| The most important part of proper
care for dance shoes is maintaining the suede
leather sole that is unique to ballroom shoes.
|
| Over time, floor wax will build
up on the sole and flatten the nap of the suede.
If not removed, the suede will become so matted
down that you are dancing on wax and not suede,
completely losing the advantage that the suede
sole gives your dancing. |
| You must use a stiff wire brush
to get rid of the wax and raise the nap back up
on the suede. Anytime you start to see shiny spots
on your sole is when you need to use the brush
- and don't be afraid to put some elbow grease
into brushing the sole, you won't wear down the
sole. |
| You want to take care of the
upper of the shoe just like you would any good
shoe. A leather shoe should be kept polished and
moisturized. There are some shoe fabric cleaners
on the market that can be effective for satin
shoes, but you should always test a small spot
first. Some ladies will use scotch guard or some
similar fabric protector initially and this will
help some with dust and dirt. |
| As mentioned before, when you
begin to feel that your shoe is a little loose,
you should invest in a padded insole for the ball
of the foot to help firm up the fit and keep the
material from unevenly stretching. Don't use a
full foot insole because this will push your heel
forward and you always want your heel to be completely
back in the heel cup of the shoe for best balance. |
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