The right shoes are one of the most important elements for dancing. Correctly selected footwear means comfort, correct technique and the future health of the dancer. How to choose the right shoes and what is better to give up right away when dancing?
First of all, it is worth paying attention to the following criteria: heel (its height and stability), fixation (fastener), sole (flexibility), appearance.
Ladies Latin Dance Shoes
As a rule, for practicing Latin American dances among girls, heels from 5 to 10 centimeters are used. Sometimes, a girl feels comfortable in a 10 cm heel, it all depends on the anatomy, her height and experience of "walking" in shoes. It is important: what level the dancer has, how prepared the body was for a certain type of heel, the health of the joints, future and present.
Usually, sandals with a closed heel, an open toe and one or more straps are used for such dances. It is best to have the strap secured under the foot - the safest option. The instep support plate, glued under the foot plate, reaches only the middle of the foot in order to maintain flexibility when performing movements.
Advice: beginners should choose a 5 cm heel or use jazz shoes, then as experience grows, the heel can be increased. This will reduce the stress on the knees and prevent swelling in the legs.
Samba, rumba, jive, cha-cha-cha are dances in which a person will need to make abrupt transitions, ejections, turns, so nothing should hinder the movement of the leg.
Men's Latin Dance Shoes
The usual heel for men is 3.5-4 cm, also with the most flexible and shortest instep support. In European dance directions, shoes are produced with a heel of 2-2.5 cm. And the instep support is longer.
Why is it better to choose specialized dance shoes right away?
This type of footwear is made of special eco-leather or natural, since it is softer than ordinary shoes and better adapts to the features of the foot. Only when a person begins to try to dance, to see what is and what is not, then you can use ordinary sports sneakers or ballet flats. It should be remembered that dance shoes wear out much faster than regular shoes, especially for the heel and sole, which simply wear off when hitting the floor.
At the beginning of the dancer's journey and during training, it is worth wearing heel pads and "ruffling" the sole with a special stiff brush to prevent falls and rapid deterioration in the quality of shoes.
Shoe color
Now on the market there are a lot of color combinations for shoes, of course, usually for women. Because the development of dancing is becoming wider, and there are more and more people interested. The most standard color that goes with everything is black. This is a classic, but also looks very beautiful in combination with red or rhinestones.
Important notes
When a prospective dancer buys his first pair of shoes, it is worth taking a few steps, a twist, and making sure the shoes are comfortable and not tight. Because they will be difficult to spread, and sometimes even impossible, and all this can lead to wounds and blisters. The heel should not walk in different directions, but stand firmly and evenly. Shoes should be one half size smaller so that the toes reach the joint with the sole. Do not spare money for high-quality shoes, because then you can greatly regret saving on such an important attribute.
All this applies to both beginners and amateurs, and especially to professionals. The main thing is convenience if a person is engaged in dancing for himself. It is better to have fun for 5 hours at an incendiary party than to look like a magazine cover for 1 hour, and then smear your feet with ointments all night and fight swelling.
Grace can be achieved in ordinary sports jazz shoes. The most important thing is the pleasure of dancing, how a person feels in the process and after.
