About Tango Shoes

Q. Is it necessary to wear tango shoes for dancing Argentine Tango?  What's so special about Tango Shoes?
A. Just like you'd wear soccer shoes for playing soccer, you will wear tango shoes for dancing tango.  Tango shoes are made not only to make your dancing look good, but also to help you dance better.
Tango shoes are very comfortable. You wouldn't believe it until you try one on, but think about it....many of us dance in these 3.5" stiletto heeled shoes for hours at milongas, and often many nights a week:

• The sole of the shoes is made of leather or suede to let you pivot easily on the balls of the feet while giving enough traction to not slip when stepping.
• The shoes are lined with soft goat leather that gives a little after you start wearing them.  They're very soft and comfortable against bare skin.
  
• The base (sole) of the shoes is not too rigid or thick to give flexibility so that the shoes move as if they're part of your feet when you dance.  You also want to be able to feel the floor through your feet when you dance and the tango shoes provide just that.
• Straps are there to secure the shoes on your feet so that you don't have to worry that the shoes will go flying when you do "boleos" or "ganchos".
• Please read our Heels / Tacos page for information about heels.

Q. Is it a good idea to have separate shoes for practice and for milongas?
A. I don't recommend it. Some people use low heel shoes for practice and try to dance at the milonga in high heels.  Balance is a big part of dancing tango well and when the heel heights change, the way you balance changes.

Q. Why do Tango shoes have such high heels?  Is that necessary?
A. It isn't necessary but it actually helps to have heels. I recommend it to everyone except for those that have physical problems. Please read our Heels / Tacos page for more information.

Q. How much padding do the tango shoes have? Wouldn't more padding make the shoes more comfortable? 
A. Yes but we lose sensitivity while gaining comfort. You want to be able to feel the floor through your feet when you dance, so we need to find the right balance.  NeoTango shoes have a little more padding compared with Comme il Faut shoes. You'll need to find what works best for you.