Fittings explained

One of the most common questions the customers ask is whether to buy Regular fitting, Wide or perhaps Extra wide? It is not easy to give you a definite answer as brands differ between themselves and even different models in the same brand may not fit exactly the same way.

However with the experience we have dealing with different shoe brands we have compiled together the following shoe width comparison chart.

The table above is for a rough comparison between the brands only and should not be taken too literally, for example the difference between level 0 and level -1 is so minute that you many people would not even notice it.

• Regular: Just what the majority of us (approx 70% - 80%) wear.
• Extra narrow: Have the width of 1 size smaller shoe.
• Narrow: Have the width of 0.5 size smaller shoe.
• Wide: Have the width of 0.5 size bigger shoe.
• Extra wide: Have the width of 1 size bigger shoe.

How to dye your satin shoes?

None of the major dance shoe manufacturers makes shoes in all colours of the rainbow. That would an impossible task, so the shoes are simply made in white satin and you have to dye them yourself.

Doing that for the first time may seem frightening, but it is much easier than you think!

For the best results we recommend Dylon multi-purpose dye. You can order it from us, ideally with the shoes.

Both Satin Shoe Colour and Multi-purpose dye are good the same.

Multi-purpose dye is a powder that comes in small tins. It is a hot water dye used at the simmer. One tin of Dylon Multi-purpose dye will dye up to 250g/8oz dry weight fabric (3-4 pairs of shoes). In either case the results are not colourfast.

All colours are fully intermixable increasing the number of possible shades that can be achieved. Mix colours together and create a new shade to match an existing outfit!

Buying your dance shoes - FAQ

Why can not I dance in my normal street shoes?

Dancing in your normal street shoes is not forbidden (in most places) but by doing so you instantly make it harder for yourself to use your feet properly and put yourself in disadvantaged position. That's because no normal street shoes are so soft as dance shoes and you won't be able to use your feet to the best of their ability. Additionally dance shoes have suede soles which provide just the right amount of slipping so you will slip enough to dance, but you won't slip and fall over.

Some more respectable dance studios, which have installed expensive sprung floors will not allow stepping on them in anything else other than clean dance shoes that have not been worn outdoors.

What shoe size shall I order? My normal street shoe size, bigger or smaller?

The general answer is: Yes, you should order your normal street size, unless otherwise stated. Some particular shoe models make exception from this rule, but this will be explained when you come across such shoe. British manufacturers make shoes according to British sizing, European makers use European sizing and there are also American and Japanese sizing systems, but all these can be relatively easily translated to one another using this shoe size conversion chart

My feet are wider (narrower) than average. Does anyone make shoes for me?

Yes, most companies do wide and narrow fitting in their most popular models. The undisputed market leader in wide and narrow fitting is International Dance Shoes factory, who can make almost any of their models in Wide, Extra wide or Narrow fitting.

• International: Any model can be made in Wide, Extra Wide, Narrow, Extra Narrow version
• Supadance: Selected most popular models are made in Wide version, very few in Extra Wide
• DSI: All their regular shoes seem to be a little wider than those from other companies, Wide fittings also avaialble on some most popular models
• Tango OK: Any models can be made in Wide or Narrow. No Extra Wide, though
• DANsport: Only a few of the most popular models come in Wide

See Fittings explained for more precise description of Wide and Narrow fittings

My male partner is much taller than me, shall I take very high heels?

Definitely not. Do not take heels higher than you can comfortably dance in. The higher the heels, the harder it is to dance in them and the stronger and more flexible ankles you need. That will come with time and practice, but in the meantime take heels no higher than you can comfortably dance in. Having them too high for your dance experience you may add half an inch to your height, but you will loose a mile in your dancing quality. Very bad deal overall

Can you explain the difference between slim, flared, cuban, spanish and other heel styles?

Slim heels is what used to be worn by ladies dancing Ballroom or Latin-american dances for decades.

If you are not used to wearing high slim heels and find dancing in them difficult - wear 2" ladies cuban (spanish) heel. They are easier to balance.

Flared (flare/fleur) heels were first invented by International Dance Shoes and called IDS heels. Other manufactures followed through and made their versions calling them Flare/Fleur/Flare etc.

Men typically wear 1" low heels for Ballroom and 1.5" cuban heels for Latin-American dances. If you however feel strange in 1.5" heels, you can wear 1" low heels for Latin too. If you would go for a heel higher than 1.5" cuban - there are a few choices: International makes 2" mens cuban heels, Rummos makes 2" heel option in their mens latin range.

How should you measure the heel height?

An overwhelming majority of shoe makers measure the heel height at the back, from the point where the heel meets the back of the shoe vertically down, excluding the heel tip

Rummos however measure the heels at the front of the heel. With heels of 2" and lower this does not make any difference, but with higher heel the height at the back can be up to 8mm (0.3") higher than at the front.

I am having knee pains while dancing. Do you have any mens shoes with sprung heels?

Yes, there are two mens ballroom shoe styles with sprung heel made by Supadance. These are 2500 Heelflex and 5200 Supaflex. You will find them in Supadance mens ballroom shoes section of our Virtual Shoe Shop

I am a lady with UK shoe size 9 (European 43). Does anyone make dance shoes for me?

Most manufacturers make ladies shoes up to UK size 8 only, but we know of two exceptions:

1. Cindini make ladies shoes in up to UK size 9
2. Tango OK theoretically make shoes up to European size 42 only, but their open toes ladies sandals come 1 size oversized, therefore if you order size 42 you will practically get size 43.
3. We still have some shoes in sizes above UK size 8 on our SALE stock page

How do I clean satin ballroom shoes?

To clean the uppers: Put some warm water and hand washing liquid into a bowl. Take a sponge and apply the water with washing liquid onto the uppers of the shoes till clean. Leave overnight to let them dry out.

To clean the soles: Use a metal brush (supplied by shoe resellers) to brush off any dirt and dust. I suggest you do it along the shoe sole from the back towards the front, but that's not overwhelmingly important.

Shoe sizes

Men shoe sizes

Women shoe sizes

Girls shoe sizes

Boys shoe sizes

About Supadance

Supadance is historically the first and probably still the biggest manufacturer of dance shoes. Supadance shoes offer unrivalled comfort. Not surprisingly they have been chosen by many world champions... Indeed, the shoe quality is very high, you can not fault them. Price wise they are not the cheapest, but when it comes to the comfort of your feet - it is definitely money well spent.

The Supadance range is very wide, unfortunatelly should you require some less common model-heel-colour combination as a special order - it may take a long time (6-8 weeks). Combinations not listed are not available at all, not even as special orders

When measuring the heel height Supadance do it at the beck of the shoe from the point where the heel meets the back of the shoes vertically down (excluding the heel tip)

• For Boys Ballroom
• For Boys Latin
• For Girls Ballroom
• For Girls Latin
• For Ladies American Smooth
• For Ladies Argentine Tango
• For Ladies Ballroom
• For Ladies Evening
• For Ladies Jazz/Feestyle
• For Ladies Latin
• For Ladies Practice
• For Ladies Social Dances
• For Ladies West Coast Swing
• For Men Argentine Tango
• For Men Ballroom
• For Men Evening
• For Men Jazz/Feestyle
• For Men Latin
• For Men Practice
• For Men Social Dances

About International

International Dance Shoes (along with Supadance) are one of the first and biggest dance shoe makers in the world. They have a very large catalogue of designs and it must be said are very flexible in being able to fit the shoe to your foot. They offer:

• Regular
• Wide
• Extra Wide
• Extra Extra Wide
• Narrow
• Extra Narrow
• Extra Extra Narrow

fittings in almost all their designs. The Extra Wide and Narrow fittings are only made to order, but this is still an achievement considering that even the biggest shoe supplier Supadance offer only a few Extra Wide models.

International Dance Shoes are the company who first invented ladies heels which are a little wider at the bottom than in the middle. Their design called IDS heel was then reproduced by all other companies under the name flared/flare/fleur heels.

Marcus and Karen Hilton MBE, multiple Professional British Open and World Champions spent their entire dancing life in International dance shoes.

• For Girls Ballroom
• For Girls Latin
• For Ladies American Smooth
• For Ladies Argentine Tango
• For Ladies Ballroom
• For Ladies Evening
• For Ladies Latin
• For Ladies Practice
• For Ladies Social Dances
• For Men Argentine Tango
• For Men Ballroom
• For Men Latin

Heels

• IDS is the name used by International for the type of heel called by other companies FLARED
• When measuring the heel height International do it at the back from the point where the heel meets the back of the shoes vertically down (excluding the heel tip)

About DANSport Basic Collection

DANSport Basic Collection shoes are the cheapest on the market today, however very well made by International Dance Shoes factory. In our opinion the best value for money there is.

Although the amount of styles, heels and materials of dance shoes on the market today is enormous, most dancers stick to quite typical combinations. The idea behind the birth of this collection was to create a low priced brand of shoes not by sacrificing the quality, but by limiting the number of heel, style and material choices and therefore achieving a more affordable collection for those who are happy with the basic choices.

So although you can be assured about the quality - you will not have too many choices when it comes to the number of styles. This is why this collection is called THE BASIC COLLECTION. DANSport Basic Collection shoes can not be made in materials other than those listed. Additionaly only Regular and Wide fitting is avaialble. (Wide fitting only with the most popular models).

• For Boys Ballroom
• For Boys Latin
• For Girls Ballroom
• For Girls Latin
• For Ladies Ballroom
• For Ladies Latin
• For Men Argentine Tango
• For Men Ballroom
• For Men Latin
• For Men Social Dances

About Tango OK

These shoes are very low priced, yet professionally made. Recommended for beginners and occassionals dancers who do not want to invest in more expensive brands. Loads of styles, materials and heel heights available. Good value for money overall.

The global spread of the dance shoe industry results in increased competition coming from new players in this market pushing the prices down. We have recently been asked to test Tango OK brand, the most aggressively priced shoe brand today. We expected the low prices to result in equally low quality, but to our surprise Tango OK shoes turned out to be better made than expected.

We were quite pleased with the mens shoes, although the ladies shoes costing around 60% of the price of the market leading brands, offer no less than 80% of their quality, so it is a good value for money overall!

Tango OK models come in Regular, Wide and Narrow widths. All models come with suede soles, just like any other brands of dance shoes

Heel heights are measured at the back of the heel verticaly down excluding the heel tip.

About Rummos

Shoes from Portugal make a debut in UK and earn a very good reputation around the world

When we were asked to try Rummos shoes, at first we were a little sceptical. Yet another brand? There so many designs on the market already! But we tried, and we were truly surprised with their high quality. No surprise. Portuguese shoemakers have always been famous for their skills.

Now with the expansion of Dancesport they have combined their unique shoe-making skills with the knowledge of the dancers needs and... voila! We have a new, very strong player in the dance shoe world

Rummos shoes are really as soft as they claim, and there is a huge number of style/material/colour/heel combinations. Inside shoe is always 100% leather for better comfort.

Rummos shoes are manufactured in

• Satin (Black, Flesh, Tan, Dark Tan)
• Leather (Black, Tan, Gold and Silver)
• Black patent

Women heels

Heel heights are measured at the front of the heel, which typically is approx 10mm shorter than the back. Being European, they are shown in mm, here is a simple conversion chart of Rummos heel heights stated in mm into inches at the back

• 50mm (2") at front = 2" at the back
• 60mm (2.4") at front = 2.7" at the back
• 70mm (2.75") at front = 3.1" at the back
• 80mm (3.2") at front = 3.5" at the back

Any shoe can be supplied with any of the above heels (except 1 or 2 newer models where it clearly says "thin heels"). Obviously the lower the heel the thicker it seems. Various models are shown with various heel heights. I am sorry due to huge number of possible combinations we do not have pictures of all heel heights with all models and colour options, but if your heel height or colour is not shown with the your model - it will be surely shown with another model, so please browse through

Men heels

Men heels are

• 25 mm (1") used in ballroom shoes
• 45 mm (1.7") used in latin shoes

Sizes

• Women sizes: available are 34 - 42 (European) including half-sizes
• Men sizes: available are 38 - 46 (European) including half-sizes

Width

Regular widths only

About DanceAmo

DanceAmo - another Italian shoe brand makes a very promising debut in UK and worldwide

Dance and Dancesport are growing at an enormous pace and so do shoe manufacturers. DanceAmo was started with a mission of making beautiful, quality dance shoes at affordable prices for all dancers from beginners to professionals. "Amo" means to love and DanceAmo shoes are made... with love.

All DanceAmo shoes have very nice padding built into the soles, so wearing them feels like stepping on little cushions.

Being on the cheaper side of the price range the shoes offer more than medium/high quality performance, so the value-for-money factor is very good

Sizes

• Women sizes: 34 - 42 European
• Men sizes: 38 - 45 European
• Girls sizes: 26 - 35 European
• Boys sizes: 29 - 37 European

Width

Some models available in Wide fit

Buckles

All ladies shoes come with "fast-slide-in" buckle. You only adjust the length of the strap ones, and then slide the strap in and out of the buckle in a matter of seconds

Heels

Danceamo heels are measured at the back of the heel vertically down. They offer a bigger than other brands choice of heels, these being for ladies

Sorry, no further info is available