No more Manolos and L.A.M.B.s and Choos, oh my! Invest in a pair of real dance shoes

Diamonds very well may be a girl's best friend, but shoes claim the coveted role of a woman's bff.  You don't have to wait on a man to buy them for you, they're appropriate for all occasions and turn heads just as quickly as the most brilliant, lustrous FL-grade carbon allotrope.  As with diamonds, shoes can also be evaluated on the four C's: Color, Comfort, Cut (pump, slingback, peep-toe, t-strap) and, what we'll be examining today, Condusiveness. 

There is a time and place for every shoe in today's society.  Par example:  L.A.M.B.s, with their ultra-high heels and edgy hardware, are a great footwear fit for a date or a night on the uptown (Dallas nightclubs Aura and Plush come to mind).  But your funk-me-pumps belong in a bar, not at the office (unless you're trying to bag the boss or weasel your way into the corner office you don't quite yet deserve).  But that's not to say water cooler-wear has to be bland and boring.  Delightfully indulgent Manolo's and lush-yet-simplistic Prada pairs are fun, fashionable and perfectly suitable for professional attire.  But what about the dance floor?  Trying to dance (we're talking real dancing here, not the lewd and lascivious gyrating of one's reprodutive organs) in a pair of daily heels is like subscribing to the Atkin's Diet.  Yeah, you can do it.  And you'll probably lose weight, too.  But that doesn't mean it's good for you.  Enter condusiveness.

The kind of dancing we discuss here is an art.  And as with any artistic medium, there is technique involved.  While it is possible to dance in street shoes, it can be detrimental to your physiology and take away from your execution. Dance shoes are designed with a dancer in mind, and the premise is simple - form and funtion.  Let's look at form first: salsa is a high-energy dance with lots of footwork, turns and often a quick tempo.  Dance shoes are constructed to hug your feet and provide the support necessary for rapid weight changes.  And the turns!  Multiple turns can range from two to 20 (or more).  Appropriate footwear is of paramount importance to both singles and multiples.  Street shoes are often too slick or have too much grip to provide a circumstance condusive to spinning.  It's difficult to find a just-right street sole, thus recreating the age-old Goldilocks dillema.  And this brings us to the matter of function and safety.  Spinning can be dangerous!  If you don't spot properly and/or don't get a good prep or lead, you run the risk of falling on your face, which can obviously lead to injury.  But your injuries might not always be so clear-cut.  Salsa dancing is a weight-bearing activity that can wreak havoc on the weight-bearing joints of  the ankle, knee and hip.  The insole cushioning of dance shoes acts as shock-absorbers and aids in lessening the blow to these joints, which can dramatically increase your longevity as a dancer. 

With all this in mind, it's time to trade in those street shoes for a fabulous pair of dance shoes!  Luckily you aren't resigned to ill-fitting footwear ordered off the internet - we have two boutiques in DFW that exclusively specialize in the very specific needs of your dancing feet.  Poetically convenient, one is located in Dallas and the other in Fort Worth, and both stores carry both men's and women's inventories.

Karizmah Dance Shoes, 10420 Plano Rd., Dallas, TX 75238

Karizmah Dance Shoes, just north of 635 on Plano Road, maintains a broad selection of affordable dance shoes for the budget-minded salsera (or west coast swinger, ballroom dancer, country/western dancer, etc.).  The friendly and outgoing staff, headed by owner Lee Ann Bradford, is ready to help you find the perfect fit from lines including: Karizmah, Aris Allen, Coast-Glide, Eckse, Souldancer, So Danca, Tic-Tac-Toes, Very Fine and Evenin' Star Boots (DSE can't get enough of the Souldancer ankle boots that add just the right amount of edge to any ensemble).  For a super steal, shop their consignment collection as well.  Stuck with shoes purchased over the internet that don't fit properly?  Karizmah is the ideal platform to unload in exchange for cash or a new pair you'll be proud to sport.  Their generous compensation plan offers 70% for the cash option and dollar-for-dollar if you're redeeming for in-store credit.  Special programs are available for dance instructors and dance companies (for details contact Lee Ann).  In addition to dance shoes, Karizmah also has a large seletion of new and consignment dancewear - salsa and Latin, tango and smooth ballroom costumes for a very small fraction of the standard $500-$5,000 price tags.  For more information on Karizmah's full line of shoes, dancewear or gift cards please visit their website or call Lee Ann at 214-221-4201.

Amelia's Dance Shoes, 714 Grove St., Fort Worth, TX 76102

In a downtown Fort Worth boutique as chic as her collection, Amelia's Dance Shoes offers a vast array of designers ranging from the economical to higher-priced haute couture.  Though her inventory comprehensive with something for everyone, owner Ann Dittrich caters to the stylish salsera who aims to stand out on the dance floor.  Her sinfully delicious selection includes the following lines: GretaFlora, Supadance, International, Dance Naturals, Werner Kern, Elegance, Very Fine and Aris Allen.  Supadance, International, Werner Kern and Elegance are long-time Latin ballroom favorites and internationally recognized as leaders in the industry for their quality, design and engineering.  Oh, but let's really talk about label lust!  Touted as "shoe couture," GretaFlora is a manufacturer of tango shoes constructed in Buenos Aires.  Femininity, superior creativity and a decadent melange of textures and embellishments make this line a new DSE obsession.  Nueva Epoca, Werner Kern's exclusive tango and salsa shoe line, also offers a gorgeous collection of designs and textiles in a scrumptious palette that's appealing enough to eat.  These newest additions to Amelia's boutique will soon be showcased on her new-and-improved website which is under construction at the moment (it should be up and running within the next month).  Limited inventory is available on her current site, Ameliasdanceshoes.com.  For purchases please visit the shop or contact Ann at 817-925-1795.

DSE Dance Shoe Giveaway - Contest #2 Now Open for Entries!

With the first raffle at Cupid's Salsa Social behind us, entries are now being accepted for the second drawing.  To recap, the contest will run for one week, ending at midnight next Saturday, February 27.  Entries received at 12:01am Sunday, February 28 and later will be discarded.  Three gift cards to Amelia's Dance Shoes will be awarded.  DSE will hold a physical drawing to ensure winners are randomly selected.  Drawing location TBD (to be announced next week).  Winners need not be present to win.  Winners will be notified via e-mail (unless present at the raffle).  To enter, simply:

• Send an e-mail to dallassalsaexaminer@gmail.com with "DSE Dance Shoe Giveaway" in the subject line and your name and e-mail address in the message body.  Again, winners will be notified  via e-mail so be sure to provide an address at which you may be reached.  Invalid e-mail addresses will result in forfeiture of the prize if selected.
• If you entered the Cupid Salsa Social drawing and did not win you are still eligible to enter this raffle.
• Residents beyond Dallas/Fort Worth are also invited to enter.  If you live outside of the DFW metroplex please include your city and state in the body of the message (below your name and e-mail address).  Non-resident winners will be limited to one (1) prize.
• Contact DSE at dallassalsaexaminer@gmail.com with any questions.
• Good luck!!!! 

*Author's note: DSE would like to thank Lee Ann Bradford of Karizmah and Ann Dittrich of Amelia's for their generous donations to the DSE Dance Shoe Giveaway.  Additional gratitude is due Ann for donating the two additional gift cards needed when one of our original vendors pulled their contribution.  Thank you both for your gracious support of the salsa community!