kurt lichtmann |
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* Some shoes people wear on the swing dance floor, with my comments
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SHOE
REVIEWS
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You
might want your dance shoe to be lightweight, fitting close to
the foot, adding little to the foot dimensions,
able to slide & spin easily, with good cushioning & arch support (insole can be added later). |
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Aris
Allen Wingtip for men |
There are so many variations on this wingtip aka spectator aka co-respondent, but Aris Allen has definitely gotten it right - lightweight, fits close to the foot, great internal padding and support - needs no inserts, gorgeous, top quality, and slick for sliding. This is the shoe for the full battle dress swing night or performance. Priced way lower than the $675 USD Crocket & Jones Hampton below. | |
MaryJane |
"I love them!" quote from my Teaching Assistant in our advanced level swing class.. Great fit, good cushioning built in, plenty of slide, lightweight, easy to stay balanced for hoppin' and jumpin' all over the room, and stable landing for those that love aerial moves. Aris Allen at www.dancestore.com (410) 849-3700 The ladie's shoe top left of this page is an Aris Allen "Ruggcutter," modern re-design of a '40s shoe. | |
MaryJane Spectators high heel for ladies |
Aris Allen Black & White 1940s Wingtip Mary Janes, with suede leather sole. Thick heel for balance, not too high off the ground, with padding and arch support, a good balance between height and comfort. Aerials are a bit more "possible" than with the typical high heel. None of the Whitey's Lindy Hopper gals wore heels. But you will see the Hollywood swing-era studio dancers in heels. | |
High
Heels for ladies |
These $768.00 USD Christian Louboutin Gino t-straps are sweet, but your bones, joints, toes, & metatarsals will take a pounding in bouncy dancing. And you are taking some serious risks (landing) if you are thinking of any aerial moves. You won' t be happy when your shoe gets scuffed by your partner, or someone else's partner, or your other foot. Great for magazine covers & website pics... | |
Crocket
& Jones |
These $675.00 USD Crocket & Jones Hampton spectators are real snazzy - but will you really wear them to the dance hall, where they will get scuffed, scraped, and otherwise irreparably whomped on, all night long? They will look good on website and magazine cover shots, in your amazing pin stripe suit, doing some extravagent, perfect dip with your gorgeous, smiling dance partner in her sexy dress and heels, with the perfect arm and hand gestures. | |
BLEYER Balboa |
Not just Balboa, but all eastern swing styles. Nice contrast of canvas and pusedo-leather. They go great with brown pants. Black non-marking or white sole. Lightweight, a bit narrow. The Bleyer memory foam inserts are good. About $90 USD: Gorgeous Gear (Australia) or Swing Gear UK - There are no regular USA dealers. | |
D
Sinclair for men |
D Sinclair Speakeasy Oxford - 100% Leather, Woven leather upper, Sheepskin inner lining, Leather sole, $96.99. More for the look than for dancing, but just as danceable as others above in its "look" class. Comfy? Oh yes. Available at Amazon. | |
CUSTOM | Custom dance shoes made for you in the USA. OK, you like the spectator look, but you are tired of the norm. Maybe you want ivory and navy, or faux snakeskin, or ???. Many styles for guys and gals. Suede or hard leather soles. Lightweight. 6-8 weeks wait. It's worth the wait. Under $150 USD. Ginni at www.stepnout.com | |
Dance
Sneakers: SANSHA Salsette III uni-sex |
"I love them!" quote me. My current all-purpose favorite - teaching and dancing. Lindy Hop, Jumpswing, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Ballroom. Suede sole standard. Great internal memory foam cushioning - no extra cushioning needed. Mesh uppers breath great. Very lightweight. Insane low price: $25 USD. www.nydancestore.com. I have a second pair with hard leather soles, treated with floor wax. Sizing: a men's street 10 to a Sansa size 15, considerably more than their suggested equivalent. | |
Dance
Sneakers: BLOCH CAPEZIO DANSKIN uni-sex |
Not super spinny, but you can get a leather sole put on at a good shoe repair place. The Bloch Boost DRT has plenty of cushioning & support, maybe too much? Some of these dance sneakers put you so far off the floor, you don't even know there is a floor. All types of swing dance. If you are short, you will be taller. Slight disadvantage: if you are tall, it will make you lots taller. | |
BLEYER Lindy Hopper guys & gals |
Favorite of many Lindy Hoppers, yet some prefer otherwise for that very reason - and pricy. Several sytles. Lightweight, a bit narrow. The $20 Bleyer memory foam inserts are good. All the gals in the CU Jumpswing Club Team wear Bleyer's. Custom colors ~ 10 weeks. Order from Gorgeous Gear (Australia) or Swing Gear UK - Nice folks at both places. There are no regular USA dealers. Bleyers are know to run small. I wear a US men's 10, and Bleyer 44 is too tightl.Bleyer 45 fits fine. | |
LEO Spectator Jazz |
Under $25 USD discounted, add a cushion-arch support (Spenco) that costs as much as the shoe (!), and they're lots nicer on the metatarsal, ankles, knees. Great for fancy footwork. Lightweight, flexible, suede soles. A downside: the black plastic heel is a bit loud on the floor, and tends to mark the floor a bit... | |
Jazz
shoes: focus on the SANSHA JS3 uni-sex |
A mere $13.00 USD !?! Lycra & Spandex, split sole Sansha JS3 - a cheap jazz shoe wth a suede sole! Way low to the floor, ultra lightweight, super fast footwork shoe. The Lycra and Spandex form closely to the foot, and it has a great look. Protect your feet! Add a memory foam or Spenco rubber insert with Thorlo walking socks WX13 - great padding, moisture wicking (black Thorlos exist). Are you TALL? Why wear shoes that make you tower over your partners even more? Sizing: I tried 3 sizes before I nailed it. I wear a solid men's 10 - the SJ3 size 14 finally fit great. | |
Saddle
shoes uni-sex |
The uni-sex saddle debuted in the swing era, and became the defining look of 1950s rock & roll. BASS (way better than Dexter) makes several. More costly, but great and comfy shoes are the BLEYER saddle with optional suede sole. Rubber shoes & heels can be replaced with hard leather or chrome suede by your shoe repair person. For a super fast shoe, waxed & buff the hard leather sole. The cheapos on ebay? We tried 'em - thumbs down. Cole Haan used to make a smooth sole saddle shoe - so if you can find an older pair - they are great. However, current Cole Haan saddle shoes have imbedded rubber anti-skid bumps, which make them useless for dancing. | |
Weejun |
BASS Weejuns are the classic Carolina Shag shoe. Any loafer with a smooth sole will do, however. Some do prefer lace-ups. (Leather soles for sliding and spinning, of course.) Try Judy's House Of Oldies in Myrtle Beach, SC for a great selection of shag shoes. | |
Tango shoes | In the world of West Coast Swing, tango shoes seem to be the ultimate weapon, usually in black. Others prefer the hot look of black high heels (with fish-net stockings, tight short dress, etc.). Mesh or Lycra material looks way cool for men or ladies...and you don't need to polish it!. World Tone Music (NYC) Also Showtime Dance Shoes (Georgia). | |
Chinese
slippers for ladies |
Some
women love these. They are cheap (under $10 USD), but no support, and little cushioning. Put in a Spenco athletic or thick memory foam cushion, and you'll like them better. |
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Bowling shoes |
Some swing dancers
love 'em (add cushioning, plus slippery sole.) |
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Oxfords | Some
have a swing look, but tend to be heavy and clunky. It may be possible for your shoe repair expert to replace the rubber sole with leather or suede. Yes, I've done that on a pair of beloved shoes. It worked out great. |
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Basketball shoes | Not so
good for swing dance: they are designed to grip the floor. they are b-i-g. They don't flex well - they are designed to NOT flex.. If the treads are worn down, well, maybe ok, sort of. |
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Running shoes | Not so
good for swing dance: they grip the floor, If the treads are worn down, maybe ok. |
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Tennies | Not
so good for swing dance: they grip the floor, If the treads are worn down, maybe ok. Otherwise, they are floor-grippers. Interestingly, in the 30s swing era, many pro women lindy-hoppers wore tennies. |
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Socks | Better than messing up the floor with your muddy street shoes. Not much arch support or padding for th eball of your foot. Not much protection from getting stomped on. Yet some people like the feel of sock-footed dancing. | |
Bare feet |
Not so good for swing
dance: they grip the floor, you cannot spin. |
Dance LIGHTLY on
a clean rug to try out new shoes. Returning scuffed shoes is an impossibility!
Find out return-exchange policy BEFORE you order. Minimize grief! |
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Body
Gear center of Ithaca Commons. 273-4327 |
Local
to Ithaca NY.
In Ithaca, try here first. Leo Spectator Jazz, Danskin and Bloch Dance Sneakers.
Exchanges only, no refunds. |
www.dancestore.com 410-849-3700 Crownsville, MD |
Aris Alen swing
shoes, great clothes, too. Great source for wide-leg swishy dance pants, various colors, materials! |
Swing Gear UK | Bleyers, overseas shipping, reliable dealers |
New
York Dance Store South Carolina 1-800-398-9562 |
Lots of
Sansha dance sneakers you didn't know existed. Ballroom, Salsa, Swing shoes. Minimum order $40. |
Dance Fashions Colorado (800) 624-6480 catalog |
Lowest prices and fast
delivery: $19.95+ship for Jazz Oxfords #117. $34.95+ship for Jazz Sneaker #214 |
Gorgeous
Gear Melbourne, Australia +61 3 9305 6509 |
Bleyers,
Alexi, Danstsep, Rokabillity, Re-mix, Anita, Jitterbugs, and more |
World
Tone Music |
Options galore
and fast delivery: Jazz oxfords $26-$60. In stock, fast delivery. |