While you can enjoy Cued Ballroom Dance in any shoes, women in particular are encouraged to start using shoes with some sort of sliding leather sole as soon as possible. The turning and twirling will take a toll on your knees if you don’t. Men do less turning and twirling, but sliding soles will ease the strain on their bodies as well. Here are the popular options, starting with the least expensive:
- Shoes with flat leather soles, if you already have them.
- Slip-ons. These are about 2″ wide soft tubes that slip over your shoes. They look like wrist bands. The best seem to be the ones sold by Curves (less than $10 a pair), or you can get them online here.
- Advantages: Cheap. Can use on any shoes. Temporary.
- Disadvantages: Temporary. They tend to come off while you’re dancing.
- Stick-ons. These stick onto the soles of your existing shoes (using a permanent adhesive) to provide dance shoe-like soles. Dancers who have tried this have been generally satisfied with the results. Cost about $20 per pair.
- http://www.soles2dance.com (Also sold on Amazon. Same manufacturer. Search for “soles2dance”)
- Advantages: Inexpensive. Can use on any shoes.
- Disadvantages: Still not genuine dance shoes.
- Glue-ons. Local shoemakers can glue dance sole leather (called “chrome leather”) onto most kinds of shoes for about $40-$45. Dancers have used both of the shoemakers in Roseville (A&C and Roseville Shoe Repair) and been happy with the results.
- Advantages: Not as expensive as genuine dance shoes. Can be done to any shoes.
- Disadvantages: Still not genuine dance shoes.
- Genuine dance shoes. The most expensive option, but these shoes are designed for dancing.
- www.capezio.com (Also sold on Amazon. Search for “capezio shoes”)
- Capezio Dance-Theatre Shop of Sacramento (3839 H St) Thank you Capezio’s for helping with our fundraiser!
- Advantages: Probably the very best dance shoes.
- Disadvantages: Expensive, limited shoe selection, may not work for people who have special foot problems.