Soft/Light Shoes

Often called pumps/pomps or ghillies;

Many dance teachers are advising parents to buy one to two sizes smaller than their child’s normal shoe size. Although it is true that the leather stretches with wear, this is an alarming miss-information, particularly for the very young. Whilst soft shoes DO need to be a snug fit, with NO extra room at the toes, the bones in children’s feet are soft and shoes that are too tight could cause permanent damage.

Some brands actually come up small anyway, so to buy a smaller size would be a waste of time and money.

The actual sizing does vary from brand to brand, so it is always best to check with the seller, especially if you have not bought that brand before. It is also helpful to take a measurement from the dancer’s feet for reference: Draw around BOTH feet, wearing poodle socks, whilst standing on a piece of paper. Measure the longest part of each foot from heel to toe. For soft shoes it is usually best to use the smaller foot’s measurement (unless there is a big difference, when you should choose shoes that measure somewhere between the two!) You can either ask the seller for the measurement of the shoe size you think you need, or give them your measurements and ask them to tell you the correct size to order.

The stretch in the leather will ultimately give the dancer their “growing room”!

I deal in Boyne Walk shoes. Most dancers will find that their normal UK street-shoe size is the correct size to order, for both soft and hard shoes, in this popular and very high quality brand. Those with wide feet may require a larger size as Boyne Walk does not offer a wide fitting shoe.

Second hand soft shoes are likely to have stretched already, so remember to check the measurements before purchasing as in this case you MAY need to buy slightly smaller sizes!

Hard/Heavy Shoes

Often referred to as Jig shoes;

Again, the sizing varies from brand to brand – and sometimes even between styles from the same manufacturer. The measurements mentioned earlier will be useful here too. This time it is usually necessary to use the measurement from the larger foot.

Hard shoes need to fit properly to enable the dancer to execute their steps correctly and to avoid unnecessary injury. The ball of the foot should sit comfortably in the “well” at the bottom of the arch, whilst there should be room to wiggle the toes but not too much!!

Unfortunately, it is unwise to buy hard shoes with extra room at the toes for growth as they are VERY difficult to dance in! (And potential toe-work is virtually impossible!). The good news is that hard shoes have a good re-sale value if they are well looked after.

Second hand hard shoes are very popular as they are already broken in and, of course, are often very good value! Usually a dancer will need the same size as in a brand new pair. However, older shoes may be more suitable for those with slightly wider feet due to having stretched over time.

The Different Types of Soles on Hard Shoes

Some people are understandably confused as to the meaning of some of the terms used to describe hard shoes. I will try to clear some of these up here, but do contact me if you are still unsure!

Traditional; this refers to the rigid sole used traditionally in making Irish hard shoes. The leather is usually very stiff and there is the addition of a thin metal shank running the length of the sole. No amount of bending will make these shoes more flexible! Many manufacturers have stopped making these as they are not very popular any more. Most suitable for the beginner, they can still be bought second hand – usually in very good condition as the leather sole hardly seems to show any wear!

Flexi or Super-Flexi; the most popular type of shoe currently on the market, particularly favoured by younger and novice to intermediate dancers. The leather sole is much softer and the metal shank is not present making the sole more flexible, and ultimately more comfortable! Most brands offer this type of sole as standard these days.

Ultra Flexi or Suede Soled; suede is used for the sole as it is even more flexible than the leather used in regular flexi/super-flexi shoes. Most often black, the seamless look is favoured by many intermediate, open and championship dancers. The superior flexibility makes for easier toe-work.

Split-Sole; Particularly suited to narrow footed dancers, this style of shoe has had the sole completely removed at the arch. This allows the most flexibility of all, giving beautifully defined points and smooth toe-work. The down side to this style is that there is often little or no support for the arch of the foot, so is not recommended for beginners or those with fallen arches or flat feet. Very popular with open and championship dancers!

I hope this has helped some of you. Don’t forget: - if in doubt ASK!!

ABOVE ALL – ENJOY THE DANCE!