Parents & New Dancers Advise

Yes, off course this is a verz important question. First of all we would like to tell about the dilemma between shoe size and costs:

Due to the rapid foot growth of children, the purchase of Irish dance shoes within just short time periods is pretty difficult. But simply because of healthy and sanitary reasons we would like to caution against buying your child bigger shoes because you think that the feet will grow fast. This is also valid for beginners who simply don't like to wear narrow shoes in the beginning. Please keep in mind that too big shoes don't offer the necessary and appropriate tightness and stability!

Due to this your child's not-so well trained or still not existing muscles, ligaments, tendons or joints will be stressed enormously. The growth of the feet can also be influenced immensely as well as can be a higher risk of injuries. Possible consequences are irreparable injuries and late damages of the whole carcass. This refers particularly to children.

A neat performance and the right acquisition of dancing steps is hampered enormously through improper and especially not well-fitted shoe material – apart from a fortified abrasion. The whole leg and foot area will try automatically to adjust the bigger size what will result into a bad quality of dancing. Children and beginners might also lose the fun of Irish Dancing then.

That is why Irish dance shoes with a thicker leather sole under the shoe are appropriate at first.

It is essential: As long as the feet still grow you should prefer really tight and narrow shoes with a thick leather sole. For children, previous knowledge of other extreme dancing techniques is not so essential. This is more important for adults.

We have stated our advise for sizes with each relevant shoe model on these pages. You can also find them in the corresponding article descriptions.

Please note that this is not to be seen as a medical advise, as this is not allowed, but just our experience and the one of our manufacturers. Please also ask your children doctor or orthopaedic about this, thank you.

Send us back non fitting items and we will take it back or exchange it. You even have two weeks time to do so. By the way, this is valid for almost all our items. You can find further information here: Returns and exchanges.

soft shoes, the Irish version of the ballet shoe, are usually only intended for girls and women as well as traditionally for boys up to the age of eleven years.

Our offer comprises different models of soft shoes. Mainly these differ in comfort and material and thus also in price. Usually we recommend the Antonio Pacelli Loop or the Boyne Walk Regular Brigadun, also because this keeps the costs comparatively low. For especially sensitive feet we like to recommend the Boyne Walk Reel Comfort or a Fays Black Suede Pump.

Ladies soft shoes should be ordered at least a half up to one complete size smaller than your most worn street shoe wear (that is for example 33.5 instead of 34). Professionals order these – depending on the model – up to two sizes smaller.

If you are not really sure concerning the size, you can of course use our online product consultant or send us your foot outline. For making matters easy so that we have everything together and all necessary information are given, please use our guideline.

Except from the Boyne-Walk-Models with an "Arch Support" area there is no right or left shoe with soft shoes. But you should mark one shoe accordingly so that you always wear them on the same foot. Thus the material is not worn out so fast and the shoe lasts longer.

Reel shoes are the male equivalent for the Ladies soft shoes. For boys and beginners we recommend a reel shoe with a thicker leather sole, such as the Antonio Pacelli Traditional Boys Reel. Gymnastics slippers or ballet shoes are only useful for the first couple of weeks and only to find out if the interest for Irish dance might last longer.

These shoes are made for another use and just don't offer the necessary attributes and padding. On the contrary: These shoes rather are to be seen as possible health and injury risk.

Please order boys reel shoes in the common street shoe size, max. a half size smaller. If you are not really sure concerning the size, you can of course send us the foot tracings (always from both feet please). For making matters easy so that we have everything together and all necessary information are given, please use our guideline.

are also named "jig shoes", "heavy shoes or heavies" or "Irish step shoes" and are the Irish version of the American Jazz tap shoe. Usually female dancers start with soft shoes and male dancers with reel shoes. If the basics are well performed, Irish tap shoes can be used. Beginners and children don't have the necessary muscles and steady ligaments, except if there already is applied knowledge from other dance forms. This is why we recommend the Antonio Pacelli Superflexi and the Fays Original Super Flexi. These models have a stronger sole material. Hard shoes with a black wild leather sole don't offer enough stability and foothold and that is why they are only intended for advanced learners.

If you choose an Antonio Pacelli Superflexi it is adequate for the beginning, if you chose the so called tips & heels of the Leinster-series.  This also offers beginners and children an advantage in price.

We recommend to buy hard shoes in the common street shoe size. Professionals order these – depending on the model – up to a half size or even one complete size smaller.

If you are not sure concerning the order size, you can of course use our online product consultant or send us your foot outline. For making matters easy so that we have everything together and all necessary information are given, please use our guideline.

The hard shoes pale leather sole can be marked with the name so that mix-ups are avoided. The result is best if you use a ball pen for this. Furthermore the hard shoes should be nursed with pure shoe wax regularly.