Jazz Shoes For All Abilities

Jazz dancing is a fantastically fun dance which is characterised by a series of pirouettes, leaps and quick turns. If you’re just about to start to learn how to jazz dance, you’ll need to find out what kind of dancewear to wear to your dance classes, and one of the most important items of dancewear you will need to consider are your jazz shoes.

One of the most important elements of dancing is looking good when you perform and your jazz shoes will play an important role in this. However, don’t be tempted to choose a pair of jazz shoes based solely on their appearance or because you’ve seen them on one of your friends at dance classes as every dancer’s feet are slightly different and a pair of shoes that look great on one person may not provide a good fit on another.

It’s therefore very important to make sure that jazz shoes that you buy are as comfortable as possible. Jazz shoes can be lace-up or slip-on. Neither is better than the other but it’s instead simply down to your own personal preference. If you’re wondering what to look out for, some dancers choose slip-on jazz shoes as they find that those with laces can dig in or run the foot causing blisters and discomfort but this is by no means the consensus so you may need to try out a few different pairs before you buy.

Another element to consider when you’re setting out to buy a pair of jazz shoes is the type of sole they have. If you have a lot of experience or are a professional then it’s highly likely you’re already familiar with jazz shoes and know exactly which ones you want. Once you reach this standard you will be able to choose a pair of split sole jazz shoes. This type of sole has a break in between the ball of the foot and the heel in order to allow for optimum flexibility of the foot. However, you should only choose split sole jazz shoes if you have significant experience or once your dance teacher allows you to do so as it’s important for the muscles in your foot to be developed sufficiently to do so.

The dancewear you need for jazz dancing doesn’t stop at the shoes. There is a whole host of jazz dancewear available and if you’re dance school doesn’t have specific requirements then you have a great deal of freedom of choice. It’s worth searching online where you will find a wide range of jazz dancewear such as leotards, crop tops, jazz pants, and hot pants; all of which allow for complete freedom of movement which is very important in order to successfully execute those complicated spins, jumps and turns. It can be difficult to know where to start so if you’re looking for some guidance a good place to start is with more experienced dancers from your dance school or your dance teacher who will be more than happy to help you.

Jazz shoes are available in a wide range of different fabrics, some of which are better than others. Canvas is the cheapest of the three though it’s not as easy to take care of as PVC and leather. This is because it can be difficult to remove dust and other debris from canvas, and it marks easily too. PVC is much easier to maintain as it can easily be wiped over with a cloth. It’s fairly hard-wearing and a good price too which is good but the downside is that they’re not breathable which means they can sweat your feet during classes. This leaves leather which is the most expensive of the three but also the most recommended. This is because it’s breathable, easy to maintain and very soft too which means that it will mould to the shape of the foot over time giving the best possible line. Though leather is a little more expensive, it’s likely to outlast both canvas and PVC so if you’re a regular dancer, a pair of leather jazz shoes are a worthwhile investment.

I. Evans is a resident writer for Dance Gear Direct Ltd., a UK company specialising in competitively priced quality dance wear. Visit http://www.dancegeardirect.co.uk/ for more information about ballet shoes and jazz shoes.