Stepping Up Your Dance Game: Embrace the Right Footwear

It is said that in life, what you need is a good bed and a good pair of shoes. Kelly (and no doubt a great number of you ladies out there) would argue that one good pair of shoes is not enough - you need a cupboard full to look at on a regular basis, to then only choose just one or two different pairs to wear on that regular basis. These are the rules.

Having danced for pretty much as long as I can walk, I couldn't agree more. If you're not asleep, you're on your feet and wearing badly fitting/made shoes only makes everything above and below the ankle stop working properly. (I suppose you could add in to that first statement a good chair too perhaps?) Dancing is an exaggerated form of natural movement and as such, it is equally, no, FAR MORE important that you have some decent shoes on the end of your legs to deal with all of the extra stress and strain you put yourself through. Over the years I've worn quite a number of different shoes from most of the dance shoe manufacturers which makes me quite well positioned to advise on what's best for your feet. Now of course, everybody is different and none more so in the foot department! Some are wide, some are narrow, some are extra bony and others are completely flat - unfortunately no one shoe manufacturer can satisfy the needs of all the feet in the world. However a number of problems with feet can be simply rectified by wearing suitable shoes that provide the necessary support and grip in all the right places.

This brings me on to the main reason for this post - to promote the fantastic Ray Rose shoes! As I said before, I've worn so many different pairs over the years but none of them come close in comfort, support or style than those that I wear today. For the past 30 odd years, Ray Rose have been producing shoes for the competitive dance industry and year upon year they have become better and better. Not only are they made and produced in Europe, but they've also been designed by dancers for dancers. This gives them unparalleled comfort and support in the right places when you need it most - on the dance floor! I myself have been consulted on a number of times about various aspects of the shoes, so some of the styles even have a little bit of me in them too! Simply put, you won't get a more comfortable, durable and well-fitting shoe anywhere else. Fact.

For our new starters, who have perhaps only been with us a short time, (and even those of you that have been with us longer and STILL don't have any dance shoes!) now is the time to appreciate the importance of proper footwear. No one wants to play tennis with a cricket bat or football with a rugby ball, so trying to do a nice smooth Rumba, or an elegant Waltz in a pair of size 8 hiking boots or Adidas runners isn't ideal! Choosing the right footwear elevates your dancing experience, providing the essential foundation for fluid movement and graceful execution of dance steps. It not only enhances your performance but also allows you to fully immerse yourself in the joy of dancing! (interestingly enough, simply wearing a pair of Ray Rose shoes allows me to come up with sentimental waffle like that too! It's completely correct though...)

All too often social dancers go for a cheap and quick alternative for shoes and buy them online at a ridiculously low price. 9 times out of 10 these shoes are not well made, fit poorly and in some circumstances disintegrate literally before your very eyes as they dance around the floor! Yes, this did happen in one of our classes in the not such distant past. One of our lady dancers was so proud to show off her new and amazingly good value for money dance shoes. I think we were doing the Quickstep that night and she didn't even manage to get 4 spin turns in before they completely crumbled away and were completely unwearable. It takes around a minute 30 to get around the floor in Quickstep, so those shoes cost approximately £20 a minute!!

Some of the shoes Ray Rose produces are best worn on the competitive dance floor, however a great number are multi purpose and suitable for all dancing experiences. Their entire range of shoes are just as supportive and well-made but some styles are slightly more appealing to the occasional dancer and more accommodating to a less athletic foot! So when you get a chance, take a look at their websites www.rayrose.com - but remember to order from us direct so that you can take advantage of our preferred Dizzyfeet Dancing rates and discounts! If we don't have what you're looking for in stock, typically we can get your choice of shoe in the very next day. We're always happy to advise and point you in the right direction!

This week James has been mostly wearing 335 Windrush in black leather.

Kelly is ALWAYS seen wearing Breeze 410 in black patent and leather!