A good pair of dance shoes will prevent injury and reduce joint pain but you don't have to spend a lot of money for a shoe that will dance well.  Read on to learn from my experiences with synthetic soles, sandals, leather boots, dance sliders, split soled shoes, and more. 

The quick answer to what makes a good dance shoe is good support and a leather sole. Leather is long wearing and allows for beautiful turning without wrenching your knees. If you have a pair of leather soled shoes in your closet shine them up and start there. Start with what you already have so you can figure out what you like and dislike about dancing in that kind of shoe.  

I've seen dancers in everything from flip flops to work boots and instructors wearing everything from Tom's to high heel dance sport shoes. All I can say is, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." I have gone through many shoes in an attempt to live blister free and avoid joint pain while dancing for hours on end. 

Pro Tip: To avoid blisters, I now baby powder my feet before I put on moisture wicking, seamless toe socks that I slip into shoes that are well ventilated. Works Wonders!

When I first became serious about line dancing  I wore my super cute cowboy boots that had a synthetic sole and moved well on the dance floor. I loved these boots . . . until I started dancing in them. I had to buy a gel insert for the ball of my foot because there just wasn't enough padding there. The good news, I didn't blister. The bad news is it just doesn't feel great dancing in these shoes for more than one hour.  I still wear them when I want to look cute and will only be dancing for 90 minutes. Verdict: Okay Update: The synthetic sole moves well for me on the dance floor, I have attempted to insert cushion for ball of foot and heel, really I can dance no more than 90 minutes in these. I wear these when I’m hired to teach at a Country/Western event. (6/11/2024)

One week during the summer, when it was very hot,  I tried dancing in my orthopedic, leather sandals. While my feet didn't sweat, or blister, I totally stretched out my sandals because of all the side to side and forward and back motion. Verdict: Don't ruin a good pair of shoes with the wrong activity. Update: I have since learned that dancers with bunions or bone spurs like to dance in sandals. They often slip dance socks right over their favorite shoe. (6/11/2024)

I decided to invest in a nice pair of leather boots from Boot Barn before going to Montana's Country Night Club. While these boots move well on the dance floor they also rub one of my ankle bones to the point of bruising. The seam on these boots buckles in toward my ankle and it is painful. My body literally will not let me put these on again because it remembers the pain. Verdict: You cannot enjoy dancing in shoes that pain you. Shoes may feel fine dancing in the store but will rub you raw after a half hour of dancing. You can't know until you try.  Follow up: Because these are leather, I stuffed them with newspaper to try to pop out the part that rubs my ankle. I can now wear them, but I don't dance in them because doing stomps in boots can cause shin splints-no thank you. (1/13/2020) Update: I have given these boots to a friend because the last time I wore them I got a blister on my ankle bone. I have literally tried on every boot in my size at Boot Barn and French's Boots and cannot find a boot that doesn't rub. I need soft sided boots to come back in fashion because I can't get the stiff leather to work for me --even though they are so stylish.(10/15/2022) Still on the quest for the perfect leather boot :( (6/11/2024)

I wanted a pair of split soled shoes like I saw so many people wearing at line dance class so I went online and bought two pair for a great price. These shoes did not dance well at all. They stuck to the floor when I turned and had absolutely zero arch support because of the split sole. However, they received many compliments and envious glances for their cuteness. Verdict: You do not need split soled shoes for line dancing. Shoes that stick are no good even if they are cute. You can't dance on compliments.   Follow up: I bought a sheet of adhesive suede that I cut and put on the bottom of these shoes. They are now useable. The split arch doesn't provide enough support for me so I also include an orthotic. Update:  I have given away these shoes because they simply didn't offer enough support for hours of dancing. 

I recommend buying a sheet of adhesive suede to cut to fit the sole of your favorite shoes. I have friends who have put the suede on the bottom of their favorite trainers and dance in those each week as their go to dance shoe.  (6/11/24)

I have considered, but not yet tried, bowling shoes. My parents danced for years in their bowling shoes because they have a leather sole, are comfortable, and provide great support. One of my dance students wears bowling shoes to class and loves them. (6/11/24) Verdict: Good enough for Mom and Dad, I'm willing to try it, I just haven’t found a pair cute enough to tempt me.

May 13th I taught 3 beginner line dances as a guest instructor at Rita Turner's Wow! Dance on the Move class at Jackie Robinson Community Center, 1020 N Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103. They meet Monday nights 6-7:30pm where Rita teaches soul line dancing.
That night I taught the dances:
I'm Free
Choreographed May 2017 by Raymond Sarlemijn and Roy Verdonk from the Netherlands and Jill Babinec from USA 
To the song Love my Life (Adam Turner and James Hurr Remix) by Robbie Williams.

Tush Push
Choreopgraphed by Jim Ferrazzano
To the song Just a Gigilo by David Lee Roth

Power Jam (San Diego Version)
Choreographer unknown
To the song Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson