You knew you'd hear it, sooner or later, and this is ONLY just my opinion: For ballroom, in regular wood floors, Character shoes' heels and soles *suck*, and here's why: The sole is hard, unfeeling and slick, the heel is roundy and weird after a time. Otherwise, yes, I DO use them for dancing outside on the street or other "questionable surfaces".

If you don't "seeeeriously compete" or do anything where you'd be "knocked off" for, have you considered an Elegance Godiva RT Flexi? Shoe's cute as hell, uber-flexible, and the heel is way stable, if not as slim and elegant as even a character shoe. Of course, you can also change it. Elegance shoes last forever, too. Or, you could at least get one good *practice* pair, since you live in those, and then get a cheapie "for show" pair since they will hold up longer with less use?

Thanks, I am going to look right now! I don't care if there expensive just got to get something my spine will allow me to dance in. ScottyBoysDoll

My dearest Diva, Just started comp. lessons- Just had to come back & say OMG!! I love so many of the "Elegance" styles! Thanks,So Much!
ScottyBoysDoll

One of my girls has an Elegance peep-toe court shoe in full soft suede I think you'd like. It's gorgeous, and if my foot were any bigger, I'd be snagging them from her!

Elegance has a lot of unique styles, and I like them as much as I do Supadance because of their variety and soft footbed. Hope you find one you fall for! If you check the store on ebay "My Little Mall", they have several Elegance shoes left in stock new only about a third of what you'd normally pay. Happy hunting!

You only get what you pay for. Thats an old saying but true if you also count into it tne costs of visiting the the Physo caused by bad fitting shoes..

Yeah... Elegance shoes normally run $150, right on par with Supadance.

Is Supradance a good brand, as well? I like the look of a long leg line that the plain beige character shoes gives. I was told by a little girl, after a performance. "Cool, it looks like you were floating, cause you can't see your shoes & feet"! I guess comment has stuck with me, because after that costuming has always been about the dress. I think my whole shoe thing comes down to, what my spine lets me use!! Thanks, so much for your time & advice! ScottyBoyDoll

Is Supradance a good brand, as well? I like the look of a long leg line that the plain beige character shoes gives. I was told by a little girl, after a performance. "Cool, it looks like you were floating, cause you can't see your shoes & feet"! I guess comment has stuck with me, because after that costuming has always been about the dress. I think my whole shoe thing comes down to, what my spine lets me use!! Thanks, so much for your time & advice! ScottyBoyDoll

There are a few in the 'top suggestions', and since time began, Supadance has been considered the best or one of the best- and I concur, but I personally really like Elegance as well, too. They're kind of the US answer to Supadance, Werner Kern, Dance Naturals, etc. I'm curious about a brand out of Italy called "Paoul" now, too, though. They look awesome, but I've never tried them out.

That's why I was wondering what Polished even meant by his 'get what you pay for'... didn't really fit, unless he was talking about buying shoes that normally cost $150 for $65 or so on markdown and thinking that they were something else. It kind of confused me.

I have two pair of shoes I bought in 1990. They were a bit expensive . They still have the original sole which over the years have been covered with cork and renewed many times. I have always without fail put shoe trees in them. I keep them for slippery floors.
I have always found that the more you pay for your shoes the better wear you can get from them and the better they fit. With ladies shoes. If that heel isn't in the right place your balance and movement will never be good.