When I first started line dancing, I thought shoes would be the easy part.
Put something comfortable on your feet and off you go.
Well... not quite.
I think I went through four or five different pairs of shoes before I found the pair I actually feel comfortable dancing in. Some felt too grippy. Some just didn’t feel right when I turned. Others were perfectly comfortable for walking around but completely different once I tried dancing in them.
And that’s probably the first thing I’d tell anyone starting line dancing:
Don’t rush out and buy an expensive pair of dance shoes or cowboy boots. Have a look in your wardrobe first.
You might already own the shoes that work perfectly well for you.
So, What Are the Best Shoes for Line Dancing?
I don’t think there’s one answer.
The best line dancing shoes are the ones that you can comfortably and confidently dance in.
You’re stepping sideways, backwards and forwards. You’re doing pivots and turns. You’re changing direction. And once you’ve been dancing for a while, you can be on that floor for a couple of hours.
So I look for shoes that:
- fit properly and don’t move around on my feet
- are comfortable enough to dance in for an extended period
- feel stable when I’m stepping and changing direction
- don’t feel so grippy that my foot wants to stick when the rest of me is turning
- aren’t so slippery that I’m worried about losing my footing
That’s the sweet spot I’m looking for. And unfortunately, nobody can really tell you exactly which shoe will give you that feeling.
Why Does the Sole Matter So Much?
This was something I didn’t really understand when I started. A shoe can be fantastic for walking and still not be particularly nice to dance in.
Line dancing involves a lot of turning and pivoting, so the interaction between your shoe and the floor matters.
There is some interesting research behind this too. A study looking specifically at rotational movement in country swing dancers compared running shoes, rubber-bottomed boots, leather-bottomed boots and barefoot dancing. The higher-friction footwear produced greater rotational forces during the turning movement, while the leather-bottomed boots produced the lowest forces in the rotating leg. You can read the study here.
Other biomechanics research outside line dancing has also found that higher shoe-surface traction can increase rotational loading through the lower limb. Here’s that research.
That doesn’t mean everyone should immediately buy leather-soled boots. Because there’s another side to it: you still need enough grip to stay upright.
Too little friction can increase the chance of slipping, so it’s not about finding the slipperiest shoe. It’s about finding a shoe that allows you to move and turn comfortably without feeling stuck to the floor or like you’re skating across it.
Before You Buy Anything, Raid Your Wardrobe
This would be my biggest beginner tip.
Try what you’ve already got. Honestly.
You don’t need to arrive at your first line dancing class looking like you’ve just walked out of a Western-wear catalogue.
Try a few pairs of shoes you already own. Walk around in them. Try some basic steps. Try a very gentle turn. See how your feet feel.
Something you already own might be absolutely fine while you’re learning. And if it isn’t, at least you’ll start working out what you don’t like before spending money.
That’s how I eventually found what suited me. After trying probably five different pairs, I began to recognise what felt comfortable for my feet and the way I dance.
What About Sneakers?
You absolutely see people line dancing in sneakers.
The issue isn’t really the word sneaker. It’s how that particular shoe behaves on the particular floor you’re dancing on.
Some sneakers have very grippy rubber soles. That’s wonderful when the job of the shoe is to stop you slipping. It’s not necessarily as wonderful when you’re trying to pivot.
If I felt my shoe was sticking while my body was trying to turn, I’d be looking for another option rather than forcing the turn through my knee or ankle.
That doesn’t mean your favourite sneakers won’t work. Try them. Your sneakers, the dance floor and your movement may be completely different from somebody else’s.
And This Is Where Dance Shoe Socks Can Be Brilliant
Here’s something I wish every beginner knew existed.
Dance shoe socks.
They’re little fabric sleeves that slip over the front of your shoe, around the ball of the foot, and reduce some of the grip between the shoe and the floor.
So if you’ve got a pair of sneakers that are wonderfully comfortable but feel too sticky when you’re trying to turn, shoe socks may be worth trying before you replace the shoes altogether.
They’re also easy to keep in your dance bag. Obviously, you still need to be sensible. Different floors behave differently, and you don’t want to reduce the grip so much that you feel unstable.
But they’re a very handy little option that I certainly didn’t know about when I first started.
Shop the Dance
Do You Need Cowboy Boots for Line Dancing?
No.
If you love cowboy boots and you’re comfortable dancing in them, fantastic. But you don’t need them simply because you’re line dancing.
Interestingly, the country swing research I mentioned earlier found leather-soled boots allowed more rotational movement than the higher-friction running shoes and rubber-bottomed boots they tested. But that doesn’t automatically make a particular pair of cowboy boots right for you.
Fit, heel height, support, sole construction, the dance floor and your own comfort all matter.
There is also research in other dance styles showing that changing footwear can change how forces are distributed through the lower body. One small study involving heeled dance shoes found differences in lower-limb loading compared with barefoot dancing. That isn’t line dancing research, so I wouldn’t use it to tell anyone what heel they should wear, but it’s another reminder that footwear changes how our bodies move. You can see that study here.
Personally, I’d choose comfort and confidence over appearance every time.
Remember That Dance Floors Are Different Too
This is another reason I don’t think we can nominate one perfect line dancing shoe.
The floor matters.
A shoe that feels beautiful on one surface can feel completely different somewhere else. That’s why it’s worth paying attention the first few times you dance somewhere new.
If your usual shoes suddenly feel much grippier or much more slippery, don’t just assume there’s something wrong with your dancing. It might simply be the shoe-and-floor combination.
And While We’re Talking About What to Wear...
Shoes are only part of it. For line dancing, I’ve found the same rule applies to clothes too: wear something you can move in, something you’re comfortable in, and something you’re not going to spend the whole night adjusting.
If you’re heading to your first class and wondering about the whole outfit, have a read of What to Wear to Your First Line Dancing Class as well.
A soft tee, jeans or comfortable pants and the right shoes can be all you need for a really good night on the dance floor.
If you like wearing something that actually shows what you’re there for, have a look at the Keep Dancing Vintage Western T-Shirt, the Women’s LOVE Line Dancing Tee or the Peace Love Line Dance T-Shirt.
I’d still say the same thing though: comfort first. You want to be thinking about the dance, not your shoes rubbing or your shirt riding up every time you turn.
Don’t Ignore What Your Body Is Telling You
This is the bit I think matters most.
If I feel like I’m tripping, gripping or having to twist my knee or ankle to get my foot around, I’m not comfortable in those shoes.
I don’t want to fight my footwear for an entire dance class.
Scientific research into dance footwear is actually still surprisingly limited. A systematic review found that shoes can affect movement and the dancer’s body, but also concluded that considerably more research is needed before strong claims can be made about particular types of dance footwear. Read the review here.
So I’m certainly not going to tell somebody: “This is the shoe every line dancer should buy.”
I don’t think that shoe exists.
My Advice to Someone Going to Their First Line Dancing Class
Keep it simple.
Start with what you’ve got.
Find a comfortable, secure pair of shoes. See how they feel on the dance floor. Pay attention to how easily you can step and gently turn.
If they’re too grippy, try another pair or look into dance shoe socks.
And once you’ve danced for a while and worked out what you actually like, then think about spending money on dedicated dance shoes or boots.
Because an expensive pair isn’t automatically going to be your perfect pair.
I learnt that after about five pairs.
What Do You Dance In?
I’d actually love to hear what everybody else has discovered.
Did you find your perfect line dancing shoes straight away? Are you a cowboy boot person? Sneakers? Proper dance shoes? Do you swear by your little shoe socks?
Or, like me, did you work your way through half the wardrobe before finally finding the pair?
Because when it comes down to it, I think the best line dancing shoe is simply the one that lets you forget about your feet and enjoy the dance.
