Dancing Shoes

Dancing shoes is a broad term, and there are dozens of kinds of dancing shoes. To some women, dancing shoes may simply mean the fashionable sandals or high-heeled pumps they wear to go dancing. To other women, soft slippers might be preferred and thought of as dancing shoes.

In a more technical sense, there are several types of dancing shoes which may relate to professional dancing. Certainly a ballerina's ballet shoes are dancing shoes. They are a very specialized kind of dancing shoes. The soft shoes used by performers in other styles of dancing are also dancing shoes. Tap dancing requires another specialized form of dancing shoes, where metal taps are attached to toe and heel, hence the term tap dancing. This type of dancing shoe has been used by many famous performers, from Fred Astaire to Bo Jangles to Shirley Temple.

To those interested in serious, or at least regular ballroom dancing, there are dancing shoes designed for this activity. Dancing shoes for ballroom dancers are available in special stores which also often carry costumes or dance dresses. Dancing shoes for ballroom dancing come in many styles, including fairly open, high heeled dancing shoes. Ballroom dancing shoes take into consideration, however, that the wearer may be doing fairly intricate dance steps, and the shoe must be well made and solid enough to withstand wear and tear.

Ballroom dancing shoes designed for serious ballroom dancing have special soles to prevent slipping. These soles may be of suede, or other leather, which can be roughened with a small wire brush so that the dancing shoe will be less apt to slip on the dance floor. This type of dancing shoe is particularly important to professionals who may be executing very intricate dance steps. Dance shoes designed for performance dancing are also important to amateur ballroom dancers who engage in competition. A slip during competition can result in poor scores, and amateur ballroom dancers are serious about competing. Although some may wear quite open shoes and high heels, while other dancing shoes may be more modest with lower heels and closed toes, the sole is very important, and dancing shoes are designed with this in mind.

Dancing shoes used by professionals or serious ballroom dancers are always either purchased or dyed to match or go with the costume being worn for a given dance. In many cases, shoes are purchased for style and fit and then dyed to work with a given costume. Both men and women who are professional performers or serious amateurs give special attention to their dancing shoes.

As stated, there are many kinds of dancing shoes to fit every type of dance, but whatever the specific need, dancing shoes are extremely important in any level or style of professional dancing or serious amateur ballroom dancing. Dancing is one of life's great pleasures, and dancing shoes are going to play a part in recreational and professional dancing worldwide.

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