Guides

• Customizing the perfect salsa dance shoe

  Posted on April 26 2017

  The best part about ordering your dance shoes from iLoveDanceShoes is the ability to customize what you are looking for! That means, that if you're looking for the perfect pair of salsa dance shoes, you're on the right website. We are experts when it comes to helping our customers select the perfect customizations so that their shoes are absolutely perfect.

  

  First, the heel. On shoes for salsa, the heel is placed perfectly in the middle of the dancer's heel to promote stability. The heels from iLoveDanceShoes are available between 1.5" up to 4" high. We recommend you select your heel height based on your level of dance - the more advanced dancer should select a higher heel, while a more novice dancer should select a lower one. 

  In general we recommend a slim, pencil, or flared heel for salsa dancers. The recommended heel height for the majority of our shoes is 2.5".

  Up next, let's talk about the type of straps your shoe should have. Our salsa shoes come with a variety of strap options: ankle strap, t-strap, crossover strap, and the double cross strap. All of these styles provide serious support, no matter your level of dance however, the t-strap crossover, and double crossover provide the most support. 

  And finally, the material! Your shoes for salsa, should stand out! You want to draw attention to your feet as you move quickly across the dance floor. Often, salsa dancer select shoes with crystals or embellishments. With iLoveDanceShoes, both your shoes and their heels can have crystals! 

  In terms of material to select, iLoveDanceShoe offers three options for women: satin, soft leather, and lambs leather (available only for Fantisia practice shoe). All of our materials are of the highest quality - so it really depends on the look you're going for and what will look best with your outfit!

  Take a look at our customization options in our latest catalogue here.

• Anton Lebedev, Sharon Levit & Dmitry Ilyushenov Discuss Liam Men's Dance Shoe

  Posted on April 04 2017

  The Liam is the latest men dance shoe that is perfect for ballroom, salsa and all other kinds of Latin dance! This handsome shoe is perfect for either practice, teaching, or performance.

  We sat down with Sharon Levit, co-owner of the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Ajax and Canadian Professional Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm Champion, Dmitry Ilyushenov, the owner of the Silhouette Dance Studio and three time Canadian Professional Smooth Champion, and Anton Lebedev, Arthur Murray Ajax Studio co-owner, eight time Canadian Champion, and he is eighth in the World Championships in professional standard.

   

  Sharon loves the fact that the Liam is a great balance between support and flexibility and Dmitry wears them for practicing and teaching. He appreciates the high quality and the fact that they last a very long time considering he wears them all the time!

  And Anton remembers back to the first time he wore the Liam for an entire day. He actually forgot he had been wearing brand new shoes for the first time!

  The Liam is a classic, five eyelet lace up style that is sure to become your go-to shoe for all occasions, no matter your level of dance!

  The unique patent strip in addition to the high quality canvas really sets the styling of this shoe apart from the crowd. This shoe breathes easily and you’ll be very comfortable wearing the Liam for many straight hours due to its supportive and flexible nature. 

  Shop the Liam now or check out the latest collection of men’s ballroom shoes and Latin shoes from iLoveDanceShoes

• How to take care of your dance shoes

  Posted on April 04 2017

  

  
  High quality dance shoes are an investment and dancers are not easy on their footwear. You'll want to make sure that you look after every single pair of dance shoes you invest in so that you get the maximum amount of wear out of them and so they last many years. 

  Below we have put together some of the essential tools you'll need to look after your dance shoes and how to take care of your shoes - no matter their material.

  1. Brush
     A suede shoe brush is a must have for all dancers with suede soled shoes.  
  2. Clean Oil
     A shoe oil will help to keep your leather shoes moisturized, which will help them last longer.
  3. Shoe Polish Cloth 
     A clean, high quality shoe polish cloth will help to keep your shoes clean and looking their best.
  4. Water Spray Bottle
     A water spray bottle is important to have on hand so that you can easily spot clean your shoes. 

  Below, you'll find cleaning instructions for your dance shoes:

  Leather shoes
  If your shoes are made out of leather, you should polish them once per week. Use a damp cloth to remove all dirt then use a thin layer of cream or wax polish to preserve and moisturize the leather - which will keep your shoes looking like new!

  Suede soles
  If your shoes have suede soles than you'll need a suede shoe brush to brush up the nap on the bottom of your shoes. Always brush from toe to heel. You should do this immediately upon noticing if the soles of your shoes have become flat and smooth or have dirt stuck on them. 

  Suede shoes
  You can use a clean tooth brush to remove any dirt on your suede shoes. Use a suede shampoo to remove any stains. Make sure that you use suede dressing well in advance of when you have to wear them so that they have time to dry out before you need to dance in them. Make sure you brush your shoes from front to back after applying the suede dressing. 

  Nubuck shoes
  Clean your nubuck shoes with a cloth dipping in light soapy, warm water. Otherwise, follow the instructions for suede shoes. 

  Patent leather shoes
  If your shoes are made from patent leather, clean them with a damp cloth and apply patent dressing after drying. Shine them regularly with a soft cloth. Never use regular shoe polish on patent leather.

  Satin shoes
  Satin shoes are generally more delicate than other kinds of dance shoes. Therefore there's a number of important steps to follow: 

  1. Prep: With a soft bristle brush or dry cloth, brush away any dust or dirt. You risk rubbing the dirt into the fabric while you're cleaning if you skip this very important step.
  2. Blot: Dampen a cloth with cold water and blot any stains, starting from the top of the shoe, following the grain of the fabric.
  3. Deep Cleaning: If water isn’t enough to remove the stains from your shoes, try putting a small amount of hand washing liquid onto a damp cloth. Rub the cloth to produce a lather and dab any stains with the soapy cloth. 
  4. Rinse: Immediately rinse the shoe by patting with a clean cloth and cold water to remove any soapy residue.
  5. Dry: Use a hand towel to dab your shoes dry. Rubbing the fabric could cause water marks to stain the shoes, so avoid this at all costs. Similarly, air-drying could result in watermarks so make sure you remove as much moisture as you can with the clean hand towel.

• So you want to start dancing professionally?

  Posted on March 23 2017

  We chatted with some of the top professional dancers and studio owners in Canada about what it takes to dance professionally!

  We talked to Christopher Panasuk, owner of Arthur Murray Montreal Dance Studio and three time Canadian Smooth Champion. His advice? Be ready to work hard! Pro dancing is not for the faint of heart - you need to be dedicated!

  Next, Dimitry Ilyushenov, Silhouette Dance Studio owner and 3 time Canadian Professional Smooth Champion, says that if it's not your passion - this will be even more challenging. You need to live and breathe dance if you want to make it professionally.

  Josee Lapine, owner of Let's Dance Studio in Ottawa says to find the best teachers and take as many lessons as you can.

  Sharon Levit, owner of the Arthur Murray Studio in Ajax and the Canadian Professional Latin, Smooth, and Rhythm Champion says that practice must be considered your job. This is where you'll learn and grow the most - so it needs to be taken very seriously.

  And finally, we chatting with Anna Borshch and Anton Lebedev, owners of the Arthur Murray Studio in Ajax, 8-time Canadian Champions, and 8th in the World Championship in Professional Standard. They say to make sure you're doing this for yourself. When you start to try to 'beat people' or just 'be the best' and you're not doing it because you love it and want to improve for yourself, you won't dance your best!

• Why do you need practice shoes?

  Posted on March 23 2017

  

  A dancer, no matter what level grows and develops their craft during practice. It's possibly the most important way a dancer can spend their time - and much more time is spent practicing than performing or dancing in front of an audience in general. For this reason, the shoes a dancer picks to practice in is an extremely important decision and one that should not be taken lightly.

  There are several factors to look at when selecting a pair of practice shoes - your dance level, the type of floor you're dancing on, and how long you generally practice for. This article will tackle each of these concerns so that you are armed with all the information you need on why practice shoes are so important!

  First to consider is your level of dance. In general, the more advanced a dancer, the higher the heel you'll want to wear for practice. Beginners should start out in either no heel, or a very low heel. Dance shoe heels are placed in slightly different places than regular street shoes, and therefore it takes some time to get used to the way they feel. The worst case is when a dancer wears too high of heels and then can't move properly in them and is prone to injury.

  

  That being said, the amount of time you spend practicing should also be considered. Even professionals wear dance sneakers when practicing for very long periods of time, especially when learning a new routine or moves. They will then graduate to a higher heel so that they can dance as thought they will in a performance.

  A dance sneaker is a great option for beginners. These are shoes that are designed for typical dance floors, but are extra supportive and provide just enough grip and slide so that you can easily move on the dance floor. These shoes are very flexible and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

  

  Finally, the floor your dancing on should also be taken into consideration. If it's particularly slippery, a dance sneaker might be the best option until you really find your footing and are feeling confident.

  You should never wear your street shoes on the dance floor - for practice or performance. Street shoes are generally rubber on the soles and do not provide the particular kind of support required by dancers.

  What's your preferred type of dance shoe for practice?

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