Dance Shoe Rentals for New Floor
- Thread starter John Urban
- Start date
FancyFeet
Forum Master
I like a fast floor too. Shoe brushing happens rarely while the shoes are new or the floor is freshly refinished... but as I don't wear my good shoes on questionable floors, they don't tend to pick up gunk.
I would have no issue with a studio that required dance shoes and heel protectors. And would be ecstatic if there was a "no castor oil, no rosin" rule (see: I like a fast floor). I might have an issue if I were there regularly (like, every day) and needed to have my shoes inspected each time... and if I couldn't wear my non-marking dance sneakers or jazz shoes (neither of which have suede soles) if I were injured or particularly sore.
I would definitely not be renting shoes, but for the new or occasional dancer, I could see the appeal.
I would have no issue with a studio that required dance shoes and heel protectors. And would be ecstatic if there was a "no castor oil, no rosin" rule (see: I like a fast floor). I might have an issue if I were there regularly (like, every day) and needed to have my shoes inspected each time... and if I couldn't wear my non-marking dance sneakers or jazz shoes (neither of which have suede soles) if I were injured or particularly sore.
I would definitely not be renting shoes, but for the new or occasional dancer, I could see the appeal.
Another vote for not brushing suede. I like fast floors too, and don't bother carrying my wire shoe brush to dances. At All Balboa Weekend 2017 I raised the nap for the first time in at least five years due to an insanely slick floor (DoI would have liked it) -- I saw three people slip and fall the first night and had a couple of close calls myself before I went outside and scuffled my shoes on the concrete sidewalk. It took weeks for that pair to get back up to speed....
John Urban
New Member
I appreciate your input. We are finding it challenging . You won’t find a ballroom dance shoe store in Scranton . We are it and getting our students on board with the idea of buying shoes for a class from the start is tough. We’ve decided to lower the cost for students in packages to $3 / class for shoes until they can buy but it can get pricey for them. That’s if the shoes fit. Accommodations like heel caps for high heels that fit will be free and suede stars with rubber bands for cost at $2.50 . I was shocked at how women’s regular 21/2 inch heel ballroom shoes actually mark and dent the floor. I think we will have to save the caps for the pointy ones only to save face !
John Urban
New Member
Balboa Park San Diego? I danced there at a Viennese ball once and took a class or two and at Champion, Synergy Dance for 2, Infinity and a slew of other places in San Diego. Scuffing your shoe on the concrete is something I’ve seen others do but it potentially damages the shoe and out here in Scranton you have the weather. Consider we are not encouraging dancers to dance out of control and as you have seen it’s dangerous. Ballroom floor etiquette helps. I appreciate your feedback. Coincidentally was there an older well dressed bald guy V-WALTZING who tumbled ? I remember he did it at least three times during my dancing days throughout San Diego . It was usually with ballerina ballroom novices and always during V-Waltz! I remember him flying over and rolling on top of one woman. He had a knack for stomping during Tango too. Great guy though. We both did time in the Navy. I miss his enthusiasm!
Here's something else you might want to look at: PS Athletic Shoe Covers for Dancing. They are sold on Amazon. There are a couple of different brands, but these are the only ones that I saw that cover the entire shoe sole and say that they are usable on hard wood. I have never used them and have no idea how well they work!
Holiday Inn in suburban Cleveland, OH. Balboa is a style of swing dancing, and ABW is an annual event there. The (portable) dance floor in 2017 was the slickest I've ever encountered, and Balboa dancers like slick floors....
Yeah, scuffling your shoes on concrete isn't exactly good for the suede, but if it's that or hurt yourself falling, I'll choose to add a little extra wear&tear on the shoes.
John Urban
New Member
Larinda I am noticing that even the women’s hard plastic ballroom heels are sharp and create marks on the beechwood . We tested them by wacking a board with and without plastic heel guards . The heel guards work but add a 1/4 inch to the height. I was unaware at how much the heels can carve up a floor.
John Urban
New Member
John Urban
New Member
I will check them out! Thank you!!
Ah! I finally know how to read your username.
Thanks for the explanation!
I do agree that wax on the floors (or on shoes) is a dangerous thing. I've almost slipped more than once when there's a mysterious very slippery spot on a floor, but most of the time I need the (non-waxed) slickness of my own shoes to keep knee-pain away. I suppose a really good floor does make that less of an issue.
I used to carry around a pair of the women's socks that only cover the toes, and pull them over the soles of my street shoes if I was dancing at a bar. That worked surprisingly well, although stretching them to fit over men's size 10s is difficult.
I wonder if socks would be very slick on a proper dance floor. John -- probably easy to model by testing out your floor with just socks on.
John Urban
New Member
I respect a dancers feel for the floor and can appreciate your injury. I sorry to hear what happened to you. I can see especially for followers in dances like Salsa where spinning is such a prominent part of their dancing that it’s important to have freedom of movement. Knee injuries from sticky floors and shoulder injuries as well. One thing I’ve taught our students is that hip delay and settling from opening the hip aids in stopping in addition to using foot strength. Junkers floor is not designed to be slick and it is a good smooth surface to establish traction for movement as well a develope good technique for spins and turns. Our older floor is a Junkers beech floor as well and has been something we’ve prided ourselves on because dancers appreciate how good they feel after an evening of dancing on it. We didn’t have these rules in place previously however and some nights we would notice slick spots and differences in traction. After 20 years however the floor held up very well. You can see where heels indented the floor. The worst was when we would use quick joe ice melt on our parking lot and despite our best efforts people’s shoes would track through the carpeting and then dancers going back flthrough the entrance would track the residue on the floor. It made the floor slippery and terrible to dance on. I spent the evening with a mop bucket rinsing the whole floor. Rock salt is now our go to . I think the difference will be palpable so any dancer visiting we will ask for them to brush their shoes free of debris so they can judge for themselves.
jwlinson
Active Member
Around here on non-studio dance floors we have to deal with a lot of people using "dance wax." It creates a waxy buildup on the floor which is super slick, stains the floor, and gunks up shoes. When on these floors, brushing is absolutely required. I have several pairs of shoes I use just for bad floors like this. On the real studio floors where wax isn't allowed, I only rarely brush my shoes, and it's usually just to remove dust and dirt. Scruffing them on carpet works just as well for that. I've also found that a wire brush from Walmart works better than a real shoe brush, unless the shoes really need to be roughed up.