Which pole dancing shoes should I buy? A beginner's guide
This is the question on every student's mind when they first start trying pole dancing classes: Which shoes do I get? As someone who has tried different heel sizes, brands, and shoe styles over the past 13+ years, I have some advice!
Boots vs. Sandals
Let's start here - should you start in boots or sandals? This is ultimately a question of taste and preference because there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Advantages of boots
Boots offer more ankle support for new dancers. They also offer more protection on the top of the foot for climbing which can be helpful if you plan to incorporate climbing and tricks into your dancing or if you like wearing heels in tricks classes. Boots are also super cute and give off baddie energy, we love them for this.
Disadvantages of boots
Depending on the style of dancing you're doing, boots can sometimes have too much ankle support! If you prefer hard style dancing (think drops, kips, and heavy clacks), boots are preferable. However, if you prefer flow or old school styles, boots can sometimes restrict the ankle too much and make it more difficult to do certain moves - particularly any movement requiring a flexed foot like edgework. If you have weaker ankles or a history of ankle injuries, I would definitely recommend boots. But if not, I actually recommend starting in clear top sandals and here's why...
Advantages of sandals (clear top)
Starting out in sandals means asking your ankles to start building strength right away. As long as you are careful and consistent in your dancing and properly warm up your ankles, this can be a really good thing. However, I always recommend choosing sandals with a clear top as opposed to a coloured top because the clear tops have significantly better ankle support. Myself and many of my students at Spin & Flow Pole Studios have made the mistake of starting out in a colour-top sandal and ended up with bambi legs and toes sticking out the front - don't be like us. Colour-tops are cute but trust me that it's not worth it unless you are using them for photo shoots or dancing really gently (and who does that?). Go for clear tops and thank me later. Now for the next very important question...which heel height should you start with?
Which heel height should I start with?
The age old question! Back in the day we all wore 6 inch heels and it was an absolute revelation when people started moving into 7 inches. Nowadays pole dancers are most commonly in 8 inches with some venturing all the way up to 9 and 10 inches! (9's and 10's are definitely not for beginners, so we'll leave those alone for now.)
These days I never recommend 6 inch heels for pole studio dancing because the platform is too low for many of the moves we commonly see in classes today. If you're thinking about club dancing, 6 inches can be perfectly adequate and potentially more comfortable, but that's a whole separate topic perhaps for a future post. For studio dancing I would recommend 7 or 8 inches and here's why...
Inches matter: 7" vs 8"
Don't tell the boys but that extra inch makes a huge difference, ha. For me, this question comes down more to finances than anything else. If you have money to burn, starting in a 7 inch heel can be helpful because it will help you gradually build up your ankle strength and get you used to dancing in pole heels. However, most of us are on a budget, and what I find is that the majority of students who start in 7 inches quickly upgrade to 8's, making that 7 inch spend a bit of a waste of money (which is tragic if you ask me).
This is because an 8 inch heel offer a significantly higher platform of 4 inches/100 mm vs 2.75 inches/70 mm on a 7 inch shoe. This higher platform helps a ton with many of the dance moves we do, including pirouettes, slides, glides, squats, lunges, and creating long beautiful lines visually. So with all of that being said, I would typically recommend starting with 8's unless you can afford to start in 7's for a shorter time period or are particularly nervous about a taller heel height.
Which brand is best?
The two main pole shoe brands are Pleasers and Hella Heels, with some new brands like Jewel coming out of the US lately. I can't personally speak to Jewel heels (although I hear good things), so this post will focus on Pleasers and Hellas. Which brand you choose largely comes down to preference and the shape of your foot. Hellas have a wider top and higher ankle strap compared to Pleasers, but how that feels on your foot really comes down to your anatomy.
Unfortunately it's difficult to try on pole shoes before you buy, but if you happen to have a same shoe size pole friend/fellow student who is willing to let you try on theirs - do that! As far as durability over time, reviews are mixed. Both can last a while or break too quickly, and both deteriorate over time (e.g., paint or glitter scratching off) the more you dance in them. Personally I have always been a Pleasers girl because I started dancing before Hellas were available and am so used to Pleasers that I can't get my body used to dancing in Hellas, despite how beautiful they are. Hellas do tend to offer more exciting styles and colours, so I look at them longingly, but anecdotally I would say that I know more dancers who prefer Pleasers.
Last but not least - where to buy your new pole shoes!
In the UK, the main retailer for all things pole is Pole Junkie which sells both shoe brands. You can also purchase Hellas and Pleasers directly from their websites. Pleasers are also sold on other shoe retailer sites like Alternative Footwear and E & L Apparel. Just keep in mind that Pleasers are American and are often listed in American sizes! A US 9 = a UK 6 in pleasers.
Second-hand shoes
Second-hand retail sites like Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, and Facebook Polewear groups are a great place to look for your first pair of pole shoes! Buying second-hand can save you money and help you get an idea of which styles and brands you prefer before you drop £80+ on pair of pole shoes. When buying second-hand, look for scuff marks on the fronts and sides of the platforms, and aim for shoes that have the least possible signs of wear, especially around the ankle strap. Some scuffing is normal on any used pair of pole heels, but if they are heavily scuffed it likely means they are on their last legs of dancing and may not last you long.
That's about it! The most important thing to keep in mind when starting out is to make sure you are learning proper heel technique from experienced Instructors (like our Instructors at Spin & Flow Pole Studios in Ipswich and Colchester!). Always warm up your ankles before putting pole heels on and do ankle strengthening exercises in your heels such as calf raises where you push the ankles over the toes onto the front edge of the shoe. If you're local to Ipswich or Colchester and want to try pole, come dance with us at Spin & Flow! Our Pole Dance Fundamentals classes are pole choreo classes open to new beginners, and our Intro to Pole classes are especially designed for new starters. Feel free to reach out to us on WhatsApp 01473 970350 or DM us on Instagram or Facebook with any questions! Happy poling!
Comments