What shoes do I need?

Whether you are attending a social dance or a dance class, definitely arrive with a second pair of shoes – shoes you have not worn outside. Tracking in outside dirt and moisture is rude to the people who own ballroom dancing shoes and is also rude to the event organizer or the venue in which the event is held.

What shoes should I wear?

If you have ballroom dancing shoes, definitely wear those. Many varieties of practice shoes, dance slippers, and dance sneakers are also fine, as are your stocking feet. No street shoes on the dance floor, please!

Street Shoes

What are “Street Shoes?”

Street shoes are any shoes that you have ever worn outside.

Why does the studio forbid “Street Shoes?”

Dirt, grime, and moisture tracked from outside damages floors over time and creates slippery, messy, or unsafe surfaces for dancing. The prohibition is just like your health club forbidding outside shoes in their facilities. They do not want their equipment or surfaces damaged. Furthermore, many people eventually purchase special-purpose ballroom dance shoes or dance practice shoes. Those people become rightfully upset when someone less considerate has tracked-in a mess that then damages the special shoes.

Styles of Shoes

There are two main styles of shoes – Latin and Smooth – each with different features.

• – Smooth shoes are the style used for Smooth/Standard dancing (Waltz, Tango, Fox Trot, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz)
• – Latin shoes are the style used for Latin/Rhythm dancing (Cha Cha, Rumba, Swing, Bolero, Mambo, Salsa, Samba, Paso Doble, Salsa, etc)

However, all ballroom dance shoes have a suede-leather sole. This provides the ideal amount of grip for ballroom dancing. They are not designed to be worn outside.

Shoes for Men

Men's Smooth Shoe

Men's Latin Shoe

Men: Smooth shoes resemble regular off-the-shelf dress shoes, complete with a wide, very low-rise heel. Latin shoes have a 1.5″ (or slightly larger) heel that is relatively narrow compared to an off-the-shelf pair of dress shoes.

Men, if you are considering the purchase of a single pair of ballroom shoes, Smooth shoes are a good choice. The higher and narrower heel of a Latin shoe, while great for Latin dancing, makes Smooth dancing treacherous. However, your Latin dances will work just fine in a Smooth shoe.

Shoes for Women

Women's Smooth Shoe

Women's Latin Shoe

Women: Smooth shoes and Latin shoes differ in the toe, not in the heel design (as is the case for men’s shoes). In the ballroom world, Closed Toe shoes are used for Smooth (traditional ballroom) dancing, and Open Toe shoes are used for Latin dancing.

Either style is available in a range of heel sizes – 2.5″ is a common heel height. Lower and wider heels are also available, as are higher spikier heels (though these become difficult to wear for dancing).

Women, if you are considering the purchase of a single pair of ballroom shoes, an Open Toe (Latin) shoe is a good choice. Open Toe (Latin) shoes work equally well for Smooth and Latin dancing, while Closed Toe shoes only work well for Smooth dancing (because the shoes limit how much the foot can articulate).

Dance Sneaker (unisex)

Dance Sneaker with Heel

Dance Sneakers

Dance Sneakers are great for clubs, classes, and social dances. They come in a variety of styles and colors for both men and women and tend to have more cushioning than suede-bottom ballroom dance shoes. They have a special rubber sole that does not leave marks and that allows you to turn and spin almost like suede-bottom shoes. They wear out quickly if worn outside on sidewalks, but they will last a long time if used exclusively indoors, even at nightclubs. They will not be ruined by liquids on the floor.

Where to Buy Dance Shoes/Sneakers

Discount shoes can be found online starting at around $60/pair (men / women). A good pair starts at about $100 and goes up from there. (See our Links page for suggestions.) The build quality and materials tend to be much better the more money you spend. A good pair of dance shoes can last an avid social dancer five years or more. Even a discount pair of shoes will last a long time if proper care is given to them.

When you are buying your first pair of dance shoes, you may want to try some on in a store. Dance shoes will not fit like street shoes, and will not feel like street shoes. It is useful to have a professional help you find the correct fit. Incorrectly sized dance shoes can be both painful and dangerous to dance in!

If you dance a lot or attend a lot of dance classes, get a good pair of shoes. Otherwise, the discount shoes will wear out and you will need to purchase another pair. This dual-purchase will ultimately cost more than just buying one good pair in the first place.

How should dance shoes fit?

For men and women, your shoes should fit very snugly. Your foot should not be able to move at all within the shoe. Every movement of your foot should be translated directly to the shoe.

Men’s shoes almost always have shoe laces and can be tightened properly so it is not possible to accidentally step out of the shoe. Many styles of women’s shoes have some kind of ankle strap to ensure the shoe stays on the foot.

Where should I wear my dance shoes?

Ballroom dance shoes are great for facilities with hardwood floors and a policy of having attendees remove their street shoes prior to dancing. Social dances and dance classes frequently fit this description.

For places with other floor coverings or for dancing at clubs where people will likely spill beverages on the floor, your dance shoes will either be very uncomfortable or very trashed.

Shoes to avoid…

Regular athletic sneakers or cross-trainers are a bad choice for dancing! They are designed to provide maximum grip, which will eventually lead to a twisted ankle when you dance because your shoe and foot stay anchored to the floor, but your leg and whole body try to turn. For your own safety, wear something other than athletic sneakers.

Dress shoes with a hard plastic sole or hard leather sole are also a bad choice – they provide too little grip. Plastic soles with some kind of “tread pattern” are only slightly better, and well-scuffed hard leather sole shoes are okay but not good. For example, new wedding shoes for women often have a hard leather sole. Those shoes work better when a stiff wire brush is taken to the bottom of the shoe to rough up the leather and provide some texture.