Brown Ballroom Dance

There is usually an organized team trip to buy shoes sometime in the first few weeks of the fall semester.

If you’re going on your own, the closest store is LaBrie in Smithfield. There are also stores in the greater Boston area.

Most of all, you should find a shoe you’ll be comfortable dancing in.

For Women

Generally an open toed sandal with a 2-3 inch heel is ideal — you can wear these for both standard/smooth and latin/rhythm. You will also want to get a pair of heel guards so that you don’t damage your shoes — talk to the costume managers to get some. If you’re not comfortable in heels or want a second pair of shoes, you might look into practice shoes, or child sized mens shoes. You’ll want to buy shoes a bit snug because leather and satin both stretch a bit.

For Men

Shoes come in standard (1/2”) and Cuban (1.5”) heels. You want 1/2” for your first pair of shoes. They also come in different styles of leather: matte and patent. The soles are suede. Regular is a safe bet for your first pair (most guys end up getting patent standard shoes and matte Latin shoes). You’ll want to find shoes that are snug, but not painful. You don’t want them to be as roomy as your street shoes, so you may need to get a smaller size.