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Katy J. Kaiser
March 04, 2024
Great Shoe for Social Dancing
I purchased these shoes to dance West Coast Swing. I selected these shoes because I wanted something supportive that would still let me feel (and push through) the floor. These shoes amazed me: I never once felt unstable in them, and I had better contact with the floor in these shoes than I did with my strappy WCS sandals. The elastic is perfect— not too tight or too loose— and it’s well made so I’m not worried about its longevity. The shoe is a nice cross between a Cuban heel upper and a ballet slipper lower. If you’re looking for something that has a character shoe lower (firmer, structured leather), you’d be better off with the Sansha (though good luck with the sizing).I have two gripes about the shoe. First, I’m not sure how well the leather at the toes will hold up long term, for my style of dance. It’s well made, but it’s soft and supple like a ballet slipper. It could stretch nicely, or I could wear a hole through eventually. Time will tell. Second, I’m accustomed to a Cuban heel for social dancing and while this is the right height, the depth of the heel (back of heel to front of heel) is longer than a standard Cuban heel and it dug into my mid-sole while standing (e.g. observing teachers). It’s annoying enough that if it were a toe shoe I would take a file to the heel, but it’s not and I’m hoping I get accustomed to it. The heel depth doesn’t bother me while dancing, only while standing more or less stationary.A note on comfort: the first time I wore these I wore them HARD. I was in them for hours of workshops and hours of social dancing (about 10 hours, total). I did end the night with blisters, but they were minor given how long and how active I was in this shoe. They were comfortable enough that I chose to stay in this shoe instead of swapping to another shoe that was already broken in.Highly recommend.
✔ Verified Purchase
My new favorite dance shoes :)
I purchased these Bloch teaching sandals in ballet pink in a size 8. I also bought the Sansha teaching sandals in black in a size 10 (they run small and were awkwardly long and narrow... but that’s another review). After swing dancing in my Capezio 1.5” character shoes for 2 years, I wanted a lower-heeled, but still nice-looking dance shoe, especially since I’m currently learning lindy. All three of these shoes are pictured for reference (the Capezio’s are also a size 8). I also have a pair of Block lace-up jazz shoes (size 8) that I have worn to smithereens.Okay - are you ready? These shoes are SO AMAZING. They fit exactly like my Bloch jazz shoes and took exactly zero minutes to break in. I have a wider foot with a narrow heel, so the fact that these shoes come up around the ball of my feet and don’t rub anywhere is a gift from heaven above. The heel is a perfect height for lindy, swing, and contra (I’ve worn these to dance all of those so far) and they aren’t so tight or short that my toes are crying out by the end of the night. The fact that these are indeed sandals also means your feet can BREATHE. I don’t know why they don’t make more all-leather teaching sandals, because they are the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever danced in.These babies are SUPER soft leather with a cloth lining in the toe (which I love, since it makes them more forgiving than the stiffer leather-lined Sansha’s). The heel is suede-lined, as is the footbed, with the exception of the pink leather piece under your heel. The elastic band on the instep isn’t too tight, even for my extremely high arch and instep, and makes them super easy to get on/off. The sole and heel are suede and provide just enough traction, even on not-so-clean wood floors. Also, the color is exactly what you’d expect ballet pink to be. Not a weird nude, just nice, classic ballet pink.One note about sizing: I usually wear an 8 in street shoes, sometimes an 8.5. I am a true 39, if you use European sizing. My Capezio’s (8M) were a bit snug on me in both length and width, but have stretched over time to be perfect. My Bloch jazz shoes (8M) are a smiiiidge big on me, and if I wanted absolutely ZERO room for my feet to move around, I probably would have purchased a 7.5M in these teaching sandals. Since these are a soft sole (they don’t have any support/stiffness between the ball of your foot and your heel), the sole can bend/arch upward under your arch and take care of any extra length you have in the shoe. However, if you want to wear these sandals WITHOUT nylons and DON’T want them to feel like they’re painted on to your skin, go with [the smaller of] your regular street shoe size[s].As Fred Astaire sang: “Put on your dancing shoes, stop wasting time; Put on your dancing shoes, watch your spirits climb!”
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Nouvelle Héloïse
June 16, 2024
What happened?!
TL;DR: Either I was scammed or else Bloch has redesigned these to be practically unwearable.I'm a 40-something dancer with cranky, middle-aged feet--nothing extraordinary for my age. I have been wearing this make and model of shoes for several years. I prefer the "standard" model over the elastosplit one because the latter pulls on my toes, and I simply find that uncomfortable.Bloch seemingly stopped making these a few years ago, and I was really worried I'd have to find another shoe. They eventually brought them back and had clearly made changes to the construction: They felt a bit narrower, the heel was a little different in shape, the lining of the front was fabric instead of leather, etc. Clearly, I knew these shoes well. I prefer the older style, but the newer one was fine, I could work with it.I purchased a pair from Amazon recently (May 2024), because it was open-box and a good price. THEY WERE TERRIBLE. The lining leather did not feel like leather, it was like rough cardboard; the cutouts at the front go deeper (further forward) and the seams now rub my foot in an extremely uncomfortable way. I could not get them off my feet fast enough.I've been threatening to make my own shoes for years. I guess now's the time. :(
✔ Verified Purchase
Overall good show
Overall good beginner dance shoe that serves its purpose. Very lightweight and flexible. I purchased it for salsa class and so far so good. Only caveat is sole is very thin so not sure how long will last.
✔ Verified Purchase
