Recently I've received some inquiries from first time tango apprentices asking what shoes to wear to their first class.  I figured that it would be interesting to write a blog on this topic to provide more information for those who are curious about tango shoes and may find few tips useful.

Surprisingly, I got some good information from Wikipedia.  First and foremost, a shoe is an item of footwear evolved at first to protect the human foot and later, additionally as an item of decoration itself (a quote from Wikipedia).  Nice and simple, right?   Since the foot contains more bones than any other single part of the body, shoes are important for balance and ambulation (ambulation = walking).  Wow, isn't that the same as what we all try to learn to balance and ambulate naturally in tango?!  So, this concludes that our tango shoes should first protect our feet, look nice, help us balance and walk smoother.  If you find your shoes don't satisfy those basic requirements, perhaps they are not right for you regardless for tango or not!

Then I searched a bit more about the history of tango shoes, during World War I with the craze of popularized tango dancing, women tango shoes were designed with criss-crossing straps at the ankles that peeked out from draped and wrapped evening skirts.  Imagine women did not have the extravagance to wear fancy big skirt during this war period so they shorten the skirt and show off their feet!  Tango shoes have carried on the traditions of the sexy and sensual elements since the early 1900's.  So ladies, remember not only you need shoes that protect and are comfortable, they also need to be sexy and sensual to carry on the essence of tango shoes!

That sounds like a challenge to meet all those requirements but in fact, it's not so difficult with the abundance of great tango shoe makers in the market nowadays.  Those shoe makers (mostly from Argentina), have designed shoes especially for tango dancing that meet all the elements mentioned earlier in the blog.  Brands such as Comme il Faut, Tango Brujo, Artesanal, NeoTango and etc, are just some good examples of shoe brands that make tango dancing so much more pleasant when you find the right pair of shoes to show off your dancing feet.  You can get a pair with closed or open toes, closed or open ankles, straps in varied designs, skinny heels or chunky heels in different height (as high as you can handle), materials in suede, fabrics, leather...you name it...the choices are unlimited and you will definitely find a suitable pair for your taste or more.

Of course, one may ask, what if my feet hurt or I don't want to ruin my only pair of expensive tango shoes when I am only practicing?  Or I am just starting out tango and not sure if I want to invest in a pair of tango shoes yet?  Sneakers are your answers!  I know the sneakers may not have the same sex appeal as compared to the kitty heels but they are functional and could save you lives when your feet are swollen with hours of dancing.  Believe or not, there are tango sneakers out in the market that combine protective shelters for your feet with kitty heels (check out Fabio Shoes).  Well, it's not required that you buy a pair of tango sneakers.  The sneakers with soles that are easy to twist (e.g. Pumas) would do the job fine.  Just need to make sure you feel easy to move in those shoes when you dance.

One last note before I conclude this blog, it's quite common that buying tango shoes could be addictive (ask the tangueras around you).  They are like candies with beautiful ornaments that you just can't stop even you are full.  Don't be surprised you inherit the tango shoe fettish as you advance further in tango dancing! 

Have fun dancing in your sexy tango shoes!  

Last update: 28-02-2009 11:57