What Affects The Longevity Of Your Dance Shoes

Whenever dancers start to dance, we get the same question all the time. How long will my dance shoe last? Dance shoes can be expensive, especially overtime. So we understand why we get frequently asked this question.

The answer is that, it all depends! It’s not the ideal answer customers want to hear, but there is a lot of reasoning behind it. The longevity of any dance shoe depends on different factors. From your experience level to how you care for your dance shoes.

It's no secret that dance shoes need to be replaced regularly. Depending on how often you dance and the type of shoes you wear, they may need to be replaced every six months or year. For some professional dancers, their longevity is shorter depending on the type of shoe.

Let’s start with the basic time frame for each type of dance shoe:

Note: This is not a set guaranteed timeframe. Sometimes their timeframe is shorter or longer.

Dance Experience

When starting dance, new dancers might not realize how dance experience can affect the longevity of their dance shoes! When you’re start dance, you’re learning the basics, slowly picking up more classes throughout the week, the more you get involved. As you continue to develop your skill and progress onto more advanced techniques, that can contribute to shortening the longevity of your dance shoe.

Let’s use pointe shoes as an example. Your pointe shoes have an expiration date, and where you are in your dance career can either lengthen or shorten the lifespan. For beginners, they tend to last a lot longer than those who have been dancing longer. Sometimes professionals go through one pointe shoe after one performance - that’s the extreme scenario. Some dancers might go through two pointe shoes every month or every other month.

This is why it’s hard to determine how long your dance shoe might last. As you become familiar with your dance shoes, you’ll begin to get an idea of how long they might last you.

Style and Material of Your Dance Shoe

It’s important to understand that dance shoes aren’t like your regular shoes. There are different styles of dance shoes, from tap shoes to pointe shoes. They are made with specific materials and structured in a certain way to support the dancer’s feet.

When it comes to the material, you're either choosing it based on the preference of the dancer or the longevity if the material isn’t an issue for you. Some materials are made to last longer and give the dance shoe more durability. Like ballet shoes, for example, they tend to be either canvas or leather. Learn more about Canvas vs. Leather Ballet Shoes.

Proper Dance Shoe Care

We're used to our everyday shoes, that we forget what goes into making these dance shoes! Dance shoes need more maintenance than your average, day-to-day shoe. If you stuff them in a bag without letting it air out, there's a chance they'll soften, which can lead to deterioration over time. Take care by periodically aerating those dance shoes and investing in certain products.