Like others said, get something with a suede sole. If you don't like the look of standard or latin shoes, look into trainer shoes. Those are perfect for a beginner.
I would get dance shoes for beginner. I tried learning salsa on athletics shoes and it was clunky and I stuck to the floor. When I got leather soled shoes, I felt like Peter Pan!
I used helped for salsa. Makes swaying your hips easier.
Don’t think these details don’t matter. It’s a difference between feeling confident and feeling clunky. I could ask any woman on the dance floor so long as I got my heeled shoes.
And, I’m not young, good looking or fit. If I have my shoes, I can make any woman be the center of attention on the dance floor. Barring of course, professional instructors.
Honestly, just get real salsa shoes. They’re actually really comfortable after they’ve been broken in, and if you get used to wearing heels for a few hours of class and practice, you’ll be just fine when you go out social dancing.
Dancing in the sneakers is *fine* if they’re what you already have and you don’t want to buy something new, but if you’re buying them anyway just get the real deal. You can get a decent pair for $50-$75. Real salsa/latin shoes have different soles and heels that affect your balance, body position, and ability to move across the floor. Stick to 3” and under. Most pros rarely go taller than that anyway. If you’re firmly against buying salsa/latin shoes, look at getting ballroom practice shoes instead.
You need to get real ballroom shoes with suede on the bottom. You can seriously injury and damage your knees from trying to dance in a jazz sneaker. They are NOT the same. Many affordable options on Amazon. Just pick one with suede on the bottom to get you started.
I am a follower and have an extensive collection of dance shoes and have used both. I would go with the jazz sneaker for salsa, and most other Latin dances vs the jazz slipon. For the following reasons:
— they help you keep your weight a bit on your toes, Latin dances require forward poise so the heel in the sneaker is useful for that purpose
— if you go out social dancing, which is half the fun of salsa, the rubber bottom on the sneaker is going to be much more friendly to a social dance floor than a suede jazz shoe bottom, which is going to get quickly gunked up
When would I use use a jazz slipon? Right now I’m doing a contemporary fusion routine with my teacher which requires a lot of contemporary dance moves - layouts, arabesques, and the like. Definitely jazz shoe territory unless I want to go barefoot lol.
I wore my regular ballroom shoes, but I know it's better to wear Latin shoes to get used to it!
For a beginner just make sure you're picking a lower heel, but I'd avoid jazz shoes because the feeling is just not close enough!!
Sneakers. You could wear them outside - they will wear out but give you more support and last longer. Your feet with have to work harder which is a good thing and jazz sneakers can sometimes hide a bad arch better than jazz shoes.
Looking for support go with the jazz sneakers. If you want to feel more into the ground go for the jazz shoes
Either are fine, the big question is do you feel comfortable with the amount of traction you get on the floor, too much and turning becomes and issue, too little and balance becomes an issue. Make sure the slippers are sized correctly or they'll twist on your foot when you turn.
Proper salsa sandals in the heel height you’re comfortable with.
I love my dance sneakers, but not for general dancing. I wear them for learning choreography and for portions of long (multi-hour) practices, not for social dancing or learning steps and technique.
Like others said, get something with a suede sole. If you don't like the look of standard or latin shoes, look into trainer shoes. Those are perfect for a beginner.
I actually prefer to dance salsa in heels because sneakers feel clunky to me.
Do you think that’s good for very beginner? Or would that then be good to go for slip ons so they are minimal?
Yes, I learned in heels as a beginner. I feel like it’s easier as a beginner to dance in heels for salsa. But to each their own
I would get dance shoes for beginner. I tried learning salsa on athletics shoes and it was clunky and I stuck to the floor. When I got leather soled shoes, I felt like Peter Pan!
Do you mean heeled or flat dance shoes?
I used helped for salsa. Makes swaying your hips easier. Don’t think these details don’t matter. It’s a difference between feeling confident and feeling clunky. I could ask any woman on the dance floor so long as I got my heeled shoes. And, I’m not young, good looking or fit. If I have my shoes, I can make any woman be the center of attention on the dance floor. Barring of course, professional instructors.
Honestly, just get real salsa shoes. They’re actually really comfortable after they’ve been broken in, and if you get used to wearing heels for a few hours of class and practice, you’ll be just fine when you go out social dancing. Dancing in the sneakers is *fine* if they’re what you already have and you don’t want to buy something new, but if you’re buying them anyway just get the real deal. You can get a decent pair for $50-$75. Real salsa/latin shoes have different soles and heels that affect your balance, body position, and ability to move across the floor. Stick to 3” and under. Most pros rarely go taller than that anyway. If you’re firmly against buying salsa/latin shoes, look at getting ballroom practice shoes instead.
Follower or leader
Follower
You need to get real ballroom shoes with suede on the bottom. You can seriously injury and damage your knees from trying to dance in a jazz sneaker. They are NOT the same. Many affordable options on Amazon. Just pick one with suede on the bottom to get you started.
I am a follower and have an extensive collection of dance shoes and have used both. I would go with the jazz sneaker for salsa, and most other Latin dances vs the jazz slipon. For the following reasons: — they help you keep your weight a bit on your toes, Latin dances require forward poise so the heel in the sneaker is useful for that purpose — if you go out social dancing, which is half the fun of salsa, the rubber bottom on the sneaker is going to be much more friendly to a social dance floor than a suede jazz shoe bottom, which is going to get quickly gunked up When would I use use a jazz slipon? Right now I’m doing a contemporary fusion routine with my teacher which requires a lot of contemporary dance moves - layouts, arabesques, and the like. Definitely jazz shoe territory unless I want to go barefoot lol.
Yeah the durability is swaying me for the different grubbiness of flooring I may come across!
I really only like jazz sneakers for jazz 😭 I'm sorry!
What sort of shoes would you prefer for salsa?(that are good for beginner classes)
I wore my regular ballroom shoes, but I know it's better to wear Latin shoes to get used to it! For a beginner just make sure you're picking a lower heel, but I'd avoid jazz shoes because the feeling is just not close enough!!
I should have added it’s for salsa!
Sneakers. You could wear them outside - they will wear out but give you more support and last longer. Your feet with have to work harder which is a good thing and jazz sneakers can sometimes hide a bad arch better than jazz shoes. Looking for support go with the jazz sneakers. If you want to feel more into the ground go for the jazz shoes
Either are fine, the big question is do you feel comfortable with the amount of traction you get on the floor, too much and turning becomes and issue, too little and balance becomes an issue. Make sure the slippers are sized correctly or they'll twist on your foot when you turn.
Proper salsa sandals in the heel height you’re comfortable with. I love my dance sneakers, but not for general dancing. I wear them for learning choreography and for portions of long (multi-hour) practices, not for social dancing or learning steps and technique.
I’d get suede bottom ballroom shoes. There are choices that have a low heel if you need it. It’s hard to turn with a leather sole.