Heel shapes

Women's Dance Shoes – Heel Height and Shape

Flare Heel

One of the most common heel shapes for Latin dance shoes is the flare heel. To perfectly support the dancer during spins, foot placements, and figures, this heel is oriented towards the back of the foot. Heel steps are rather uncommon in regular Latin dance movements. However, a heel that is angled backwards provides support for dancers in backward-oriented positions and weight shifts during certain figures. The usual height of flare heels ranges between 5 cm and 7.5 cm. On our website, you can find many models with flare heels in the categories of open dance shoes and closed dance shoes.

Stiletto Heel

The stiletto heel is a shape specifically optimized and balanced for Latin dances. The backward-angled heel provides optimal support for dancers during weight shifts in special figures and movements of Latin dances. The slim shape of the heel gives the shoes a particularly sophisticated and elegant look. While this heel shape is primarily chosen by competitive dancers, many hobby dancers also enjoy wearing dance shoes with a stiletto heel. Many of our dance shoes from the Anna Kern brand come equipped with a stiletto heel.

Cuban Heel

Cuban heels are especially well-suited for dance beginners. They are broad block heels, typically featuring a backward-angled orientation, characteristic of Latin dance shoes. This design provides optimal support during dance figures and ensures a stable stance throughout the evening. The wide heel is particularly comfortable, and with a height often around 3.7 cm, it is ideal for dancers of all ages. Many of our practice shoes come with a Cuban heel, such as Brienne and Sandrine.

Contour Heel

The typical heel shape for standard dance shoes is the contour heel. In appearance, this heel resembles the Latin flare heel. However, the key difference between these two shapes is the heel’s orientation. While the flare shape supports the foot with a backward-angled design to aid in weight shifts, the contour heel is designed for heel steps. Contour heels are angled towards the center of the foot, providing dancers with better control during typical heel steps and turns in standard dances. The contour heel shape is used in dance shoes with various heel heights.

Social Heel

With a low height, usually only 5 cm, the social heel is particularly suitable for hobby dancers, beginners, or older individuals. The wider surface of the heel provides more stability than many other heel shapes, making shoes with a social heel especially secure and helping to prevent potential injuries.

Slim Heel

Slim heels are very similar in shape to flare heels but are narrower, providing less security and stability while dancing. The sleek design gives the shoes a particularly refined and elegant appearance. Slim heels are usually only used on very high shoes, although some shoes with just 5 cm heels also feature a slim heel. The limited contact between the heel tip and the floor offers relatively little support in terms of grip and stability. Therefore, this heel shape is only recommended for experienced dancers when the height exceeds 7 cm. Many of our dance shoes from the brand Nueva Epoca are equipped with a slim heel.

Men's Dance Shoes – Heel Height and Shape

Men's dance shoes offer less variety in heel shape and height compared to women's dance shoes. However, there are still some differences to note.

Latin Heel

Latin men's dance shoes typically have a slightly higher heel than standard dance shoes. The heel height can range from a modest 2.5 cm to as high as 4 cm. While this may take some getting used to for some men, the higher heel is designed to emphasize hip movement during Latin dances and create a more elegant posture.

Low heel

Classic standard dance shoes for men often have a low heel heel. The wide, flat heel improves balance and weight distribution while dancing and gives dancers a more confident feeling. Low heels are usually only 2 cm to a maximum of 2.5 cm high.