Choosing the Right Street Shoes

Feet are one of the most important parts of a dancers body, so how do you take care of them when you aren't dancing? What kind of street shoes should you wear?

Obviously the best option would be nice lace up athletic sneakers that allow for a lot of overall support and stability, but who really wants to wear sneakers everywhere they go?

You don't have to! Wearing that super cute pair of heels in the back of your closet every once in awhile is fine, just don't wear them everyday.

But, Flip Flops should not be worn, they provide no support and force your toes to grip your shoe, this causes you to curl your toes (which most dancers already do in their pointe shoes). This gives you hammer toes, which you don't want...

You want a good pair of shoes that cover your heels and toes so that your foot doesn't have to work hard to keep them on. Make sure your shoes fit well and are comfortable. Mix it up! Wear sneakers somedays, Toms another, Converse one day and heels on to go out at night or for fancy occasions.

Most food and ankle specialists say, it depends on the type of foot you have. Here are some common foot issues and advice for those.

If you have Unstable Ankles: you need high top shoes, something that goes over your ankle to protect and stabilize the part of your foot that needs the most support. Hiking boots, flat or low heeled dress boots are all great options. Stay away from flimsy sneakers like converse, they don't offer any support to your ankles, even the high top ones.

If you have Bunions or other foot problems steer clear from tapered toe boxed shoes. Look for rounded or square toe boxed shoes.

If you have trouble with your Achilles tendon always choose low heel or flat shoes, wearing high heels can shorten your achilles.

Recap: Don't wear flip flops, but you can wear heels every once in awhile. Cater your footwear to the type of feet you have.

Here are some links to more information:
http://www.pointemagazine.com/issues/december-10january-2011/ask-amy
http://www.dancemagazine.com/issues/March-2008/If-The--Shoe-Fits

Thanks for reading!