What materials are the shoes made of, and how are they constructed?
What's the best size for me?
How fast will I get my shoes?
What does shipping cost?
What is your return policy?
How do I take good care of my shoes?
Why are good shoes important to foot health?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the parts of dance shoe?
Outsole: The bottom of the shoe (under the ball of your foot) that touches the ground. Outsole material is important to consider for pivot movements.
Insole: The inner lining of the shoe that touches the bottom of your foot.
Upper: The outside parts of the shoe above the sole (the pretty parts!)
Heel height: Starting at the bottom of the heel, measuring vertically until the heel meets the shoe. This measurement will be smaller than measuring from the part of the heel that is furthest back down to the ground.
What's the best outsole material for me?
You have your choice of leather outsoles or suede outsoles.
Leather is the traditional choice for tango dancers, as it allows for effortless pivots. It is also long-wearing.
Suede outsoles are often preferred by ballroom and dancers of latin styles. These soles are a bit grippier than leather soles, so they are less likely to slip. Suede soles are more delicate and can never be worn outdoors.
What are the uppers made of?
The majority of our shoes are made with an eco-friendly satin that molds to your foot as you dance. It's a pliable, comfortable, and breathable fabric. We state the upper material in our product descriptions.
Factory-made shoe materials
Some of our factory-made shoes have synthetic outsoles and uppers. Please contact us if you have any specific questions not addressed in the shoe description.
Materials & Construction
How should my shoe fit me?
Your dance shoes should fit you snugly. When you first try them on, they should be a bit too snug, but they will give after a few hours of dance in them.
Your toes should reach or almost reach the end of the shoe. Anything larger will make it more difficult to walk backwards in the tango walk.
What if I have wide feet?
Our "Fiesta" model, or any of our modes that have lots of straps around the front will be more forgiving on wide feet. These styles are good for anyone with hallux / bunions.
What if I have long toes?
To ensure a good fit, you might want to select a peep-toe style rather than a scrappy style. This will help ensure that your foot does not slide forward over the front edge of the shoe.
How do I measure my feet?
Place both naked feet on a piece of blank paper.
Trace your feet's outlines with a pen or pencil held vertically.
Step off the paper and choose the longest toe on each foot. Make a mark on it.
Measure the length between the back of your heel and your longest toe for each foot. It's not unusual for feet to have two different lengths.
When purchase shoes that are not custom=made, use the larger of your two feet when looking at our size chart below.
Sizing Info
Can you do a custom measurement/fitting for me?
We would be happy to do that for you, if you are in the Central Texas area (Austin, San Antonio, and surrounding areas).
Please contact us for an appointment at governance@sanantoniotangueros.org
How fast will I get my shoes?
Standard Delivery: 4-7 Business Days
Express Delivery: 2 Business Days -- additional fees apply
Rush Delivery: 1 Business Day -- additional fees apply
How much does shipping cost?
Please contact us at governance@sanantoniotangueros.org to calculate shipping costs.
What about international shipping?
We are sorry, but we cannot ship outside of the continental United States at this time.
Production & Shipping Info
We want you to be happy!
We strive to make sure you are thrilled with your shoes. But if not, you may return the shoes to us under these conditions:
The shoes must appear as unworn. Please try on your shoes for the first time on carpeting or on a very soft surface like a towel. We reserve the right to reject shoes that show signs of wear.
Within 7 days of your receiving the shoes, please send us a detailed email with the reason for your return, including photos as needed.
We cannot accept returns past the 7-day period after your receipt.
After we receive your email, we will send you an authorization code and a prepaid return shipping label. Return the shoes to us in their original packaging.
After we receive your returned shoes, you will be issued a store credit within 7 days. We are sorry, but we do not offer refunds.
If you want to exchange your shoes rather than receive a store credit, please give us the details of the shoes you would like to receive instead in your email to us. We will do our very best to accommodate your request.
Returns & Exchanges
After dancing
We recommend that after dancing, you should set your shoes out and allow them to air dry before placing them into their storage bags.
Storage
Ideally store your shoes in a dry, cool area in a storage bag or box. We do not recommend keeping your shoes in your car, as they may overheat and deform memory foam.
Maintenance
Use a dry cloth to dust uppers as needed.
Shoe Care
Foot Health & Care
What can I do about my aching feet?
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Why are good shoes so important?
Improper footwear can stress the back, knees, hips and feet by placing them in an unnatural position and cause improper alignment and function of joints, tendons and ligaments up the body. Muscles in the lower and upper legs may have to work harder when shoes do not fit properly, and this causes fatigue and pain.
Unless you are a professional dancer conditioned by decades of strenuous dance, you need shoes with some kind of padding in their soles. Dancing for hours in unpadded shoes can cause temporary or permanent nerve damage in the ball of the foot. Wearing shoes that are too tight can cause nerve damage, cause bunions or make them worse, and cause many other problems as well.
We recommend that you wear your lowest heels for practice and at less formal events. A shoe heel that is less than 2" (5 cm) is recommended for practice. Save your higher heels for more formal milongas so as to minimize time spent in them.