Buying Dance Shoes
It is very important to have the proper
shoes for dancing. They allow you to place your
weight correctly and spin with safety and ease.
Different dances have different requirements as
far as heel height and style, but there are some
things that are important to look for in any dance
shoe. The soles need to be flexible, allowing
you to easily point your toe. They should be made
of leather or suede. I prefer suede, but many
social dancers also like having leather soles.
Freshly brushed suede is better on slippery floors
and leather is better on sticky floors. Do not
buy shoes with snap on straps. Although quick
to put on, they won't stay on as well as traditional
straps. Avoid shoes that are painful!!! Forcing
yourself to wear shoes that don’t fit properly
can cause serious foot problems. If you need to
see the podiatrist, bring your dance shoes with
you. He or she may be able to add pads to take
pressure off painful areas such as the ball of
the foot. Avoid shoes that push your big toe towards
your smaller toes. If you have back problems,
opt for a shorter heel. You should be able to
exchange shoes as long as they are not dirty or
dyed. You can wear them around on a clean floor
until you are sure they fit comfortably.
Sizing
Dance shoes should be snug with no extra room,
but not so tight that your foot is cramped. There
should be very little overhang of the shoe past
your toes. Your shoes need to stay on firmly while
you twist and spin. Any straps should be worn
tight enough to hold you heel firmly into the
shoe. (Any cobbler can easily punch extra holes
in your straps if needed.) If you are new to dancing,
don’t be surprised if your feet “shrink”
as you progress. If you use proper technique,
you will develop your arch. (I went from an American
size 10 EE to an American regular size 9 during
my first year of dance training. Thank goodness!)
Ladies, keep in mind that sandals often run shorter
than your everyday street shoes.
Shoe Size Conversion Tables
Women’s Shoe Sizes |
|||||||||||||
American |
4.5 |
5 |
5.5 |
6 |
6.5 |
7 |
7.5 |
8 |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.5 |
English |
2 |
2.5 |
3 |
3.5 |
4 |
4.5 |
5 |
5.5 |
6 |
6.5 |
7 |
7.5 |
8 |
European |
34 |
35 |
35.5 |
36 |
37 |
37.5 |
38 |
39 |
39.5 |
40 |
40.5 |
41 |
42 |
Japanese |
21.5 |
22 |
22.5 |
23 |
23 |
23.5 |
24 |
24 |
24.5 |
25 |
25.5 |
26 |
26.5 |
Men’s Shoe Sizes |
|||||||||||||||
American |
5.5 |
6 |
6.5 |
7 |
7.5 |
8 |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.5 |
11 |
11.5 |
12 |
12.5 |
English |
5 |
5.5 |
6 |
6.5 |
7 |
7.5 |
8 |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.5 |
11 |
11.5 |
12 |
European |
38 |
38.7 |
39.3 |
40 |
40.5 |
41 |
42 |
42.5 |
43 |
44 |
44.5 |
45 |
46 |
46.5 |
47 |
Japanese |
23.5 |
24 |
24.5 |
25 |
25.5 |
26 |
26.5 |
27 |
27.5 |
28 |
28.5 |
29 |
29.5 |
30 |
30.5 |
Girl's Shoe Sizes |
||||||||||||||||
American |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.5 |
11 |
11.5 |
12 |
13.5 |
13 |
13.5 |
1 |
1.5 |
2 |
2.5 |
3 |
English |
8 |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.5 |
11 |
11.5 |
12 |
12.5 |
13 |
13.5 |
1 |
1.5 |
2 |
2.5 |
European |
26 |
26.5 |
27 |
27.5 |
28 |
28.5 |
29 |
30 |
30.5 |
31 |
31.5 |
32.2 |
33 |
33.5 |
34 |
35 |
Japanese |
14.5 |
15 |
15.5 |
16 |
16.5 |
17 |
17.5 |
18 |
18.5 |
19 |
19.5 |
20 |
20.5 |
21 |
21.5 |
22 |
Boy's Shoe Sizes |
||||||||||||||
American |
11.5 |
12 |
12.5 |
13 |
13.5 |
1 |
1.5 |
2 |
2.5 |
3 |
3.5 |
4 |
4.5 |
5 |
English |
11 |
11.5 |
12 |
12.5 |
13 |
13.5 |
1 |
1.5 |
2 |
2.5 |
3 |
3.5 |
4 |
4.5 |
European |
29 |
29.7 |
30.5 |
31 |
31.5 |
33 |
33.5 |
34 |
34.7 |
35 |
35.5 |
36 |
37 |
37.5 |
Japanese |
16.5 |
17 |
17.5 |
18 |
18.5 |
19 |
19.5 |
20 |
20.5 |
21 |
21.5 |
22 |
22.5 |
23 |