Latin dance is a general term that includes various dance forms such as samba, rumba, salsa, cha-cha-cha, mambo, and more both locally as well as globally. The best part of each genre of this dance form is the cultural history and uniqueness associated with it.
Thus, to perform a historically rich and cultural dance, ensuring the comfort of the dancer during the performance is a must. Also, the entire dance experience and the confidence in the dancer during a performance are dependent on the movement or sequence of steps. Thus, shoes play an important role for a dancer to perform well.
Tips on how to choose the right Latin dance shoes:
Fitting of Shoes
Most important factor in choosing Latin dance shoes is the fitting. The shoes need to fit the foot as a glove fits over the hand.
After regular wear, any shoes may stretch a bit. That’s why you should make sure that it is neither very loose nor very tight at the time of buying it. This will help to connect a dancer better with the music, partner, and the floor. The foot requires additional support while dancing; thus, having an additional arch along the pad lining is important.
Structure of Shoes
The shoes preferred to practice Latin dance are open-toe shoes. These shoes have pointed toes with high heels and are usually used to perform rumba, swing, or salsa. Wearing this shoe allows the dancer to point the toes easily and move foot more precisely.
Closed shoes are also available, which are preferred for standard or smooth dancing. Thus, the dancer of classical dance forms that are traditional in look, like Waltz and Foxtrot, use such kind of shoes.
The height of the Heels
An ideal heel height of the Latin dance shoes for a female range between 1.5″ and 3″. The heels can be flared or slim in shape. The flared shaped heel provides more stability and is more popular too.
The heel height of men is usually around 1.5″. Cuban heel is specially designed for the Latin dance style. Generally, for regular practice, a 1″ heel is sufficient for Latin as well as for ballroom dancing.
Suede sole dance shoes
Dance shoes with suede soles are perfect for a dance floor. The specialty of this sole is that it gives appropriate traction and slip to maintain balance while performing, which provides better control to move over the floor.
The place to buy Latin dance shoes
Latin dance shoes can be purchased online or by simply walking into a store. Since the sizing of a shoe may vary from a brand to brand, it is essential to try the size and fitting of a shoe which is right for your foot before purchasing it.
Maintenance or taking care of a dance shoe
A shoe may be spoiled by s moisture, which can increase its chances of getting misshaped with use. Shoe protectors or polish are available in the market that is used to clean shoes. The suede sole of Latin dance shoes can be cleaned using a wired brush. Thus, if possible, keep 2 pairs of shoes depending on the dance session. This will help the shoes to get dry completely after cleaning. One can even use Cedar shoe tree to get rid of the odor from the shoes.
Also, these shoes are specially made for the dance floor or for indoor purpose. So avoid wearing them outside, as it may result in damage due to exposure to water or harsh substances.
Weight to pocket
The cost of Latin dance shoes depends on the quality and the brand of the shoes. Even if you spend more to buy a pair, do not worry. The life-span of these shoes is great and they are very comfortable to dance in.
Hope these pointers help you choose the perfect Latin dance shoe to enhance your practice and performance.
