This was my first clogging shoe. I really like it. It has a hard leather sole with a shank, and while you can't do toe stands in it, it's a great shoe. The shoe is available in black, white, and red leather. I got the Stevens Stomper Buck Taps.
Quality: Great overall quality. The leather is a good quality, and the taps are great. All the nails were pounded in properly.
Price: $69.95 with taps installed.
Fit: I find them to be same as street, but Stevens Clogging has a great size graphic that helps you select a size.
Where to buy: www.stevensclogging.com, though I have seen them through other vendors and on Ebay.
Customer Service: Excellent. They tend to refer you to the size graphic for sizing, but they ship very fast and pack the product well. I was very happy with my experience and will order from them again.
What I liked: Durability, comfort, good taps.
What I didn't like: these run a tad narrow and are very pointy.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Irish Dance Shoes: Antonio Pacelli leather sole ghillies $$
I bought these as my utility ghillies. They are a leather ghillie with a harder leather sole. I wanted something durable as my favorite ghillies are pretty expensive and I don't wear them to class often. I was not impressed with these.
Quality: I was not impressed with the leather quality. The pair I had seemed to be peeling in places after one class.
Price: $40
Fit: UK sizes, so the usual 1.5-2 sizes smaller than street shoe size. Again, I apparently have not learned my lesson and got these too big!
Where to buy: Irish dance vendors such as www.keilys.com
What I liked: The leather sole is very durable, while geared towards beginners.
What I didn't like: The leather sole hurt my foot right where it connects under the toes. I could feel the bulge. I wasn't happy with the leather quality either.
Quality: I was not impressed with the leather quality. The pair I had seemed to be peeling in places after one class.
Price: $40
Fit: UK sizes, so the usual 1.5-2 sizes smaller than street shoe size. Again, I apparently have not learned my lesson and got these too big!
Where to buy: Irish dance vendors such as www.keilys.com
What I liked: The leather sole is very durable, while geared towards beginners.
What I didn't like: The leather sole hurt my foot right where it connects under the toes. I could feel the bulge. I wasn't happy with the leather quality either.
Flamenco Shoes: Gallardo Studio Leather $$$
Gallardo is a very respected name in Flamenco shoes. I had been wanting a pair of these for some time before I actually got them. If I had been smart, I would've checked into widths a bit more. Mine are a little narrow as a regular width. This is a very stiff shoe and takes a bit to break in. I like Flamenco shoes a bit tight, but until the leather started to break in and soften on these, my feet looked like two sausages stuffed into the shoes. Flamenco world lists them as a professional level shoe.
Quality: Excellent. The sole is stitched leather and the nails on the toe and heel are a professional quality. The leather takes a bit to break in. I expect to have these for a while.
Price: $180+
Fit: I take a 40, but even with liking a tight shoe, I would probably go to a 41 next time.
Where to buy: www.freedusa.com if you want basic black, 2" heel, and regular width, www.flamenco-world.com if you would like a wider selection of colors, heel heights, and widths.
Customer service: I got mine from Freed. While they are friendly and knowledgeable, they are still mainly a ballet supplier. I would recommend Flamenco World. They accept Paypal, and the Customer Service is really good. Plus, the order form online is pretty extensive and offers a lot of options. I ordered several items at once from them and didn't find the shipping to take too long from Spain. I also felt their shipping rates were fairly comparable to what I pay here in the US, at least for what I ordered.
What I liked: Great shoe, very durable
What I didn't like: break-in time, width I purchased.
Quality: Excellent. The sole is stitched leather and the nails on the toe and heel are a professional quality. The leather takes a bit to break in. I expect to have these for a while.
Price: $180+
Fit: I take a 40, but even with liking a tight shoe, I would probably go to a 41 next time.
Where to buy: www.freedusa.com if you want basic black, 2" heel, and regular width, www.flamenco-world.com if you would like a wider selection of colors, heel heights, and widths.
Customer service: I got mine from Freed. While they are friendly and knowledgeable, they are still mainly a ballet supplier. I would recommend Flamenco World. They accept Paypal, and the Customer Service is really good. Plus, the order form online is pretty extensive and offers a lot of options. I ordered several items at once from them and didn't find the shipping to take too long from Spain. I also felt their shipping rates were fairly comparable to what I pay here in the US, at least for what I ordered.
What I liked: Great shoe, very durable
What I didn't like: break-in time, width I purchased.
Ballet Shoes: Bloch Suprima $$
This was my favorite pointe shoe. It took a lot of abuse. While it was more on the narrow, tapered side for my foot shape, I still really liked the way it performed.
Quality: Decent shank. Not too stiff or too flexible. These shoes tend to last a bit too. I didn't seem to have to replace them quite as often as others. The glue in the box seems to hold its shape for a while.
Price: $45+
Where to buy: most dance retailers that stock Bloch. www.discountdance.com
What I liked: Stable, responsive, comfortable.
What I didn't like: A little narrow.
Quality: Decent shank. Not too stiff or too flexible. These shoes tend to last a bit too. I didn't seem to have to replace them quite as often as others. The glue in the box seems to hold its shape for a while.
Price: $45+
Where to buy: most dance retailers that stock Bloch. www.discountdance.com
What I liked: Stable, responsive, comfortable.
What I didn't like: A little narrow.
Ballet shoes: Capezio Pavlowa Pointe Shoes $$
I had to list these as they were my first pointe shoes ever. They were the first shoe all of us got in town as there was one store and all they carried was Capezio and this one pointe shoe. They used to be a scary cotton candy pink rather than the peachy European pink of a more professional shoe. These seem to be more pointed and tapered than most shoes.
Quality: If they're still making them like they did back then, you could probably run over them with a car.
Price: $40+
Where to buy: Most Capezio dealers. www.discountdance.com
What I liked: They were sturdy.
What I didn't like: At the time, the color. I was badly fit in an A width, so the outer part of my foot jutted out past the side wing of the shoe. It also caused me to knuckle over badly.
Quality: If they're still making them like they did back then, you could probably run over them with a car.
Price: $40+
Where to buy: Most Capezio dealers. www.discountdance.com
What I liked: They were sturdy.
What I didn't like: At the time, the color. I was badly fit in an A width, so the outer part of my foot jutted out past the side wing of the shoe. It also caused me to knuckle over badly.
Ballet slippers: Bloch S0205L $
I got a pair of these just before I retired from ballet in 1998. I STILL HAVE THEM. I wear them for Middle Eastern dance now. They are worn and starting to get holey, have no drawstring or elastics, but I can't part with them. I've had to file them a couple of times to get the studio floor snot off of them as they get kinda slippy. (I also wouldn't recommend getting too close to them at this point). These are your basic old-school pink leather, full-sole ballet slipper. I tend to like a full-sole over a split, but that's just me. Ballet slippers as a whole are great for Middle Eastern Dance, especially if you're like me and don't like to be barefoot on gross floors.
Quality: Good construction. As you can see, I've had them for a while, but Bloch seems to be very consistent about their construction. I've worn a few different types of their shoes over the years and been pretty happy with them.
Price: Super Cheap! Typically around $12
Fit: Size guides say 2.5-3 sizes smaller than street. I got a 7B and it works.
Where to buy: Any online dance wear company that carries Bloch. These are super-basic.
What I like: Cheap, decent leather. The fact that they have lasted forever. Reasonably comfortable.
What I didn't like: The fact that I will have to replace them before long. They also only seem to be available in pink.
Quality: Good construction. As you can see, I've had them for a while, but Bloch seems to be very consistent about their construction. I've worn a few different types of their shoes over the years and been pretty happy with them.
Price: Super Cheap! Typically around $12
Fit: Size guides say 2.5-3 sizes smaller than street. I got a 7B and it works.
Where to buy: Any online dance wear company that carries Bloch. These are super-basic.
What I like: Cheap, decent leather. The fact that they have lasted forever. Reasonably comfortable.
What I didn't like: The fact that I will have to replace them before long. They also only seem to be available in pink.
Irish Dance: Rutherford Flexi Light Sole Jig Shoes $$$
I have the Light Sole Jig Shoes, hytech squared off tips with straps. This is the end of the line for me with Irish Hard shoes. I will never wear another shoe. This is supportive, comfortable, durable, and just perfect for my feet. The toe is rounded and good for square toes.
Quality: The leather is an excellent quality. It is thicker than I remembered and very durable. The heels and tips are secure. The leather stitched sole is lightly flexible, but thick enough to be supportive. I really like the sound quality of the tips. I find them to have the billiard ball sound.
Price: $135-$145 Pricing seems to be relative with most vendors. I have yet to find the Discount Dance equivalent for Irish Dance. If someone knows of one, please feel free to share!
Fit: typically lists the same as other UK sizes, 1.5-2 sizes smaller than street shoe. I wear a 6-6.5 Plus Wide. If you have fit questions, you can always e-mail them. They are very prompt in response and super helpful!
Where to buy: most Irish Dance retailers, but I prefer to order directly from Rutherford at www.rutherfordshoes.com.
Customer Service: Excellent. Great communication. I ordered my last pair last month during the busy season before the Oireachtas. They didn't have my size in stock, but they notified me immediately and I still got them quickly.
What I like: Everything. Rutherford understands the concept of wide width. The shoe is comfortable and sounds great. The leather sole is very supportive. I can get on my toes, but I don't have shin splints. The platform on the squared-off toe is very wide and stable.
What I didn't like: Nothing.
Quality: The leather is an excellent quality. It is thicker than I remembered and very durable. The heels and tips are secure. The leather stitched sole is lightly flexible, but thick enough to be supportive. I really like the sound quality of the tips. I find them to have the billiard ball sound.
Price: $135-$145 Pricing seems to be relative with most vendors. I have yet to find the Discount Dance equivalent for Irish Dance. If someone knows of one, please feel free to share!
Fit: typically lists the same as other UK sizes, 1.5-2 sizes smaller than street shoe. I wear a 6-6.5 Plus Wide. If you have fit questions, you can always e-mail them. They are very prompt in response and super helpful!
Where to buy: most Irish Dance retailers, but I prefer to order directly from Rutherford at www.rutherfordshoes.com.
Customer Service: Excellent. Great communication. I ordered my last pair last month during the busy season before the Oireachtas. They didn't have my size in stock, but they notified me immediately and I still got them quickly.
What I like: Everything. Rutherford understands the concept of wide width. The shoe is comfortable and sounds great. The leather sole is very supportive. I can get on my toes, but I don't have shin splints. The platform on the squared-off toe is very wide and stable.
What I didn't like: Nothing.
Flamenco Shoes: Capezio FLM10 $$
I purchased these shoes when I returned to Flamenco after knee surgery. I didn't know if I was going to be able to continue, and wanted something inexpensive. As Capezio is a brand I grew up with, I thought I'd give 'em a shot. This shoe has a 2" heel and nails on the toe and heel. I would definitely list it as a student shoe for the budget-minded. I found it to be a pretty comfortable shoe.
Quality: The shoe is leather with nails in the toes and heels. The sole has stitching, but is not the good quality that you see in a better student or professional shoe. The nails are pretty consistent with student shoes---not very good, and not very many.
Price: $40-50
Fit: Capezio seems to fit pretty consistently with street shoe size. I like a tight fit in Flamenco shoes, but this is a pinch loose. I can fit a foam insole inside it.
Where to buy: www.backbaydancewear.com
www.discountdance.com
Customer Service: I have had good experiences with both vendors and have used them for many years. Good communication and fast shipping.
What I liked: comfy fit, price point, decent quality
What I didn't like: The heel is a bit too narrow for a Flamenco shoe. It is more like the higher-heeled character shoes I have worn in the past. Because of this, it feels a little unstable for some footwork. The nails are also cheap.
Quality: The shoe is leather with nails in the toes and heels. The sole has stitching, but is not the good quality that you see in a better student or professional shoe. The nails are pretty consistent with student shoes---not very good, and not very many.
Price: $40-50
Fit: Capezio seems to fit pretty consistently with street shoe size. I like a tight fit in Flamenco shoes, but this is a pinch loose. I can fit a foam insole inside it.
Where to buy: www.backbaydancewear.com
www.discountdance.com
Customer Service: I have had good experiences with both vendors and have used them for many years. Good communication and fast shipping.
What I liked: comfy fit, price point, decent quality
What I didn't like: The heel is a bit too narrow for a Flamenco shoe. It is more like the higher-heeled character shoes I have worn in the past. Because of this, it feels a little unstable for some footwork. The nails are also cheap.
Clogging Shoes: Director's Cut $$$
This shoe was recommended to me by my clogging teacher as a split sole shoe as many students at the school use them. I already had another shoe that I liked when I started, but as I do toe stands already, this was suggested. This was a bad experience all around.
This is a split sole shoe. I got it with buck taps.
Quality: The leather itself seems good, but the pair I got arrived with two splits in the leather. The reinforced box appears to be a piece of cardboard around the toe. I don't expect this to last too long. The taps are not great. I had to spend an extra $10 at the shoe repair place to get the nails pounded back in. Almost every nail was out to the top tap. Being used to Steven's Stomper Taps, the taps on these shoes just seem, well, cheap.
Price: with taps, $82.95 plus shipping
Fit: I got a 9.5M. They seem to fit around your street shoe size.
Where to buy: www.carlsclogging.com
Customer Service: I did not have a good experience. Two weeks after I placed the order, I had not heard anything or received the shoes. (The vendor is in the next state, a few hours drive from here). I sent an e-mail inquiring about the lead time. I heard nothing for almost two weeks. I tried calling the 800 number on the website and got no response. There was no voicemail or any way to leave a message at that time. A day or so before I got the e-mail reply, I received the shoes. The e-mail wasn't especially apologetic about the delay in receipt or the delay in response. They even said they had to make more shoes and mine would ship when this had been done. That's a little scary, the fact that they didn't seem to know what they had shipped. If I was a dishonest person, I could've really taken advantage of that situation. The shoes were not packaged well. They were in a post office box which was damaged in transit. While this was not the vendor's fault, they still should've packaged the shoes better. The shoes were just inside the box. No invoice, no packing list or materials, not even wrapped in anything. And then I saw the to splits in the leather. They are small, and not all the way through, but almost. I was able to bandaid them with some super glue and an epoxy I have. And then turning them over and finding most of the nails raised. Seriously? I expect nails to work their way out over time, but not when I receive a new pair of shoes! After the bad communication I experienced, there was no way I was going to even try to deal with a return. I later found out that several parents at the school had other bad experiences with the vendor. I will not be going back.
What I liked: The width is actually wide, and the toe is rounded. This works well for a foot like mine. The leather is soft and supple, so even if they are not quite wide enough, they will stretch.
What I didn't like: Cheap taps, the leather on the sole seems cheap as well. The shoes have no support at all. Split sole shoes are often very flexible and offer less support than a solid sole, but I would liken the support in these shoes to slightly more than a pair of ballet slippers. I get terrible shin splints every time I wear them, so I will probably sell them once I find a different split sole shoe.
This is a split sole shoe. I got it with buck taps.
Quality: The leather itself seems good, but the pair I got arrived with two splits in the leather. The reinforced box appears to be a piece of cardboard around the toe. I don't expect this to last too long. The taps are not great. I had to spend an extra $10 at the shoe repair place to get the nails pounded back in. Almost every nail was out to the top tap. Being used to Steven's Stomper Taps, the taps on these shoes just seem, well, cheap.
Price: with taps, $82.95 plus shipping
Fit: I got a 9.5M. They seem to fit around your street shoe size.
Where to buy: www.carlsclogging.com
Customer Service: I did not have a good experience. Two weeks after I placed the order, I had not heard anything or received the shoes. (The vendor is in the next state, a few hours drive from here). I sent an e-mail inquiring about the lead time. I heard nothing for almost two weeks. I tried calling the 800 number on the website and got no response. There was no voicemail or any way to leave a message at that time. A day or so before I got the e-mail reply, I received the shoes. The e-mail wasn't especially apologetic about the delay in receipt or the delay in response. They even said they had to make more shoes and mine would ship when this had been done. That's a little scary, the fact that they didn't seem to know what they had shipped. If I was a dishonest person, I could've really taken advantage of that situation. The shoes were not packaged well. They were in a post office box which was damaged in transit. While this was not the vendor's fault, they still should've packaged the shoes better. The shoes were just inside the box. No invoice, no packing list or materials, not even wrapped in anything. And then I saw the to splits in the leather. They are small, and not all the way through, but almost. I was able to bandaid them with some super glue and an epoxy I have. And then turning them over and finding most of the nails raised. Seriously? I expect nails to work their way out over time, but not when I receive a new pair of shoes! After the bad communication I experienced, there was no way I was going to even try to deal with a return. I later found out that several parents at the school had other bad experiences with the vendor. I will not be going back.
What I liked: The width is actually wide, and the toe is rounded. This works well for a foot like mine. The leather is soft and supple, so even if they are not quite wide enough, they will stretch.
What I didn't like: Cheap taps, the leather on the sole seems cheap as well. The shoes have no support at all. Split sole shoes are often very flexible and offer less support than a solid sole, but I would liken the support in these shoes to slightly more than a pair of ballet slippers. I get terrible shin splints every time I wear them, so I will probably sell them once I find a different split sole shoe.
Irish Dance Soft Shoes: Fays Platinum ghillies $$
This is one of the best pairs of ghillies I have worn. I found them to be very comfortable, although I ordered them way too big! These, like most ghillies, tend to stretch a bit. General size guidelines are 1.5-2 sizes smaller than your street. I got a 7.5 UK and really could've used a 6 or 6.5. Try them on at a feis or through a vendor if you can. The leather quality is excellent on these shoes, and they have a nice, black suede sole.
Quality: Good leather, the sole has a nice punchy feel with good construction.
Price point: $40-50
Fit: These are in UK sizes. While sizing says 1.5-2 sizes smaller than street, I found them to fit closer to 3-3.5 sizes smaller, depending on how tight you like your shoes.
What I liked: Quality, feel, general comfort.
What I didn't like: sizing, but that was really my error.
Where to buy: www.fayshoes.com
www.keilys.com
I have purchased from both vendors and had excellent customer service. They both ship pretty fast and are very nice to deal with.
Quality: Good leather, the sole has a nice punchy feel with good construction.
Price point: $40-50
Fit: These are in UK sizes. While sizing says 1.5-2 sizes smaller than street, I found them to fit closer to 3-3.5 sizes smaller, depending on how tight you like your shoes.
What I liked: Quality, feel, general comfort.
What I didn't like: sizing, but that was really my error.
Where to buy: www.fayshoes.com
www.keilys.com
I have purchased from both vendors and had excellent customer service. They both ship pretty fast and are very nice to deal with.
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