5 Questions To Ask Before Buying Your Flamenco Shoes
1.BUDGET?
How much do you have to spend?
How much do you dance?
Are these shoes going to match a specific costume or do they need to match multiple costumes?
Are they just for dance class and rehearsal?
Consider all of these questions when setting your budget. If you are dancing regularly you need a good pair of flamenco shoes. Remember that flamenco dancer’s shoes are their instruments and even if you are just starting out you need a pair of flamenco shoes so you can learn the proper technique which can’t be replicated in a pair of character shoes or taps. Once you have a clear idea of why you are purchasing a new pair of shoes you can set a budget that is appropriate for you. Add in an additional $30-40 for shipping costs. It is expensive to ship shoes from Spain to the States.
2. MAKE/COMPANY?
Where are you going to order your shoes from?
Do you have a regular favorite? Each company produces a shoe that fits slightly differently and has a different sound.
What is your preferred company?
There are also suppliers like flamencoexport.com or deflamenco.com. Sometimes the shipping is cheaper through a third party. With the price point of professional shoes, I often try to stick to a tried and true favorite. If I choose to be more adventurous, I will often try a less expensive model or color choice. I have old Gallardos from the original company, Begona Cerveras, and ArteFyl. My favorite is Senovilla for quality, sound, and fit.
Shoes from Menkes.
3. HEEL/SOUND?
Your flamenco shoes are your instruments and each shoe has a heel made out of different wood. The species of wood affects its sound and resonance. Some makers use palo Santo or rosewood to make the heel, which is a very fine type of wood used to make flamenco guitars. Palo Santo is also endangered, so if you are sensitive and conscientious about ecology, you might consider this before purchasing. La Lupi Brand shoes, use eco-friendly wood and I love the big buckle design. Of course, when ordering a pair of shoes to be custom-made trying out the shoe is not going to be an option, especially during Tiempos de Corona. If this is important one might try to ask fellow flamenco dancers or your teacher for suggestions. Flamenco dancers like to talk about flamenco shoes as much as motorcycle enthusiasts talk about engines.
Heel Selection for Gallardo Shoes.
4. STYLE?
Now for the fun part! Each flamenco shoe company has a number of styles to choose from most vary with the way the shoe closes. Two buckles, one buckle, ties, velcro and even elastic are all options and each affects the feel and function of the shoe. Briefly, buckles are great, I love two buckles because the shoe feels more secure, but when dancing with a manton, buckles act like magnets for the fringes to tangle in and it is best not to dance with buckles when dancing with a manton. I prefer laces because they also can accommodate the stretching of the leather and your foot swelling or shrinking depending on the weather and the amount you are dancing. I have tried elastic and velcro and while nice in theory, I won’t be purchasing them again. I love the ease and comfort of the elastic, but find that sometimes I need to tighten the shoe and I can’t make the adjustments. The velcro fastening isn’t nearly as flexible as I like and it makes the top of my foot sore after a while.
5. LEATHER or SUEDE?
The best part of choosing a shoe is designing the colors. I always try to be conservative, but I can never rein myself in. I do choose colors that complement a number of my costumes. The first step is to choose leather or suede. Leather is sturdier and tends to maintain its structure longer while suede is a softer leather. Black leather is easily polished. Black suede can be revived with coffee or black tea. After that choice is made—have fun. Go wild!
I hope that this quick guide helps you choose your next pair of flamenco shoes. It is a significant investment for an important component of our art. Think smart, have fun and happy dancing!