I am a man who dances (socially) in ballroom & latin styles. I have shoes for both (the latin shoes having cuban heels), but I have noticed premature wear on the soles because I often dance or practice at hired halls where the floor is not very clean. The dirt gets ground into the sole, and I am brushing them up so regularly, that they are becoming bald and shiny.

I wondered whether it would be worth getting a pair of split sole dance sneakers - not for social dancing, but just for classes and practice sessions. The ones I have in mind are by Freed (although most brands do them), and the sole material has about the right amount of slip/grip. The heel height is somewhere between ballroom and latin shoes, but I doubt that would bother me for either style particularly. My hope would be that the soles would prove durable, and last rather better than my normal pairs.

Does anyone have any experience or advice?

Dance sneakers are very durable. They will outlast a pair of ballroom shoes by a lot. They are very comfortable for most people, and are excellent when trying to recover from a foot injury because they reduce the amount of shock the foot experiences during dancing, especially if you happen to dance on a hard floor like tile. Many people that dance several times a week develop sore heels. Switching to dance sneakers (at least part time) can cure that problem. They do not turn as well as regular ballroom shoes, and this can be a disadvantage especially for the ladies. They are a little larger and may feel a little less maneuverable. They don't look as nice as regular ballroom shoes. It's worthwhile having a pair of these in your closet for when you need them.

That's very interesting. Most of the floors I dance on are not sprung, but solid: and while I have so far not experienced any discomfort, I'm not getting any younger, and the slight cushioning effect of the heel construction looks quite a good idea for practice. The sole of the pair I'm considering has a "spin spot", so I hope turning in them will be OK, but the heels are a little fat and soft - not so good for those heel leads, perhaps

I agree they don't "look" very smart - but I don't want to wear them when I'm dancing socially, just for practice and lessons/classes.

Thanks for the comments.

CliveHarrison. The latest designed shoe from Super Dance that I tried on has a sprung heal which I could feel even on a thick carpet. A bit like a shock absorber. The shoe in both Standard and Latin can be screwed up into a ball and when you let go they jump back to their correct shape. Top of the range and in price also.