *must think about this*

Sakura, just a little advice on your bruised toes. Make sure you keep your toenails cut as short as you can. I have ended up with really sore and bruised toes, purely because my nails were pushing against the end of the shoe. They don't have to be long to be a problem!

Maybe try rubbing a little vaseline on your toe and on the inside of the shoe. This will help stop any rubbing and help to mould the shoe to your foot shape while you are breaking them in.

*nods* I cut them as close down as I could without curving it around. I have an ingrown toenail problem, so I've been trying to grow them out to get the edges above the nail bed. So I don't want to back track, 'cause OWIE!!! :roll: :oops: :wink:

Vaseline?! Didn't know about that! Thanks! And it doesn't hurt the shoes? Neato!

I've never really looked, so anyone else who identifies with this, go ahead and tell me! But, it's weird. My big toes seem to curve upward after the second joint, and not downward like the rest... :? Just weird, I guess? Or do everybody's toes do that? *smiles*

Thanks for all the congrats guys! :D Who would have ever thought a tomboy like me would be talking about shoes and enjoying it, ne? :twisted: :P You guys (and girls!) are all awesome! :friend: :cheers: :friend:

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Chris Stratton]

I cut them as close down as I could without curving it around. I have an ingrown toenail problem, so I've been trying to grow them out to get the edges above the nail bed. So I don't want to back track, 'cause OWIE!!!

That sounds about right - you don't want them too short, but you do want to keep them short enough that pressure on the end of your toe won't pry the nail off (I've actually had that happen twice, and it isn't fun).

See how your feet do as your break them in, and consider padding like moleskin if there are spots prone to blistering. I kept getting blisters on the top of my toes where they rubbed against the patent leather of my comp shoes (stiffer than the soft leather of my normal shoes), so simply sewed some scraps of polar fleece as padding onto the toe tops of two pairs of socks, and always make sure to have those clean for comps.

[dancin_feet]

The only thing I use to care for my leather shoes is vaseline. Helps to keep the leather supple and not dry out.

[pygmalion]

Patent leather? I'd heard of using vaseline for them. Do you use vaseline for all your leather shoes?

[Laura]

I used to ride horses and so have cleaned a lot of tack in my day, and I was always told never to use mineral-based products like mineral oil or vaseline on regular leather. Rather, we used something called "Murphy's Oil Soap," which has plant-based oils in it and cleans and 'moisturizes' the leather at the same time so it doesn't get all dried out and crack.

But maybe the person was referring to patent leather? All the guys I know who dance with patent leather shoes put a little bit of vaseline on their shoes so they don't stick together when they brush their feet or do a heel turn or things like that.

[Sakura]

Interesting thoughts on shoe upkeep! :D So we're thinking use the Vaseline for patent leather, and the oil soap Laura mentioned for normal leather?

I was actually lucky enough to escape with no blisters from my shoes ( :shock: Man was I surprised! {But happy! :roll: :wink: }), but I'll keep your tips in mind, Chris! I especially like the idea of the polar fleece!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[DancingMommy]

:shock: :shock: :shock: MAN, DM! You must be "dancin'" all over the place to get to all of this stuff! :wink: ...However... That trip in the Fall doesn't sound half bad! :D Where're you going?


Well, it's official we are taking a trip "back home" to Jakarta, Indonesia with TWO children in October. Can we say a few Hail Mary's and pray to the god of flying with toddlers/infants? LOL! :shock:

We're just starting to get back to our routines after a week of dance camp for the 2 year old and 4th of July and and and and....

Kinda reminds me of the lyric "life is what happens when you are busy making other plans". 8)

Next week get back to serious coaching again. I've taken a total of 2 years off during the last 4 years due to being pregnant, out with surgery, etc. I couldn't believe when I totalled it up. It's a wonder I can even remember our routines. I treated myself to these shoes:

http://www.allaboutdance.com/Merchant2/graphics/ballroom/thumbs/BR32.jpg

as a thank you to myself for having two kids. And also because after 2 pregnancies my other shoes (read EVERY PAIR) no longer fit. :( But I think I know what latin shoes I want now, tee hee hee!

[Chris Stratton]

But I think I know what latin shoes I want now, tee hee hee!

How would you characterize the role of the shoe in the picture?

[Laura]

It looks good for going dancing at parties where people actually dress up for the occasion. Where did you find such sweet shoes?

[Chris Stratton]

It looks good for going dancing at parties where people actually dress up for the occasion. Where did you find such sweet shoes?

Okay, sorry for being a spoilsport. To me it looks like a nice shoe for parties where the emphasis is more on dressing up and having fun than on dance technique. That is certainly an important, and easily forgotten, part of what dancing is all about. But given the mention of routines (implying dancing goals) I'm worried it's too "standard" for latin, yet doesn't have toe protection required to make real standard backwards extension feel toenail-safe. I wonder if the open-sided, closed-toe "smooth" shoes might be a better all-around compromise... of course you dance in what you have available.

[DancingMommy]

How would you characterize the role of the shoe in the picture?

EXTREMELY flexible. Like a ballet shoe. Finally! I can actually point my frggin toes in these shoes, lol! 8)

[Chris Stratton]

EXTREMELY flexible. Like a ballet shoe. Finally! I can actually point my frggin toes in these shoes, lol! 8)

Cool - then call them your latin shoes!

(I personally hate stiff shoes for either style, but standard requires toe protection and some degree of arch rigidity if the heel is high)

[DancingMommy]

Nah.... I gotta feed my obsession, lol!

Here's what I want:

Fabric : http://www.dancesport.uk.com/shoes/inter/materials/mul-gli.jpg & Shoe : http://www.dancesport.uk.com/shoes/inter/karina.jpg or http://www.dancesport.uk.com/shoes/inter/hanna.jpg

OR

http://www.dancesport.uk.com/shoes/dsint/345.jpg & http://www.dancesport.uk.com/shoes/dsint/346.jpg

[Laura]

I have that pair with the diagonal strap. I bought them for the every-once-in-a-great-while that I go salsa dancing. I really like them because they are comfortable and look great (mine are black with a white diagonal strap).

[DancingMommy]

It looks good for going dancing at parties where people actually dress up for the occasion. Where did you find such sweet shoes?

PM me and I'll give you my source. They only cost me $61 including shipping. :)

[DancingMommy]

It looks good for going dancing at parties where people actually dress up for the occasion. Where did you find such sweet shoes?

Okay, sorry for being a spoilsport. To me it looks like a nice shoe for parties where the emphasis is more on dressing up and having fun than on dance technique. That is certainly an important, and easily forgotten, part of what dancing is all about. But given the mention of routines (implying dancing goals) I'm worried it's too "standard" for latin, yet doesn't have toe protection required to make real standard backwards extension feel toenail-safe. I wonder if the open-sided, closed-toe "smooth" shoes might be a better all-around compromise... of course you dance in what you have available.

I hate to burst your bubble, lol! BUT in my NSHO, I think these are the best shoes I've ever owned for smooth/standard. The toes don't stick out the hole (more like the ICS peeptoe than an "open toe" shoe). They are super tight in the elastic so they stay put on the feet as well.

As far as the "open-sided, closed-toe "smooth" shoes", I've owned more than one pair of them and they aren't strong enough on the sides to be supportive. I have super high arches and my ankles wobble in open sided shoes - even low heeled ones.

[Chris Stratton]

I hate to burst your bubble, lol! BUT in my NSHO, I think these are the best shoes I've ever owned for smooth/standard. The toes don't stick out the hole (more like the ICS peeptoe than an "open toe" shoe).


So the toenail is not exposed? In a fully developed standard walk, it is the end, nearly the top of the toe that skims the floor during the backwards extension. This would seem to put an exposed toenail within a slight mistake of being ripped off. I'm not joking here - I've been looking through videos frame by frame, and while a lot of walks fall short, the good ones have the foot in this position.

[DancingMommy]

I hate to burst your bubble, lol! BUT in my NSHO, I think these are the best shoes I've ever owned for smooth/standard. The toes don't stick out the hole (more like the ICS peeptoe than an "open toe" shoe).


So the toenail is not exposed? In a fully developed standard walk, it is the end, nearly the top of the toe that skims the floor during the backwards extension. This would seem to put an exposed toenail within a slight mistake of being ripped off. I'm not joking here - I've been looking through videos frame by frame, and while a lot of walks fall short, the good ones have the foot in this position.

Not on my feet lol! Here's why:

http://img38.photobucket.com/albums/v118/suluh-family/Feet.jpg

My toenails don't even reach the ends of my toes. I punsihed them too much in my pointe shoes, lol! The only thing that would skim the floor would be super calloused skin. 8) I don't do well in completely closed toe shoes anyways due to all the time the spent cramped up in pointe shoes.

[Chris Stratton]

I thought overtrimming like that was a recipe for ingrown toenails, particularly when combined with pointe work?

Though obviously that's a subject I know a lot less about than standard technique...

[DancingMommy]

I don't cut my toenails - ever. The most that can happen is my pedicurist can trim the skin around them and file them slightly.

I used to bite my toes as a child. :shock:

My toenails just don't grow much at all. And I don't suffer from ingrown toenails either, lol!

sign me,

Nina <--- of the skimpy toenails!

[pygmalion]

Very nice toe photo, DancingMommy! :wink: :D

[cocodrilo]

I don't cut my toenails - ever. The most that can happen is my pedicurist can trim the skin around them and file them slightly.

I used to bite my toes as a child. :shock:

My toenails just don't grow much at all. And I don't suffer from ingrown toenails either, lol!

sign me,

Nina <--- of the skimpy toenails!
Is it not painful to have toenails that short?

[DancingMommy]

Not at all. :) I can do toe stands in latin shoes and not feel a thing. 8)

[cocodrilo]

Not at all. :) I can do toe stands in latin shoes and not feel a thing. 8)
You must have great toe muscles!!! :D

[DancingMommy]

8) Oh yeah....

But ever since my bunionectomy on my left big toe, I am not as flexibel there. UGH! And the steel pin in the toe makes my toe ache when its damp and rainy. And it goes off in the airport!

[Sakura]

8) Oh yeah....

But ever since my bunionectomy on my left big toe, I am not as flexibel there. UGH! And the steel pin in the toe makes my toe ache when its damp and rainy. And it goes off in the airport!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: (Not the ache and non-flexibility part, but the airport! Must make for interesting happenings!)

I hope your trip goes well, DM; and I'm glad you love your new shoes!!

SK :kitty:

( :shock: See what happens when I'm away for 4 days!? A topic gains two new pages!)