Heels dance merges jazz, contemporary and hip hop technique with mature movement, and it is built around self-empowerment. The technique highlights the lines of the body, strength and balance, and it is one of the best styles for helping you feel strong and confident in how you move.
This guide is about the shoes: what to look for, what to avoid, and how to build up to them.
You do not need heels to take a heels class
Heels are encouraged but never mandatory, so do not stress if you do not have the right pair yet. Indoor sneakers, socks, or bare feet all work while you build your confidence, and plenty of people take their first several classes that way before putting heels on. The style is about how you move, not what is on your feet.
It is worth trying a pair once the style feels familiar. It is a heels class after all, and some movements are genuinely easier in a heel. Sitting into a squat, or bouncing up and down, can feel better once the heel elevates and supports your arch.
Support comes first
The thing that matters most in a dance heel is support: your heel staying put mid-combo, and your ankle staying safe when you turn.
Look for straps, or material covering a good portion of your foot and ankle. High-ankle heels and booties are ideal for this. A shoe that is only held on at the toe will come off, and you will spend the class gripping with your toes instead of dancing.
Height: 3 to 5 inches is the sweet spot
Three to five inches is where most dance heels sit. Go lower if that feels safer for now.
You can always work up. Most dancers who wear five inch heels comfortably started lower and built the ankle strength for it in class.
Stilettos, chunky heels, and what to avoid
More experienced dancers often prefer stilettos. They look intimidating, but they make a massive difference to how the movement reads and how your weight travels.
Chunky heels are perfectly fine, especially early on. What to avoid is platforms and wedges. Both put your foot on an unstable base and take away the articulation through the ball of the foot that heels choreography depends on.
Toe shape matters more than you would think
Round toes are the easier choice for dancing. Pointed toes look sharp, but they get in the way during floor work, which heels classes use a lot.
Open toes are preferred too. They leave your feet more flexibility to point, where a closed shoe holds them in place.
Small things that help
- Kneepads. Optional, but recommended if the class has floor work.
- Break them in at home. Wear a new pair around the house first, so class is not also the first hour your feet spend in them.
- Keep them indoor-only. Outdoor shoes are not allowed in the studios, and street grit wrecks a sole quickly.
Where to look
Dancewear shops locally do not really sell heels made for dance, so regular shoe stores are where to look. Take the notes above with you: support around the foot and ankle, 3 to 5 inches, a round or open toe, and nothing built on a platform or a wedge. Plenty of people also dance in a well-supported pair they already own.
While you are in the shop, walk in them, rise onto the ball of the foot, and check whether your heel lifts out of the shoe. That one test tells you most of what you need to know.
Buying online
If you want to shop online, or just want visual references for when you shop around in person, try these:
Check each brand’s own size chart before you order, since dance heels rarely match your street shoe size.
Try a class first
Honestly, the best order is class first, shoes later. Take a heels class in sneakers, see how the movement feels, and you will know exactly what you want from a pair. See what is running on the heels classes page or the full drop-in schedule.
See you at the studio.