LEAD Triole

How to Care for Your Dance Shoes:

The Ten Commandments for Spiffy and Comfy Shoes

Dance shoes undergo an array of very specific stresses. We see the signs of wear on our shoes as a sign of our love for dancing. However, by following a few simple tips for care, we can easily extend the life of our favourite shoes:

1. Care for your feet! A well-tended foot has short nails and soft skin free of callouses that may cause uncomfortable pressure.
2. Should I waterproof my dance shoes?
3. Always fully open your shoes before slipping into them, and use a shoehorn to help maintain their form.
4. At Saint Savoy, we use high quality leather for the inside, too. If this lining should cause marks, we recommend a dash of hairspray. It really is surprising how well a thin layer sprayed into the interior of your shoe will makes this problem disappear.
5. If your dance shoes are dusty or dirty after a long night out, rub them with a soft, moist cloth. Always remember to clean your shoes before applying polish.
6. It'’s easy to make sure your Saint Savoy shoes keep on shining: try spit and a soft leather brush, or using an old nylon stocking to polish them. It works great, really!
7. Our shoes are made of fine calf leather. It is important to use high-quality shoe polish to maintain the pliability of leather and seams. We recommend using products containing lanolin. We also advise that you use colourless care products – your clothing and your dance partner will thank you!
8. Rub leather-covered heels and the shoe’s frame well with polish, too.
9. Dirt can be washed off Saint Savoy’s special Sender Sole using a mild soap solution and a soft cloth.
10. Put a shoetree or crumpled newspaper in your shoes after wearing them. This will smooth wrinkles from walking, as well as absorb moisture.

Take care of your feet! A well-tended foot has short nails and soft skin without any callouses that may cause uncomfortable pressure. This will make your shoes more comfortable. There are more sensory cells in our feet than in our face. They ensure our support, balance, and mobility. We demand a very high performance from our feet, especially when dancing, without ever really thanking them for it. Almost no other body part is as underestimated as our feet, even though they are true masterpieces of evolution. A foot massage with moisturizing cream is really a treat for stressed feet; after all, one foot alone has 26 bones, 13 muscles, and 10 joints!