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Ballroom dance shoe information!

We are often asked about shoes for dancing. It’s kind of a big subject, and everyone has their own preferences. But for those interested in being appropriately shod for dance occasions, here are some Shoe Basics:

Dancing in street shoes: You can do perfectly well attending lessons and dances in street shoes for a good long time; don’t feel pressured to buy dance shoes right away. For best results:

  • Wear a shoe with a hard (not rubber) sole; your shoe should stay securely on the foot.  The dance floor is a “No Flip-Flops” zone!
  • Ladies, avoid backless shoes since we spend a lot of time backing up.
  • Gentlemen, the more slim and trim your shoes, the easier you will find it to dance with your lady–no fear of accidentally bumping her with your shoe.

Most people who get interested in ballroom dancing end up buying some ballroom shoes. They are lighter, more flexible, and more comfortable to dance in than regular dress shoes. They have a suede sole that gives you just the right amount of grip on the dance floor. The suede means that you can’t wear them on the street, but it’s okay at dance events to come in wearing street shoes and then change to dance shoes.

Dancing in ballroom shoes:

  • Brands: The best “entry level” brands that I’m aware of are Go Go Dance Shoes and Very Fine.  Very Fine is a wholesaler and lots of stores and studios carry their shoes.  It could be worthwhile to shop around a bit and compare prices.  If you are ready to spend a little more, take a look at Supadance or International.  I wear Supadance and have found that ordering directly from the company will get you the lowest price, even taking shipping and exchange rate into account.
  • Styles: Competitive dancers wear different shoes for different dances.  Ladies wear open-toed shoes for Rhythm/Latin dances and closed toes for Smooth/Standard.  It’s easier to waltz in a sandal than to cha-cha in a pump, so if in doubt, get open toes.  (I have these.) Men wear regular heels for Smooth/Standard and a higher “Cuban” heel for Rhythm/Latin–no need for a Cuban heel unless you are competing.  Get plain black leather instead of shiny patent leather. (Daniel wears something like this.)
  • Fit and heel height:  Dance shoes will fit closer than street shoes–you want a snug enough fit that your foot doesn’t shift around inside the shoe.  Ladies often wear their Latin sandals with their toes hanging a little bit over the front edge of the sole.  If you absolutely can’t tolerate a high heel, don’t worry.  Almost every maker has at least a couple of low-heel styles; Very Fine has several. (I wear these when teaching lessons.)

Where to buy: This is where things get a little more challenging here in Macon, GA!

  • Bobo’s Dance Supply (2352 Ingleside) sometimes carries some ballroom shoes and they always carry dance sneakers (which are GREAT if you need/want maximum comfort). They also do special orders.
  • Showtime Dance Shoes in Duluth only carries the more expensive brands (Supadance, International, Freed) but they have tons of inventory and they’re very nice. Once or twice a year they have a big clearance sale; get on their email list to receive notification and plan to carpool with your friends.
  • If you are comfortable with online shopping, Discount Dance Supply has an extensive ballroom selection and their prices are good.

How to put on your shoes: Ladies, you are likely to find that the straps and buckles on your shoes are different from what you’re used to. Never fear; I have made a video to help you sort it out:

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Get your snarky t-shirts here!

If you’ve ever wanted to tell your partner to pipe down and get on with the business of dancing, we’ve got the t-shirts for you. Order your shirt before September 3; Teespring requires a minimum order of 10 shirts (for each design) but if the minimum isn’t reached, you won’t be charged. What do you have to lose? Order one for yourself and one for your partner–or one for the partner you wish you had!

Ladies’ version (“Shut Up and Lead”)–white tee, magenta script lettering

Gents’ version (“Shut Up and Follow”)– white tee, black “magic marker” style lettering

Both shirts feature our URL (dldancers.com) below the main message so you can easily answer the question “Where did you get that t-shirt?”

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Linktastic social dancing

Why we like to waltz

At every ballroom dance I’ve been to, the waltzes are the most popular. Everyone gets up to dance when a waltz is played. I’ve never known why, but this piece from NPR gives a nice explanation–and a bunch of good music links. And NPR.org is one of the few websites where it’s safe to read the comments without despairing for the future of humanity. You might even learn something from the comments that will help your dancing!

As an 18th-century specialist/ballroom dancer I love knowing that the waltz originated in the 18C and that it was considered scandalous because of the close body contact. Good fact to share with teenagers or anyone who can’t shake the mindset that ballroom dancing is stodgy and old-fashioned.

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Dance is a universal language

A British ad agency uses an Argentine tango set in Los Angeles to advertise a German car!

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What does a professor look like?

Emily Friedman, a graduate student in English at University of Missouri, has started this great Tumblr called “What a Professor Looks Like.” It examines public perceptions of the professorial image and contrasts them with photos of actual professors, mostly in our after-hours clothing. Let’s just say that most of the professoriate is NOT walking around in tweed jackets with elbow patches, smoking pipes!

Recognize anybody?

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Bring your date to Shadows this weekend

Daniel and I will be returning to Shadows Dinner Theatre on Saturday, November 16 to teach a beginning rumba lesson and enjoy the great romantic atmosphere and delicious meal at Shadows’s “Date Night” event. It’s not too late to reserve a table for yourself and your sweetie! Call 478-321-7526, or you can reserve and pay directly from Shadows’s online calendar. Just click on “Date Night” and we’ll see you Saturday!

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Linktastic short takes

This is priceless!

Via the comprehensively excellent “Questionable Advice” Tumblr, questionableadvice.tumblr.com

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behind the curtain in other news Linktastic

Dresses in; dresses out

“Laura,” I hear readers asking, “how can I be more like you?  I’ve already signed up for dance lessons and gotten a rockin’ haircut, but how do I take it to the next level?”

Well, young padawan, for the next 7 days you have a rare opportunity to own a piece of DLDancers history.  I am selling two of my performance/competition dresses on Ye Olde Ebay.  Check ’em out!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that you have to sell the old dresses before buying new ones.  (Circle of life?)  So please take a look and enable my shopping habits as well as your own!

 

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Linktastic

How cool is this?

Video for the band OK Go’s song “Skyscrapers”:

Also, so many good dresses & shoes!

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cha cha cha PENNY cha cha cha PENNY cha cha cha PENNY

I happened to have The Big Bang Theory on TV this evening and caught this scene (embedding disabled, so you’ll have to click through).

Things I love:

  • Sheldon’s takedown of cotillion.
  • And his forced acknowledgement that cotillion training prevents him from saying no to three ladies who want to dance.
  • Amy and Sheldon’s cha-cha, which is so terrible it curves around into being awesome.
  • Penny getting groped by her dance partner–but that has never happened to me and I would not want anyone to think it’s a frequent part of social dancing!
  • The dancers in the background, who probably got the thrill of their lives being recruited onto the show out of the nearest Fred Astaire studio.

Also, I’ve been repeating this article‘s argument for years.  Dancing makes great couples’ therapy!  Maybe not for Sheldon and Amy, though.