what to know about tango shoes

As you are choosing some things from your closet or a store, here are some things to keep in mind:the sole of the shoe

• For leaders and followers, shoes MUST have a smooth sole, no rubber, no grippies.

• The best sole is suede. most shoe repair stores can add “dance chrome” (fake suede) to any pair of shoes. (Don’t wear these outside or you’ll wear out the suede fast.) At the hardware store you can buy a wire “suede brush” that will restore the texture of the suede when it gets matted.

• Many people use a leather sole. that’s fine too. It wears longer than suede, but it can be more slippery than suede. (some dancers carry leather and suede, if they don’t know how the dance floor will be.) Many current shoes have a “man made” sole that is smooth, but not leather. That will probably work fine for you now, and you could add suede later.

flexibility

• Both leaders and followers need to be able to point their toe. This means that the arch of the shoe should have some flexibility. If it is a women’s high heel, this is less important, because the shoe is essentially already pointed. If it is a flat shoe, then it must be flexible. If you are trying to figure out which shoes to bring, put them on and try pointing your toe.

• The shoes should not be boots, because your ankle is restrained and you will not have enough mobility.

shoe width

• Since our feet pass very close together it is important that the shoe be no wider than necessary. Some shoes have a sole that protrudes 1/4″ beyond your foot. that will be difficult for tango. Check out the photo below of some gorgeous kenneth cole shoes. The two on the left are narrow. But see how the sole protrudes on the shoe on the right?

pointy toes

• lately the fashion world has graced us with shoes that point an inch beyond our actual toes. some people enjoy dancing in pointy toes. before buying shoes like this for tango, try pointing your toe and changing your weight onto that foot. i think the point gets in the way of smooth movement, but this is a personal choice. and style.

dance sneakers

• Lots of people just LOVE dance sneakers.
• These are special because they “break” under the arch so you can have a lot of flexibility in your foot.

• Both of the online shops we recommend carry a good selection of dance sneakers. these feel like, well, sneakers. they are super comfortable. fortunately they’re getting more stylish too!

• Here are the selections from guaranteedfit and tango-wear.

• Dance sneakers have a special kind of rubber, with a lot of plastic in it, so that they don’t grip. they are pretty good on all surfaces.

the shoe on the left above is made by a company called Fabio which makes sneakers especially for tango. you can admire their shoes on their website. also we hear that tango-wear will be getting the entire Fabio line some time in march, 2008.