As Ballroom dancers, we don't need a huge amount of equipment to practice or perform with, but our dance shoes are probably the most important part. Investing in a good quality pair of dance shoes will help you practice with confidence and develop skills much faster. It is essential to look after your shoes to increase the length of time they last and protect the floors we dance on. Suede soled dance shoes are designed to provide just enough friction to perform spins and turns with ease, without slipping over. By only wearing your dance shoes on the dance floors they're designed for and brushing the soles when necessary you will increase their lifespan and keep them looking good.
Surfaces that are okay for dance shoes:
- Wood floors (floor boards, yellow tongue or parquetry)
- Most indoor surfaces such as carpet, vinyl or tile are also fine
Recommended to avoid:
- Any outdoor surfaces, including but not limited to:
– Footpaths
– Concrete or Asphalt
– Dirt, Mulch or grass
– Gravel - Water or moisture of any kind (this will alter the texture of the suede)
When purchasing shoes from MarShere or any of the mainstream shoe brands, you will often be given a shoe bag. These are a great way to protect your shoes from scuffs and damage when your going too and from dance classes, but also make sure you have two shoes to wear when you go to change into them from your street shoes.
Why you should brush your dance shoes (but not too often)
Many of the dance floors we dance on at MarShere have a fine layer of paraffin wax to stop the floor from becoming too slippery. Over time wax and dirt will accumulate on your shoes and the suede gets matted down which can make them either lumpy under sole or too slippery. When this happens you can use a metal bristle brush to brush up the suede surface and make them feel like new again.
The suede soles won’t last forever particularly if you find yourself brushing them each time you dance. If you ballroom or latin shoes still fit you well and the uppers are still in good condition (and in the case of women's shoes there is still support through the arch then you don't necessarily need to part with them and replace them with a new pair. A good shoemaker can replace the sole or alternatively it's not a particularly hard DIY job (but it can be messy).
Tips On Caring Uppers of Shoes
Ballroom shoes come in all forms and materials the most common of which we see in the studios is Satin & Leather. Satin can tend to show wear and stains faster, but with care can be cleaned easily. In terms of cleaning satin shoes, you will need to be careful what products you use as some may be too strong and can ruin the material. Many manufacturers suggest using a white spirit that is diluted to be a split 50/50 with water, and rub with a microfibre cloth that's not too damp in very gentle circular motions.
One thing dancers must remember is that our dance shoes are first and foremost our equipment, which will inevitably show wear and tear over time. The kind of damage and wearing we see on our shoes are also a great indicator of how we dance, and may even be itself a good learning tool.
For example–we may see uneven wearing on our heels, which is a great indicator of how we use our feet, how much and where we put our foot pressure, the tracking and directionality of our steps in our figures, etc.
Alternatively; we may see certain spots on our shoes wear out much faster than others, such as the inside edge of the heel cups, or the inside edge of the front of the shoes. This shows us where the most contact and friction is taking place as we dance our figures and can actually be a good thing.
Whatever the case, we all do our best to take good care of our shoes so they can last as long as they can.
Heel Protectors
Heel protectors or heel caps are commonly worn on women’s heeled shoes. They primarily serve to protect the plastic heel tips from wearing down. Some prefer the convenience of replacing and discarding heel protectors over taking the shoes to a cobbler to have the plastic tips repaired.
If you choose to wear heel protectors, please be sure to find the correct size for the correct heel! The various heels often vary minimally between brands, and there are many different heel shapes, like “Flared” or “Slim”. Certain heel styles also do not have standard heel protectors made for them. Typically, the larger types of heels may not have protectors, since it’s preferred by the manufacturers to place suede on the surface area of such heels instead.
Some heel protectors come with built-in suede. The built-in suede offers an added layer of protection, helping them last longer than plain ones. The suede also helps with the traction on the heels while dancing. Consider your own dancing, choreography, and style when choosing whether or not, or what type of heel protector to wear.
Tips for putting on the heel protectors–
- Heat is your best friend! Warming up the heel protectors with your breath or your hands, or with the help of a hair dryer will soften the plastic.
- Use your fingers to stretch the opening of the protectors as best as you can.
- First work the rounded end of the protector over the heel, then wiggle it over the tip until the two corners slip inside the cap.
- Press the heel flat the rest of the way into the heel protector against a hard surface. You’re done!
Once placed onto the heel, protectors are to stay on until they are worn through. When you need to remove them, the best way to remove them is to nick a corner of the heel protector and simply slip the cap off. It's important that you do not just try to forcibly pull off a heel protector once it is place, as they can damage the heel of the shoe underneath.
Your local MarShere studio teachers and principals are a wealth of knowledge about dance shoes and how to care for them. If you have questions please don't hesitate to ask.
