New dance shoes come with many advantages, such as the brand new look, smell, and feel. But sometimes the new shoes come with problems that we wouldn’t usually have with shoes that have been already used. Occasionally, dance shoes are too tight, regardless if they are new or used. This article will cover tips and tricks on how to stretch dance shoes.
Dance shoes are supposed to be tight around your feet but not painful, and they need to be snug and comfortable around your feet. Dance shoes are designed to allow flexible movements while supporting the ankle, arch, and heel.
Whether you want to stretch your Latin, Ballroom, or any other kind of dance shoes, these recommendations are excellent solutions for tight dance shoe problems.
Here are eight tips on how to stretch your dance shoes:
- Frozen zip-close bag method
- Wear shoes at home
- Use blow dryer
- Wear tick socks
- Use Rubbing alcohol
- Use shoe spray and liquid stretch
- Add shoe tree
- Visit a shoe repair professional
Water, Ziploc, And Freezer Technique
This technique is an excellent choice If you have time and want to stretch your dance shoes just a bit.
Take a Ziploc bag, put some water in there, and make sure that it is zipped really well. The last thing you want is to spill all that water on your shoes. Once you make sure that Ziploc is “waterproof,” tuck it inside the shoes and push it deep inside.
Put it in the freezer, and the ice will naturally expand, which will allow your dance shoes to stretch. This method is the best on synthetic material and not on leather.
To be hygienic as much as possible, put your shoes in another plastic bag so they do not touch the food in the freezer.
Wear Your Shoes At Home
One of the best ways to naturally stretch your shoes is by wearing them around your house whenever you have time. This will allow your shoes to stretch naturally, slowly, and not too much, which we don’t want to happen with dance shoes. Dance shoes need to be naturally a bit tight.
Blow Dryer Technique
Turn on your hair dryer on the low setting and point it against the upper part of your dance shoes. Ensure that the blow dryer is distanced at least 20 cm away from the shoes. And slowly blow dry your shoes. The heat will allow your dance shoes to stretch.
Put On Thick Socks
The thickness of the socks you will use depend on how much you want to stretch your shoes. Wear thinner socks if you need to stretch them just a little bit. If your shoes are too tight, then put on thicker socks or two pairs of socks if you don’t have thick socks handy.
If you are in a hurry, you can blow dry your shoes for about five minutes while wearing them with your sock on. This method will expand your shoe size by at least half a size.
If your shoes still feel tight, you can expand them further by wearing more socks or blow-drying them for a longer time.
Please note that if you are blow-drying your leather shoes, put a layer of protective cream on the outer part of your leather shoes. This will ensure that the leather doesn’t get damaged in the process.
Rubbing Alcohol Technique
This technique is quick and effective in stretching your favorite pair of dance shoes. Put rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and spray it inside your shoes until they are damp. Put your feet inside the shoes and walk away wearing them until rubbing alcohol dries off.
It might take a few times doing this until it stretches your shoes but rubbing alcohol and the heat of your feet will stretch your shoes out.
Shoe Spray And Liquid Stretchers
If you don’t like the smell of rubbing alcohol but like the technique, then shoe spray and liquid stretchers are great solutions.
There are many options available for liquids and sprays to stretch leather or any other fabric.
Simply spray these liquids on tight areas and walk in the shoes for a while. These products also can be used together with shoe stretchers to help give your shoes a better stretch.
Angelus Shoe stretch is an excellent product to safely stretch your favorite pair of dance shoes. This product is designed to condition and clean shoes as well, and it works perfectly on leather, canvas, suede, linens, and vinyl.
Purchase A Shoe Stretcher
The shoe stretcher can stretch your shoes without drastically changing your shoes’ original shape. These stretchers are very affordable, and they are made of plastic. You don’t need an expensive shoe stretcher if you are not a shoe repair professional.
Put the shoe stretcher inside the shoe and twist it until it becomes too tight and you feel the tension in its upper part.
Once you feel that the upper parts become too tight, leave the shoe stretcher inside the shoe until the next day and twist it a bit more. You don’t want to break the upper parts of the shoes from their sole.
Here is an excellent example of a shoe stretcher that you can purchase at Amazon. It is inexpensive and will serve the purpose of stretching your dance shoes by yourself at home.
This shoe stretcher can stretch shoes in width and length. The length serves to increase the shoe size, and width stretching will help you adjust a specific shoe area that is too tight.
Visit A Shoe Repair Professional
If all of these techniques fail or you just don’t want to attempt altering your shoes even more, then bring it to a professional. Professionals have some excellent tools, and they have been doing this job for a very long time.
They have special devices, such as bunions, designed to target a specific area of shoes that you want to stretch. These devices need to be used by professionals because they can easily damage your shoes if not used properly.
Shoe repair professionals can refresh and repair your shoes, extending the longevity of your favorite pair of dance shoes.
Insert A Shoe Tree
The shoe tree looks like a shoe stretcher, but it is not the same because there is no twisted handle. This is strictly used to put it inside your dance shoes to hold the shoe’s shape.
Look for a shoe tree that has a handle in it. The handle is beneficial for quickly putting the shoe tree inside the shoe or taking it out.
Here is an example of a shoe tree on Amazon.
This shoe tree will provide the highest care for your shoes. It is made of cedar wood that protects fabric, leather, and soles from moisture damage. Besides keeping your shoes in the perfect shape, shoe trees absorb moisture and sweat to prevent shoe odor.
Shoe trees prevent wrinkles from appearing, which makes your shoes look old, and also, these shoe trees will preserve the original shape, form, and length of your shoes.
How To Tell If Your Dance Shoes Are Too Tight
Dance shoes are supposed to be tight around your feet but not painful, and they need to be snug and comfortable around your feet. If the shoes are painful and uncomfortable to wear for quite some time, it would be best to return them and get a new pair.
Dance shoes are made of material that will stretch naturally over time and should fit your feet like a glove. But if it doesn’t happen, please use some of the techniques mentioned above.
The rule of thumb is that dance shoes should be half size smaller than your regular shoes, and keep this in mind when purchasing your first pair.
Dance shoes that are too tight can cause many issues to your feet down the road. Some of those issues are blisters, foot cramps, bunions, etc.
Final Words
Correctly fitted dance shoes are essential for proper foot support and comfort. Dance shoes are dancers’ safety equipment. If you describe your shoes as painful, they are too tight, if they are moving around your feet, they are too big, and if you don’t even notice them, they are perfect. I hope this article has helped you shed some light on how to tell if dance shoes are too tight and how to stretch them if needed.
Happy Dancing!
