I'm thinking of spraying the inside of my shoes and show bags with disinfecting sprays like Lysol to get rid of the odor. I've also thought about sprinkling foot or baby powder inside my shoes to absorb the sweat a bit.

tango

I have had the best luck using cedar shoe trees to both help air-out and absorb odors.

Since the charcoal insoles that others have mentioned aren't always practical for women's shoes, I have seen them used to absorb odors when the shoes aren't being used (ie. in the bag). I have also seen people put a box of baking soda in their shoe bag for the same purpose.

Blair

i'm sorry but i don't think men can even begin to comprehend the issue of shoes here
that is, of course, unless you're one of the chosen few who have tried dancing barefoot in 3 inch heels

the problem is that wearing socks in shoes stretches them out quite a bit, and believe me, when my heels are 3 inches higher than usual i need all the support i can get! Nylons are thin, but too slippery...

but if you can let me in on the secret of not getting smelly feet when you're barefoot in the same shoe exercising for 4 hours, i'll be very grateful!

I usually dance 3-4 nights a week. I use foot pads which contain charcoal. Not only are they easy to change/replace, but they also give a little extra cushion. I have also used foot powder, but doesn't seem to work as well as pads.

It's important to realise that people are all different physiologically. Some people suffer from sweaty palms, others don't have this problem at all.
Sweat itself is pretty well odourless. But it supports bacteria which multiply and, after about 30 minutes or so, give the characteristic 'sweaty' smell.
A few years ago, after running in a wet field, my running shoes were muddy and covered in grass, so i put them in a plastic bag inside my sports bag.
The next day, when i opened up the plastic bag, the smell was disgusting - the bacteria from my feet had multiplied in the damp, humid conditions i'd so kindly provided!
So - dry your shoes quickly and certainly don't put them in your shoe bag while they are even slightly damp. Charcoal inserts ("odour-eaters" in Europe) will help, but they take up valuable shoe space.
And yes - men can appreciate foot problems - we have them too

Some people swear by those scented wooden balls you can get at fancy goods or craft stores, kept in the shoes/bag.

Mind you, some people swear at them when they roll out all over the floor.

where can you get those? I've never seen them at supadance where I usualyl buy my shoes...

that's such a good idea! I have somce of those scented balls lying around in my closet but never thought of using them for this! Thank you!

I have seen this somewhere to use teabag (fresh and dry) ones. Especially those calming teas like lavender and Chamomile work great.

Try dusting with bicarbonate of soda