Dance Shoes Info

West Coast Swing Dance Lessons

Big Island Dance Web Sites

Dance Shoes

To submit additional information, please contact Odette Rickert.

Availability

Various manufacturers make excellent shoes, so shop around online. There are open-toed and completely closed footed styles that work for this dance. Wearing the right kind of shoes can make all the difference in the enjoyment of this fun dance style.

Some vendors are provided for you here. Browse online for similar styles and brands, and you may find better prices. There are other vendors that also sell Stephanie shoes and various brands of shoes suitable for West Coast Swing. Happy dancing!

Heels 

A wide heel (width of the shoe) is more appropriate than a narrow heel for easier sliding and better balance in west coast swing moves. A low heel of no more than 1.5 inches is appropriate fpr West Coast Swing, as well as suede or leather soles (on heels, too) for sliding and spinning. Dance floors on the continent are very slippery for this dance, for which suede soles are more secure than leather.

Suppleness
 

You want to be able to point your toes and bend your foot easily. Stiff shoes, especially the soles, will hamper the suppleness of the rolling foot desired for West Coast Swing.

Leather or cotton uppers are usually recommended for dance shoes. Synthetic, plastic shoes, and mesh can easily blister and be very uncomfortable. The more natural the fabric, the more comfortable.

Online Vendors

This web page (click here) at Ballroom Connection shows the shoes on the right in the photo above. Ballroom Connection helps you pick the right size over the phone. If your order does not fit, as long as they are not danced on a hard floor and are in original condition, you can return them for another size.

The two styles shown on this web page that would work for West Coast Swing are:

Stephanie Latin 16002
Stephanie Latin 16003 (the shoes on right in photo)

Stephanie leather shoes are soft in structure (making them more comfortable and easier to point your toes) and supple in leather (more comfortable and less likely to blister).

The shoes on the left and in the photo above are also available at Ballroom Connection and other vendors. They are usually called "practice shoes" and are more commonly made with a cotton or similar upper. If the upper fabric is stretchy, the shoes will be more comfortable. This style provides even more foot support. Usually worn with socks, they can be very hot for the islands, especially in the summer.

Hilo Vendor

Wendy Sullivan at 808-934-9455 or 808-987-5977 can order appropriate West Coast Swing dance shoes from China at affordable prices, with one month wait for shipping. Be sure to specify 1-1.5 inch maximum heel height and WIDE heels with suede on soles AND heels, with your choice of upper (both open and closed available). She can order eather or cloth uppers, suede soles, and some lined in leather. Women's and Men's.

Copyright © 2004-2010 Odette Rickert. All Rights Reserved. Last modified: Sunday, 28 November, 2010