Terence is giving solid advice, BUT I have seen the community college classes and I would go with the cheap shoes for the first lesson or so -- and see what everyone else is wearing. As you get a feel for whether you like this or not, (and I believe you will get addicted rather quickly!) then you can go for the heels. Being of the male species, I have no idea how quickly one can break in a pair of heels so that they are comfortable. My wife encounters minor problems with every set of new shoes, with blisters coming up unannounced in different places. She has used flats more often than not, mainly because she is a couple of inches taller than me ... that's not a major issue, even when she wears the heels, but it may come into play for you, depending on the height of your partner.
I learned to dance at a young age, mainly because my mother's large Italian family did it at most gatherings, and all of the men, most of them returning GIs from World War II were very skilled at it. We learned how to box and dance, much in the same manner today's kids learn soccer and video games!

Terence, "PLEASE" stop dissecting my personal opinions and INTERPRETING them as advice. She asked for perspective, I gave.

It's a college ballroom course. There's every chance she'll take it and think "man, this sucks", and those shoes will wind up on ebay, at the Slavation army, or crammed in some box in some closet for someone else to worry with cleaning out someday.

If the use of heels is so important, then why do Elegance, Supadance, et al even manufacture lower heels? YOU try it, buddy! Backwards, too!

Any GOOD teacher would tell their students to dance in what feels safe and comfortable for them instead of pushing them into wearing something that makes them feel unsteady. When they're at YOUR auspicious level, THEN they can worry about height and other factors.

Sure, it's about weight placement and a ton of other jargon indigenous only to the few who make it past college group classes, but you know what? LET the lady find out whether or not she wants to continue dancing first, before overwhelming her with the fine-focus?

Sorry- very prickly this morning, this stuck me wrong, and there was likely no need for it to have. It just kind of felt like I was whacked over the nose for no reason.

It wasnt meant to annoy you ( apparently it did ).

I still stick by my reasoning for a closed in heel wich will undoubtedly assist in her weight distribution .

And.. I did say to NOT invest in a proper dance shoe at this time, but something that could be serviceable for other occasions .

Flat shoes may cause long term dance problems.. why encourage that when there is a simple solution .

Whatever she chooses, is up to her, I can only state what the majority of teachers reccomend, and those that will ultimately bring the best results.

And.. she DID ask " should I wear heels " .

Like I said, it *was* a weird morning, and I know you didn't sit down and think "Hmm, how can I light the strings on Ginger's practice shoes today?".

I just take the more simplistic sort of "lure newbs in, get them hooked on dancing, THEN start cramming their brain full of stuff after they know they can handle it" approach instead of the "WHAM! All at ONCE!" shock we had one time.

"And.. she DID ask " should I wear heels " ."

And the safe answer is:

Yes, in that your shoes should have a structured heel on them, but they do not at first need to be any higher than the ones the men are wearing.

(And before anyone jumps to object, yes there are situations where lady's footwork is different, and the higher heel is more suited to that - BUT, learning to get a low heel all the way down onto the floor at the time where the lady must in something like a feather finish is only going to increase the chances that she will be able to get a taller heel onto the floor)

"The Wal-Mart ballet flat is a great idea. They cost like $7.50 you know the kind of slippers your grandma wears all winter.

Honestly I wouldn't start out wearing heels."

I would agree there is merit in not starting out wearing high heels, but it is essential that the shoes have a defined heel on them. The problem with ballet flats is not that they are flat but that there is no definition to the heel, so the dancer is reluctant to put her weight there, which is something that she absolutely must do at times in the waltz, foxtrot, etc type dances. It's fine to start out with low heels comparable to what the men wear, but the shoe needs to have something solid under the heel there. When you see a woman dancing in ballet shoes, you never see her properly using the entire length of her foot, instead she is stuck on the ball-toes region only.

For investing in actual ballroom shoes however, at a minimum the student should wait until she understands the functional difference between latin shoes and standard shoes. Each is a poor fit for the opposite style of dancing and will cause some real consequences and limits on learning progress, so it is necessary to decide if you want to compromise on one style or the other to save money, or to ultimately buy two sets of shoes, or to buy some of the less stylish lace up shoes that "sort of" work for both. Those are not decisions that should be made before at least a few week's experience has been gained - experience that can be built wearing anything sturdy with a bit of definition to the heel and not too sticky a sole.

I take it back and see the point. Not Wal-Mart slippers...I was actually considering the suede soles as being something that would help but no heel at all...yeah...its a problem I didn't consider that.

The other reason I thought it was smart and that no one seems to be noticing is that most college students don't have a lot of money. As a person with a pair of advanced degrees under my belt I can't imagine where I would have come up with the money for ballroom shoes as a student. Now yes...then not so much. Shoes shouldn't keep someone from dancing.

I still wouldn't have worn heels to begin with. If you haven't danced in heels you won't understand, even if you've danced for 50 years. Yes, if you are going to persue it at more than a social level get them as soon as you have a little confidence and plan on continuing. It changes your leg and your foot movement and your posture and everything else. But I have to admit that I wear them in normal life for 8-10 hours a day, no problem. I'm talking about HIGH heels. After an hour of dancing in them I'm hurting.


The other thing is that my own personal preference is that the shoes have a strap, because it can be hard to keep unstrapped shoes on when you are dancing unless they fit extraordinarily well.

It is so much fun ! Take the class! See if it is for you!
My favorite part is that the people involved, most are dedicated to thier sport, passionate about sharing & teaching others, almost all are awesome!
What Drove Me to the Sport? - P.T./ Exercise after several spine surgeries.
How Long? 22 months for ourselves. Many others on this site have been
teaching for over 22 YEARS! And they will all help you anyway they can!
Shoes, you simply wear what you feel the most comfortable in for your first few classes, take heels if you want. Closed Toe/Open Toe just what You Like. For me, I had Closed Toe by my third lesson. (Ouch! Scotty Boy Stepped on me. ) I finally settled on Leo's Character shoes. They are just right! I tried the other brands, but my spine was best with Leo's. * $32.00 @ the -All about dance website- Heel or Not, again up to you, It did help me with Cuban Motion. For Looks:Gives you a longer leg line. Just enjoy every aspect of the dances, you learn. * Warning: Be ready to go Ballroom Crazy! I Love it, it is FUN! ScottyBoysDoll

One last thing! There is someone one this site that will for sure help you w/ anything. They sign there notes, JJ ! So, just put in your question & JJ will come to your rescue, or at least try anyway! I found JJ just pretty darn Knowledgable on most things!

Yep I agree with Scotty Boys DOll. Ask JJ. He has an uncanny knack for understanding exactly what problem you are having even if your vocabulary is deficient.

He should be a pro!! Love him!!

Belle