*Updated with new links/stores on February 15, 2025
Our instructors often get questions from new students who are interested in buying their first pair of West Coast Swing dance shoes. Most experienced WCS dancers purchase our shoes from vendors at events when we travel for competition weekends. We also often buy shoes online because we already know the styles, brands, and sizes that fit us.
But your first pair of dance shoes is a special investment! Here’s what we recommend for new West Coast Swing Dancers, and we’re including some links for where to purchase. Please note that this barely scratches the surface of possibilities, and it may take a few tries before you find the perfect style and brand for you. This is only meant to help you get started.
Contents:
Why Dance Shoes?
Because they’re designed to help you dance better! Dance shoes are flexible so that the foot can move well and feel the floor – this enables good technique and grounding. Dance shoes have soles that are designed for pivoting – this can improve turns as well as protect knees and hips during turns. Dance shoes have soft soles that do not mark or scuff dance floors. Dance shoes are also given a shape and heel style that actually assist with the required body mechanics of the dance.
How to Try On Dance Shoes
Never buy a pair of dance shoes out of desperation – wait to find a pair that fits and feels good! When trying on shoes, follow these guidelines:
- Wear the same kind of sock you will wear dancing
- Wear the same kind of pant or skirt that you will wear dancing
- Actually dance in the shoes (while in the store)
Women’s West Coast Swing Shoes
You’ll most often see women WCS dancers wearing the “Westie Sandal”, flat suede boots, and “Toms”.
For new dancers, we recommend starting with the Westie Sandal. In our opinion, flat shoes and boots are best worn by more experienced dancers and those with exceptional footwork and legwork technique.
Features of the Westie Sandal include:
- Suede soles, very flexible shoe
- 0.5″-1.5″ practice heel (sometimes called a block heel, sandal heel, or coach heel)
- Open toes and sides
- Straps come in a variety of styles
Buy in Store
In the Ottawa area, you can look for this shoe style at:
- Brio: 911 Bank St. Ottawa (larger selection), and 380 Richmond Road, Ottawa
- Malabar: 1610 Merivale Road
Buy Online
If you already know your dance-shoe size and fit, you might be comfortable purchasing online:
Dancewear Centre (Toronto based). Consider these styles:
- Werner Kern Gabriele Cross Strap Satin 3.5 cm Latin Ballroom Shoes – 520-35 Womens
- Werner Kern Fabienne Open Toe Mesh Leather 3.5 cm Latin Ballroom Shoes – 599-35 Womens
- Capezio Valentina Leather Social Dance 1″ Cuban Heel Latin Ballroom Shoes – BR4035C Girls
Men’s West Coast Swing Dance Shoes
You’ll most often see male WCS dancers wearing low-heeled ballroom practice shoes or “Toms”. Occasionally you will see men wearing a higher “cuban” heel (up to 2″ high) – stylistically, this was more popular some years ago than now.
For new dancers, we recommend starting with a lower-heeled ballroom dance shoe. If you already have experience wearing Cuban heels, you can use those for WCS. In our opinion, flat shoes are best worn by more experienced dancers and those with exceptional footwork and legwork technique.
Features of the low-heeled men’s ballroom dance shoe include:
- Suede soles, very flexible shoe
- 0.5″ – 1″ heel
- Closed toes
- Uppers come in a wide variety of styles
Buy in Store
In the Ottawa area, you can look for this shoe style at:
- Brio: 911 Bank St. Ottawa (larger selection), and 380 Richmond Road, Ottawa
- Malabar: 1610 Merivale Road
Buy Online
If you already know your dance-shoe size and fit, you might be comfortable purchasing online:
Dancewear Centre (Toronto based). Consider these styles:
- Werner Kern Lucca Nappa Leather Oxford Ballroom Shoes – 28048 Mens
- Freed Of London Modern Flex Leather Oxford 1″ Latin Ballroom Shoes – Mens
- Werner Kern Suede Leather Oxford Ballroom Shoes – 28058 Mens
Dance Shoes for Problem Feet
For feet that are hard to fit, or if you have foot pain, consider these options:
- Dance sneakers (search online)
- Comfortable everyday shoes or sneakers with The Dance Socks slipped over them
- Custom Orthotics – find a maker that works with carbon fiber materials and take your dance shoes with you when you get fitted for orthotics. In Ottawa, try the Ottawa Orthotic Lab
- Taygra dance shoes are on-trend, flat, soft, and flexible and may work with problem feet