3 Best Men’s Dance Shoes With Suede Sole: Beginner’s Guide | Ballroom Dance Planet — All Rights Reserved (2024)

If you are looking for your first pair of dance shoes with suede soles, you may wonder where to start. In this article, we will recommend three of the best men’s dance shoes with suede soles for beginners.

We will also provide a guide on choosing the right shoe size and style for your needs. So, whether you are just starting or you’re an experienced dancer looking for a new pair of shoes, read on for our recommendations!

In a Hurry?

If you don’t have much time, use the links below to quickly find two of our suggested Men’s Dance Shoes with Suede Sole for you on Amazon. You can be assured we only choose the best products…

1. Very Fine

2. Capezio

At a Glance: Our Top Men’s Dance Shoes with Suede Sole

What to Look for in a Dance Shoe

When you are looking for the best pair of men’s dance shoes, you should pay attention to comfort, support, performance, and style.

These features will help prevent injury and keep your feet comfortable all night.

They will help you perform at your best by providing the support you need.

They offer the perfect amount of traction while allowing you to glide across the dance floor.

The overall comfort and fit of the shoe are critical.

The shoe should feel snug around your foot and prevent it from moving around.

If it is too loose, it may be hard to grip the floor; if it is too tight, you will lose flexibility and can suffer an injury.

Styles of Men’s Dance Shoes

3 Best Men’s Dance Shoes With Suede Sole: Beginner’s Guide | Ballroom Dance Planet — All Rights Reserved (1)

There are three basic styles of men’s dance shoes:

Latin, Standard, and Practice.

The difference is primarily in the height of the heel, and you will want to use the shoe that best suits your dance choices.

  • Latin Dance Shoes: Latin dance shoes have what is called a 1.5” Cuban heel and the sole is usually suede.

They are used for the samba and rumba.

These shoes are almost always used in competitions or for learning Latin dances.

  • Standard Dance Shoes: Standard ballroom shoes are very similar to men’s dress shoes in appearance but they have a sole made of suede.

They usually have a heel that is about 0.5” high and they are usually worn for dancing the foxtrot or the waltz.

  • Practice Shoes: Practice shoes are for practicing.

They are usually made with a canvas upper that allows your feet to breathe and they do not normally have a heel.

Best Men’s Dance Shoes with Suede Sole List

If you are looking for the best men’s dance shoes with suede sole, you can try any of the following.

They offer comfort, fit, and quality that will allow you to enjoy hours on the dance floor in great form.

1. Capezio Men’s Standard Ballroom Shoes

The Capezio men’s Standard ballroom dance shoe is a lace-up dance shoe in faux leather.

It features a 1” heel with a suede sole for shock absorption on the dance floor.

It has a flexible outsole, and it is black.

3 Best Men’s Dance Shoes With Suede Sole: Beginner’s Guide | Ballroom Dance Planet — All Rights Reserved (2)

On the interior, the shoe has a shock-absorbing sponge insole and a padded Achilles notch that assists in incredible comfort.

The cotton lining absorbs moisture and keeps your feet dry when you are on the dance floor for hours.

These shoes are great for entry-level ballroom dancers.

Capezio is a trusted name in dance shoes.

The company was founded in 1871 by Salvatore Capezio, a cobbler situated across from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

The best features of these shoes are the following:

Shock-absorbing sponge insole

Suede sole

Soft PU leather upper

Moisture-absorbent cotton lining

1” standard style EVA wrapped heel with suede top lift

Folded edges, padded collar, and Achilles notch for comfort

2. Very Fine Ballroom Latin Dance Shoes

The Very Fine Latin Dance Shoes are black patent leather and they have a non-slip suede sole.

The outer sole is ultra-soft and professional quality, and the shoes are lightweight and comfortable.

On the inside, it has a cushioned insole for shock absorption and comfort.

3 Best Men’s Dance Shoes With Suede Sole: Beginner’s Guide | Ballroom Dance Planet — All Rights Reserved (3)

The Very Fine Dance Shoe company is located in California and specializes in producing quality dance shoes.

This shoe is perfect for many Latin dances including the salsa, the tango, the rumba, the cha-cha, the samba, the jive, and more.

These shoes are comfortable and will raise your dance level in no time.

These shoes have the following great features:

Non-slip suede sole

Lightweight, comfortable feel

Cushioned insole for shock absorption and comfort

Professional ultra soft suede outer sole

3. Very Fine Flat Heel Dance Shoes

These Very Fine Flat Heel Dance Shoes are black leather, and they have a non-slip suede sole.

They are lightweight and comfortable and offer a cushioned insole that allows for long-lasting comfort.

These shoes are made with professional dancers in mind, so you can be certain that your feet will be comfortable for an entire dance night.

3 Best Men’s Dance Shoes With Suede Sole: Beginner’s Guide | Ballroom Dance Planet — All Rights Reserved (4)

You can wear these dance shoes for many different dances including the salsa, tango, rumba, cha-cha, samba, jive, and more.

These shoes are a great choice and they come with a foldable shoe brush so that you can easily take care of your shoes.

These shoes have the following features:

Non-slip suede sole

Lightweight, comfortable feel

Shock absorption and comfort from a cushioned insole

Ultra-soft, professional-grade suede outer sole

Bundle with a foldable shoe brush

Men’s Dance Shoes with Suede Sole Chart

BrandSoleMaterialHeel
1. Very FineNon-Slip SuedePatent-leather1.5 inch
2. CapezioSuedeSynthetic faux leatherone-inch
3. Very Fine Flat HeelNon-Slip SuedeLeatherFlat

Final Words

Having the best men’s dance shoes with suede soles will make a huge difference in your ability to dance, and your experience will be more enjoyable.

The key difference is in the soles.

Normal men’s shoes are made of leather or rubber, but men’s dance shoes are made of suede.

In addition, men’s shoes for dancing have a more flexible heel and offer greater arch support.

All of these features ensure that your feet stay comfortable for hours of dancing fun.

These shoes have a suede sole that allows you to glide across the dance floor, and they will hold your foot snugly to prevent injury.

All of the featured shoes are well made and will work well for you on the dance floor.

The soles are non-slip and the shoes are all lightweight and provide comfort for your feet.

You will find that you have better performance and your feet will not be tired and sore after a night of dancing.

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Read More…

  • Men’s Ballroom Dance Shoes: Beginners Guide
  • Professional ballroom dance shoes: Top 3 Benefits
  • Professional Dancer Shoes: Top 4 Things You Need to Know
  • What are the Best Ballroom Dance Shoe Brands?
3 Best Men’s Dance Shoes With Suede Sole: Beginner’s Guide | Ballroom Dance Planet — All Rights Reserved (2024)

FAQs

Which sole is best for dance shoes? ›

Suede or leather soles are the most popular choices for salsa dancing, as they provide just the right amount of grip and slip on the dance floor. However, some dancers prefer rubber soles because they are more durable and can provide a more stable and controlled movement on the dance floor.

What shoes to wear for dancing men? ›

Good options:
  • Any Standard dance shoes ( 1” heel, great but slightly expensive brands are International, Werner Kern, and Diamant, along many others)
  • Toms.
  • Bloch brand dance sneakers.
  • Any leather-bottom shoe.
  • Riviera brand shoes.
Oct 19, 2023

What type of shoes are best for ballroom dancing? ›

Ballroom dance shoes have a thin suede sole that allows you to glide across the floor with just enough grip. Dance shoes are also flexible, allowing the shoe to follow the foot's movements. A good shoe not only allows a dancer to slide but also highlights footwork.

When not to wear suede shoes? ›

If you know it's going to rain, or you know you'll be at a place where your shoes may get wet, it's best to avoid wearing suede shoes entirely.

Can you wear suede sole dance shoes outside? ›

Suede creates traction on the dance floor which is important to keep the dancer comfortable when turning. Suede will wear down and become smooth when worn inside. However, when it isn't used in a studio, it will rip, tear and become worn down unevenly.

Why do dance shoes have suede soles? ›

Additionally dance shoes have suede soles which provide just the right amount of slipping so you will slip enough to dance, but you won't slip and fall over.

What is the best material for dance shoes? ›

Appropriate traction of the sole is essential, and it is for this reason that chrome suede is the preferred choice. Overall, soles should allow the dancers to pivot freely, to avoid knee damage, but prevent them from slipping and falling. This enables them to better 'glide' over the dance floor.

Why suede sole dance shoes? ›

Suede just provides the perfect amount of traction for ballroom dancing on a typical floor, because it allows you to slide without being too slick.

What are proper dance shoes? ›

Proper dance shoes have suede soles, which are designed to keep your feet and joints of the leg/foot safe by providing traction. Of course, most people don't own these when they begin dancing! To start, we recommend leaders wear a dress shoe or shoe without a rubber sole.

What do male dancers traditionally wear? ›

The basic attire for a male ballet dancer doing class work is generally: Footed or footless black tights, a dance belt underneath the tights, a form-fitting plain white t-shirt, white crew or ankle socks (with a little padding if possible) and black ballet shoes.

What makes men attractive on the dance floor? ›

Researchers discovered that women tend to be drawn to men who move their upper bodies, use a lot of space, and vary their movements. (So apparently manspreading is ok, if it's on the dance floor.) They also noted a bizarre preference for men who used faster bending and twisting movements of their right knee.

What shoes to wear to beginner ballroom dance class? ›

Any shoe that has a smooth suede or smooth leather sole that will allow you to glide across the smooth finish of a ballroom dance floor is suitable for ballroom dance. This applies to both males and females. There are some turns, spins, pivots in ballroom dance that requires the glide of a smooth suede or leather sole.

What's the difference between dance shoes and normal shoes? ›

Regular shoes usually have a rubber-like sole that grips the floor, which can be detrimental to dancers' ankle, knee and hip joints. Engineered to fit tight, the materials of dance shoes are made to stretch and mould around your foot to create a second-skin-like feeling.

Why do ballroom shoes have suede soles? ›

Most ballroom and Latin dance shoes have suede soles. A suede sole allows the shoe to glide along the floor without sticking or sliding. Suede soles wear quite rapidly, however, and become shiny and smooth.

What not to do with suede shoes? ›

Unlike leather and nubuck, suede can be very easily ruined by water, which causes stains on its surface that are generally irreparable. As such it's best not to wear suede shoes and boots in the rain.

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