Thread: ballroom shoes on carpet??

I am performing in a venue that has a carpeted stage. The costume that I'd like to wear is just a bit long so I'd like to wear my ballroom shoes (suede bottom) how will that work on carpet?? I have only worn them on Marley or hardwood.
Thanks

Oooh - I'd watch out. Depending on the shoe...
I danced on a carpeted stage and I ended up peeling part of the sole off my shoe. Could be my dance technique does not allow for me to pair ballroom shoes with carpet (I do like to be able to slide my feet for various moves)...
Anyone else have a better experience?

I've used suede bottom ballroom shoes on carpet without a problem. As long as it's very low carpet and isn't anything big and shaggy, you shouldn't have too much of an issue with "catching" but you may have to adjust some pivots and stuff because it doesn't quite feel the same as hardwood/marley (obviously).

I would rather use a regular street shoe! I think willwork better on the carpet and if you have them just dance in a carpet so you can predicte how it will be..
:)

I have carpet in my house & would just put the shoes on and try it out. However, the bottoms of the shoes are black...it's like the marley floor rubbed off on them. If I run my finger across the bottom of the shoe the black actually comes off on my hand. I have light beige carpet so I am not trying it. The carpeted stage is probably going to be one of those low nap snap together deals.
I may just have to hike the skirt up higher on my hips. Unfortunately, I think it would just slide down :-(

I personally have a terrible time with my ballroom shoes on anything but a smooth surface. Even a slightly rough plywood stage has my shoes sticking to it like velcro.

Originally Posted by basil1

I have carpet in my house & would just put the shoes on and try it out. However, the bottoms of the shoes are black...it's like the marley floor rubbed off on them. If I run my finger across the bottom of the shoe the black actually comes off on my hand. I have light beige carpet so I am not trying it. The carpeted stage is probably going to be one of those low nap snap together deals.

I may just have to hike the skirt up higher on my hips. Unfortunately, I think it would just slide down :-(

well, to get rid off the black stuff try this. I clean the soles of my shoes with it. It was reccommended to me by the Minnetonka Moccasin store. It works great! I use a soft bristle brush with it.

Yes, soft bristle brush. They also sell some specifically for dance shoes. I have used my dance shoes on carpet a time or two (for salsa-so LOTS of spinning). It was no problem. Yes, it felt a little different-but not too much at all. And I had not rehearsed my salsa routine on anything but hardwood.

If the edges of the heels are rough at all, they can catch and snag on carpeting.

Have you tried moleskin? Available in the Dr. Sholes section of Walgreens; cut it to size, peel off the back, stick to the ball of your shoe. Makes the sole slide on carpeted surfaces, so you won't stick, but be careful as it can be a bit slippery.

In my experience, it depends a lot on the carpet.

Generally, plush, low-pile residential carpet...hasn't been much of a problem (it feels different to be sure, and is somewhat sticky, but the pad underneath gives the carpet some "give" so it's not just grinding and mashing against the suede.)

On those "carpeted" platform stages (or for a very flat industrial carpet over concrete), it's a little rougher and I wouldn't want to do it every day, and it definitely affects the feeling of spins and turns a little, but it's ok for occasional use.

Industrial textured carpet over concrete (like the carpet at one of the restaurants I dance at), on the other hand, is disasterous for suede-bottomed shoes. It's rips up the soles. I also find it rips up my feet after the second show in a night or so, so I'm ordering a couple of hard soled pairs of shoes for that third show of the night....

It's one of those carpeted platform stages. Ill go prepared with shoes and prepare to dance without them if I have to. I may have to wear a shorter costume

Originally Posted by basil1

It's one of those carpeted platform stages. Ill go prepared with shoes and prepare to dance without them if I have to. I may have to wear a shorter costume

I've danced in my ballroom shoes on a stage like that and it was fine. YMMV though.

YMMV??

Originally Posted by dunyah

I've danced in my ballroom shoes on a stage like that and it was fine. YMMV though.

Your mileage may vary, like person A may have an experience completely different from person B

Never would have guessed that one!..l;,

Originally Posted by indigostars

Your mileage may vary, like person A may have an experience completely different from person B

I was dancing on carpet once in a hotel, and the suede started peeling right off the bottom of one of my ballroom shoes. This was at the end of my 3rd set that weekend, so they'd held up OK up until then, but at that point it was a bit tricky finishing it out with a big flap of suede hanging from the bottom of my shoe. :)