If you’ve been around the Fed for a little while, you’ll start to notice some beautiful shoes. We compiled this list of dance shoes from several online sources (cited below) and added some comments from our staff members. This list is a work-in-progress. If you have any additional comments or suggestions, please send them via our contact form and we will add them!

And stay tuned for our upcoming list of men’s dance shoes…

Vintage Reproduction/Inspired Shoes

Re-mix Vintage Shoes ($$)

“I have several pairs from Re-mix which are super danceable! Balboa style and Emily style and both are great.”

– Keli Hawthorne

“I like my Re-Mix shoes a lot and feel the prettiest when I’m wearing them. Dancing in heels was something that I had to learn to do, and I recommend a thinner sole so that you can feel the floor.”

– Amanda Pincock

  • Based in California
  • Leather soles
  • They have holiday sales about twice a year with 10% off and free shipping. Subscribe to their newsletter.

Slide&Swing ($$)

“The leather is so soft and stretchy yet strong and durable. Perfect level of slickness on the sole. I can swivel, turn, and do Charleston in these! New favorite shoes!!”

– Ale Mier

  • Based in Spain
  • Leather soles
  • Heels, flats, dance boots
  • Follow their Facebook page for updates.

Saint Savoy Dancewear ($$)

“My current favs are Jitterbug style from Saint Savoy. Low heel and easy to dance in. I love the look of the Rivieras from them but they are a little high for me. I know lots of dancers love them though!”

– Keli Hawthorne

  • Based in Austria
  • Leather soles and vegan options
  • Heels, flats
  • They have periodic sales through their Facebook page.

Made in Lindy ($)

“They are cute and come in lots of customizable colors but I had to replace the heels on them because they didn’t last as long as the Remix or Saint Savoy brands. Still fun though!”

– Keli Hawthorne

“I bought my first pair of dance shoes from Made in Lindy. I loved that I could essentially design my own shoe by choosing the colors, heel height, and type of sole. They only lasted about a year but they were the perfect starter pair.”

– Sarah Bandy

  • Based in China
  • Leather soles, customizable color combos and heel heights
  • Heels
  • Order by messaging their Facebook page

B.a.i.t Footwear ($)

“I love my silver Robbie’s by B.a.i.t. Footwear. The block heel allows me to easily switch between Bal and Lindy. I should mention that I chromed them with full grain leather to protect my knees since the vegan sole has a slight drag. That particular style is available in about a dozen colors and almost all of their shoes are under a $100.”

– Sarah Bandy

  • Based in US
  • All vegan shoes
  • Heels, flats

Aris Allen ($)

“My first pair of dance shoes were Aris Allens. I appreciated not having to suede the soles myself and they were very comfortable.”

– Lizi George

  • Based in US
  • Leather, suede, and street soles
  • Heels, flats

Other Options

Modern Options

Keds ($)

“Keds are very popular for Lindy Hop. I prefer the Craze II and Center styles because they run a bit wider and are padded inside. But they don’t have all the fun colors…trade-offs. I suede the bottom of my Keds with the soles2dance sheets from Amazon.”

– Lizi George

“I’ve been wearing Keds more this last year than I ever have. I’m starting to appreciate the athletic feel and stability and what they allow me to feel safe doing.”

– Amanda Pincock

  • Based in US
  • Canvas upper, street soles
  • Flats
  • Can be found in regular shoe stores.

TOMS ($)

“I love TOMS because they are extremely lightweight and form to your feet. They also have a unique sole that is perfect for dancing straight out of the box. They can also sometimes be scored at thrift stores, for those who can’t buy them new.”

– Amanda Pincock

  • Based in US, for every purchase gives a pair of shoes to children in need
  • Canvas upper, vegan options, street soles
  • Flats

Other Options

Create your own!

“Personally, I’ve never bought ‘dance shoes’ for swing dancing. For versatility and comfort I glue suede to the soles of street shoes.”

– Janet Benaski

  • Glue suede to the soles
  • Stick-on suede sheets (Soles2dance on Amazon)

Sources:

  • https://www.reddit.com/r/SwingDancing/comments/6l06vi/lets_make_a_list_of_your_favourite_repro_brands/
  • http://www.heatherballew.com/faq/shoes
  • https://www.swingdance.la/shoes-for-swing-dancing/