Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Not only do you need to buy shoes, you need to practice walking in them at home before you start work. You'll feel more comfortable if you know how to walk in them.
I recommend starting with a strap, so you won't accidentally kick one off on stage or something. And almost all dancer shoes are made of plastic; I've only found a few pairs made of leather. I don't think that makes much of a difference comfort-wise since that's just on top of your foot. What's more important is that the inside and sole fit and feel comfortable. You can also buy some of those padded half-insoles to stick in them for comfort.
Good luck!
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Read the "Embarrassing Moments" thread. It convinced me that a strap is NECESSARY!
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
For a beginner, get shoes with ankle straps... consider them your training wheels.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Actually, platform shoes are much better than stilettos, comfortwise. You can go much longer in platforms without your feet hurting. Cetain shoes, like the plastic ones to slip your feet into, conform to your feet so you dont' necessarily need shoes with the strap in the back. But you might want to work up to those.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
The shoes made from clear plastic have, for me, been the most comfortable because as MinahSky said, they conform to your feet, and I have wider feet, so the hard plastic ones kill me.
Anyway, when I started I wore strapless and never had a problem, but if you plan on wearing stockings then make sure you have straps, because otherwise your shoes will fly off your feet the second you kick a leg up.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Straps, or you will lose your shoes!
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
I personally wear stillettos, but it took a bit of practice to wear them without turning my ankles. For comfort, the girls I work with swear that boots are the way to go, but as one of the only girls in the club who DOES NOT wear boots, I find that custys like to see your feet and legs. Boots cover them up (obviously). I suggest a nice platform sandal (clear platform) with a strap. Once you get used to walking in them you can switch to a pretty stilletto. I prefer to stay away from boots altogether, unless in a costume. My favorite site is www.snaz75.com for shoes.
Bottom line: straps? YES! there are so many ways to lose your shoes....just think of it...your first night, sweating up there on stage....and your feet sweat too....SLIP! there goes your shoe! :O
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
;D YES I TOTALLY AGREE!!!! I've been dancing for about 9 months and when i was dancing straps were the way to go.made me feel more comfortable dancing and doing tricks.i've tried the mule ones and every time i put them on i dance all carefully and walk like a beginner my mind goes into paraniod mode.plus, i always wear the 8in stelletto plattform shoes so that also can be a factor y i just cant wear the mule like shoes
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
I have found that the heel width doesn't really matter for me (stillettoes & spike heels seem to work fine) but I tried wearing tall platforms and sprained my foot, which has taken me out of work for a few weeks -- bleah! Be careful, and try on your shoes if possible -- different people have different natural ways of walking.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
IMO i would choose a shoe that you can walk in, feel comfortable in when you get use to the height of the platform, you then can choose a more expensive shoe with more design etc. I would agree with the other ladies a strap is definitly the best way when starting out. Remember that you can be on your feet for a long period of time too, so ensure that the part where your foot is (inner sole i think) is soft, to ensure it does not harden causing back aches etc.
My choice of shoes is Pleaser USA or Tony Shoes Inc. They are both very good brands. I suggest also to look at the sites the other ladies have mentioned, they generally have a size conversion chart too for you to compare.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
see, I prefer no strap because I like to take my shoes off whenn I do dances. I've never had problems with them accidentally slipping off. The plastic makes them stick to my feet.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
I'm a newbie too. ANd I bought shoes with staps. I am afraid that I will kick them off and knock someone out...hehe. But I was afraid I would have to practice walking in them, I bought 6 inches. And I put them on and I was fine. I wear stillettos when i go out with the girls and i realized that I had already worked my way up to 5 inches ( i measured my favorite shoes) so my foot is already use to that type of arch! Yay! But go with straps
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
straps are definately necessary!!! And as Susan said, walk in them at home for a while first, its a HUGE difference than just walking in normal heels, especially platforms, because you can't feel the ground and at first, you may walk a little funny!!!
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
I myself started in straps but have now graduated to slip ons (they do help make your legs look longer). A new trick I learned if the shoe is too tight...use the hair dryer on it to warm it up then put it on to form to your foot. Amazing after 8 years I'm still learning these things!
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
another thing to note is that when buying shoes, sometimes the heel "height" is decieving in terms of how difficult it is to walk in them...if a shoe has a six inch heel but the platform is three inches, that's really only the same as a three inch heel. But if your shoe has a four inch heel with no platform, that's a four inch heel. Capiche?
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
I prefer shoes with straps. I'm afraid that if I wear the slip on shoes, they will go flying off when I'm on stage and hit someone in the head! Also, I have weak ankles, and it's easier to twist your ankle in the shoes with no straps.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
My shoe suggestion for newbies is to buy clear 6 inch platforms. They will go with pretty much any costume.
As for straps, well that depends on the type of stagework you will be doing. If you will be doing ANY polework I strongly suggest a shoe with a strap.
If you are oing to buy clear shoes with straps I highly recommend avoiding an all plastic strap because I have had a few break on me. I buy the ones that have a little leather part where they connect to the shoes. The leather usually comes in gold or silver.
I know LOTS of girls who prefer to laps without their shoes especially if they are working in a high contact club. They say it allows them more freedom to move during their dance. These dancers prefer strap free heels so they can remove with ease.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
I prefer straps because I do a lot of pole work. And I prefer to do lap dances barefoot. So I leave my heels strapped up kinda loosely so I can slip my feet in and out easily but they never come off on stage. Best of both worlds. :)
I've seen some girls that buy shoes without straps, but they use big rubber bands to keep they shoes from flying off while they're on stage. When they're off stage they either take them off or just keep them around their ankles. And, no, the rubber bands aren't very noticeable.
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Honestly, I prefer clear plastic shoes without straps, even though I do lots and lots of polework. The key with these ones, though, is that the plastic has to grab your arch really high up, so it's gripping most of your foot (I like the ones with two clear plastic pieces over the top of the foot). When I first buy them, I have to kinda work to get my feet all the way into them. They grip your foot really snugly, which I love because it provides a lot more arch and ankle support, and I found that I learned to walk in them a lot more easily than many other types. However, they sell these with straps too, so if you think you'd feel more comfy starting with a strap, go for that, and if you want, you can move on up to strapless with the next pair (as someone else pointed out, strapless shoes tend to make your legs look longer).
As for height, I personally recommend 6 inches for beginners, though if the ones you choose will provide ankle support, it doesn't matter too much (wobbly ankles on high platforms can be scary, haha). Hope you find the perfect pair!
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
platform is key imo trying to do a 6in heel w/o a platform is foot suicide....oh yeah dont forget to get a pair with a strap :) I hope all goes well on your first day :)
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DancerSarah
platform is key imo trying to do a 6in heel w/o a platform is foot suicide....oh yeah dont forget to get a pair with a strap :) I hope all goes well on your first day :)
See, I'm the opposite, I love 6 inch stilettos, and loathe platforms of any sort. ;D
These are what I wear at work.
Sure, they're a bitch to break in a new pair, but I'm so used to the height/feel of the shoe, once they're broken in, I can and have run full speed from the 2nd floor dressing room, across the club and up to stage in em. :P
Admittedly, I'm 35 and have been dancing since I was 18...when I started, all anyone wore was stilettos, platforms didn't become popular till later.
(Did I date myself too badly there, haha?)
Edit- Jesus, Zombie thread, sorry. I just clicked one of the similar threads" links at the bottom of another thread and didn't even pay attn. to the date! That's what I get for posting on two hours of sleep. :(
Re: shoes w/straps or no?
i still can't wear strapless. my foot is long and narrow.. so any shoe that fits the length of my foot is too wide for me to wear without a strap. those things come right off.