The first time I saw DanceSocks was on Linda Simms, “The Who Dat Teacher” from Let’s Mess it Up Soul Line Dancing. I wondered, “What is she (and most of her class) wearing on their shoes?”

DanceSocks also came up at Amazon while searching for dance sneakers. I was very interested in trying them out as I mentioned in my review for my dance sneakers, but I was hesitating. Then our dance studio moved from one location to another, and the wood floors at the new location were sticky. There were two possible reasons. First of all, the flooring had been in storage for a year, and secondly, the people who laid the flooring had mopped it. For whatever reason, our shoes were not gliding and sliding, so I decided it was time to try out The DanceSocks.

They can be ordered from Amazon (my favorite place to order most everything) but while I was making up my mind which ones to get, the shipping date changed and it would have been two weeks before they arrived. I wanted them in time for the next class, so I checked at the company’s site, and was able to order express shipping to have them delivered in two days.

Shipping from Amazon is $3.99 – I put 8 pair in my cart and shipping was still $3.99 so not sure when the shipping price increases.

Direct from the company, I put 10 pair in the cart and it was still $2.95. Priority mail shipping (express) is $6.95. My classmates and I are planning to go in on a group order.

The DanceSocks slip over your shoe right where the ball of your foot meets the floor. They were designed to be worn over any type of sneaker or gym shoe, and the purpose is to allow you to glide and pivot and twist on wood floor.

My package arrived in time for the next class, and I handed out a pair to three of my classmates. One of my classmates will sometimes lean over and hold her knees, or sit and hold her knees. I wondered if the DanceSocks would be of help to her, as that is one of their purposes, is to help avoid stress on the ankles and knees. She has worn them to every class since, and reports that they are helping a lot.

Another classmates said she was able to stay on top of all pivots and turns in another of her dance classes, Chicago Stepping. She asked me where she can buy more pairs, as she won’t be without them.

For me personally? I feel they have revolutionized my dancing. Truly. Seriously. I feel that I can move more freely on the dance floor, I can glide, I can make the turns and pivots with ease. I will not be without my dance socks.

The item I bought was a four pack, which contains 8 “sneaker socks”. The socks were turquoise, hot pink, purple and black. This pack was $20 for the four pair, so they are $5 a pair. You can also buy specific colors in two packs, which are $10 for the two pair.

The DanceSocks are just a little piece of material without a seam, very much like a sock, but open on both ends. You slide the sock over your shoe, the company recommends that you wear the logo side up.

I don’t see any difference in the make up of the sock from logo side or the other side, and my first thought was they want people to “advertise” the logo. Or maybe the logo causes the sock to grip the floor. But, the socks do get really dirty. I am wearing the pink socks and they are completely grey on the bottom after class. The company recommends hand washing, but even though I scrub the material they have a few stained areas, so if I always wear the logo side up, then the sock looks good. Who cares if the bottom is stained, no one can see it.

Put the sock on and try it out. Adjust it to your liking. You might need to glide more, so you would want the sock to be stretched out to its full length. If you need less glide, fold the sock over on its edges, exposing more of the shoe’s toe.

Always remove the socks before leaving the studio as walking on cement or blacktop could damage the material.

They also have DanceSocks for carpet! I have hadn’t the chance to try these out, but they would sure come in handy if you only had a carpeted area to practice, or maybe someone is having a party in their home and the only room big enough to dance in is carpeted.

I have always been a self learner. Whenever I’m interested in something, I tend to immerse myself into it in as many ways possible. I want to learn all I can, as much as I can. When it’s something I want to learn about, the information just globs into my brain so easily. I love when that happens. 🙂 That’s where I am with line dancing. I want to learn dances, I want to watch people line dancing, I want to read about it, I want to know how it works, why it works and why people like to line dance. I want to know why I love it! And so in my quest for information, I went to Amazon to see what I could find.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

I did not find a lot of information about line dancing in the way of books. I know it is probably considered totally “old school” to love books, but I do. I find it very relaxing and enjoyable to just kick back with a book in my hands and have a leisurely read. The one I found, which I think is an absolute gem is entitled Christy Lane’s Complete Book of Line Dancing. This second edition was written in 2000, which was 16 years ago! Just a heads up, this book is not available brand new. However, the super fun part about there being only used copies of this book available is that you can get a copy for just one penny! Well, you’ll need to pay shipping of $3.99 so four bucks total. But still. Wow.

If you prefer soul line dancing (aka urban or R&B line dancing) don’t let the country themed cover put you off. This book is chock full of great information for line dancing, in my opinion.

Here’s a quick run down of the chapters.

Chapter 1 discusses line dancing, why are people so crazy about it and how to succeed at this very fun pastime. Here are nutshell versions of the seven ways to success with line dancing:

1. Think Positively: Have the right attitude, get rid of the doubts and know you can do this!
2. Start at the Beginning: Begin with the easy dances, don’t let the “born dancers” on the floor intimidate you. Just get on the wood and get stepping!
3. Go in the Right Direction: If you’re in a class, this shouldn’t be a concern, but in this step Christy explains floor etiquette when it comes to mixed dancing (couples dancing along with line dancers)
4. Stand Tall: Proper alignment of your body will make you look better and allow you to use your muscles more efficiently.
5. Look Good: Wear the right clothing, get good shoes that work for line dancing.
6. Listen to the Music: You’ll hear people say they have no rhythm. In this step, Christy gives a few tips for learning how to hear, then respond to the beat of the song. Good stuff!
7. Have Fun: Line dancing is a stress buster! It’s almost impossible to think about your problems when your brain and feet are moving to the music. It’s great exercise, and a way to experience personal satisfaction from your accomplishments.

Chapter 2 is “Know Your Lingo” which goes into detail on how to read a foot map, plus line dance terminology.

Chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6 focus on the line dances! There are 64 in all and Christy has arranged them in order from beginner dances to intermediate to advanced. She includes foot maps with detailed descriptions, plus she suggests music for each dance. Some dances have several songs each that they can be danced to.

Chapter 3 includes 21 beginner dances including:

1. Bus Stop
2. Chattahoochee
3. Cowboy Boogie
4. Cowboy Hustle
5. Cowboy Macarena
6. Cowboy Motion
7. Cowgirl’s Twist
8. Coyote
9. Double Dutch Bus
10. Down and Dirty
11. Electric Slide I
12. Electric Slide II
13. Flying Eight
14. Freeze
15. Hitchhiker
16. Louie
17. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
18. Reggae Cowboy
19. Slappin’ Leather
20. Smooth
21. Tennessee Twister

Chapter 4 has 31 Intermediate Line Dances including:

1. Alley Cat
2. Amos Moses
3. Black Velvet (Ski Bumpus)
4. Boot Scoot Boogie I
5. Copperhead Road
6. Country Strut
7. Cowboy Stomp
8. Dance Ranch Romp
9. Elvira
10. Funky Cowboy I
11. Funky Cowboy II
12. Ghostbusters
13. The Gilley
14. Honky Tonk Attitude
15. Honky Tonk Stomp
16. Hooked on Country
17. Livin’ La Vida Loca
18. Night Fever
19. Outlaw Waltz
20. Power Jam
21. The Redneck
22. Rock Around the Clock
23. Six Step
24. Southside Shuffle
25. Thunderfoot
26. Tumbleweed
27. Tush Push
28. Waltz Across Texas
29. Watermelon Crawl
30. Wild Wild West I
31. Wild Wild West II

Chapter 5 has 8 Advanced line dances including:

1. Achy Breaky
2. Boot Scoot Boogie II
3. CHES
4. Cowboy Cha-Cha
5. Hip-Hop
6. LeDoux Shuffle
7. Romeo
8. Walkin’ Wazi

Chapter 6 has 4 partner dances:

1. Barn Dance Mixer
2. Cotton-Eyed Joe
3. Ten-Step
4. Traveling Cha-Cha

Here are a few that include soul music for the dances (indicated in the lists above by the bold font); however, my understanding is that it is fairly common for there to be different songs that will work for each line dance (although some dances were created specifically for one song so those wouldn’t work). Christy offers some tips in the book, one thing you need to do is figure out beats per minute. More on that in another post.

• Bus Stop danced to Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose by Tendy Pendergrass
• Electric Slide II danced to Electric Slide by Grandmaster Slice
• Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith danced to the song by the same name and same artist
• Night Fever danced to Le Freak by Chic
• Night Fever also can be danced to Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees
• Night Fever can also be danced to The Hustle by Van McCoy
• Wild Wild West II danced to Wild Wild West by Will Smith
• Power Jam danced to Gonna Make You Sweat by C&C Music Factory

Chapter 7 discusses developing technique and style. In this chapter Christy discusses Technique, Style, Variations and Attitude. This was definitely one of my favorite chapters as I need help with my technique “flair”! 🙂

Chapter 8 is for instructors. Christy discusses finding a facility, what kind of equipment you might need, your music, attire, class format, teaching in public schools and additional suggestions. Since I aspire to become an instructor eventually, this was a very helpful chapter as well.

I hope you have enjoyed this review! Head on over to Amazon and get yourself a copy of Christy Lane’s Complete Guide to Line Dancing today!

Line Dance Passion is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. Line Dance Passion is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

I have never been a high heeled shoe wearer, preferring flats or low heels. I wear dance sneakers to my line dance class but I wanted a pair of shoes for dancing that would look classy and dressy. Amazon is my go to store for almost anything so that’s where I started.

This post contains links to Amazon.

I usually wear an 8.5, but bought a size 9 since reviewers mentioned the shoes ran a little small. Also the manufacturer does suggest buying 1/2 a size bigger than “street shoes”. Size 9 fit my feet perfectly.

I ordered the black (there are also tan or caramel colored) shoes on January 23, and they cost $37.95.

Here are the manufacturer’s specs:

• Synthetic
• Leather sole
• Heeled dance shoe featuring smooth folded edge topline and buckled top strap
• Compatible with Tele Tone toe, Duo Tone heel, or Selva Staccato taps (not attached)
• Padded insole with arch cookie support
• Moisture-absorbing brushed microfiber lining
• Non-slip heel counter with achilles notch
• 1.5″ plastic heel with leather top lift
• Scored leather sole
• Please order 1/2 size up from street shoe size

I have had the chance to wear this shoe for two line dance parties. From the first time I put the shoes on, I was impressed! They were super comfortable and continued to feel great on my feet during numerous dances. I definitely recommend them.

Line Dance Passion is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. Line Dance Passion is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

These were so much fun! My husband is always bringing home clearance items, he is quite the bargain hunter and very thrifty. A couple of weeks ago he showed me a pack of these dance finger lights. He said he’d bought them specifically because they each contain three little flat batteries. It is a trick he has found for saving money on flat batteries, to find a toy or item that contains one, and then buy it (so long as it is cheaper), instead of paying $3 or more for the specific battery.

But then he saw on the package that they were for dancing, and he thought I might like to try them out at my class.

I brought them with me a couple days later and they were a hit! Several ladies asked about them, where did I get them, how much were they? I told them my husband found them on clearance, which wasn’t much help. I decided to take a quick look at Amazon, one of my favorite places in the world. And wow, I found an 80 pack for less than $8.00 and with no shipping charges since I have Amazon PRIME. I decided to order some to share with my class mates.

The next week we videotaped our second Tuesday dance, and I shared the dance finger lights with everyone who wanted to use them. One lady was so delighted that she asked for a couple extras to share with her grandsons. I was so happy that she wanted to share them with her grandchildren.

What did I think of these?

The price was amazing. Less than 10 cents each. I did discover that I should test the light before handing them out to my classmates, as sometimes they didn’t work once on the person’s finger. But I also learned that jiggling the light would often adjust the batteries so that they would work.

The other thing is that the rubber bands want to slip out of the slot they are nestled into. So it is important to hold the rubber band in place while you slip onto your finger. It is really easy to slip the rubber band back into the slot though.

Finally, these are a little tight on the finger, especially if your fingers are big. However, you probably won’t be dancing long enough to affect your circulation.

Would I Buy them Again?

I would. They are such a good price and so much fun to use while dancing I think they are definitely worth purchasing.

Have you ever used them?

Line Dance Passion is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. Line Dance Passion is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

UPDATE August 2019: Unfortunately, I am sad to report that PUMA has discontinued their Women’s Soleil V2 Comfort Fun Fashion Sneakers. I am currently looking for a new dance sneaker.

I wore athletic shoes to my first line dance class. I thought that was the thing to do, after all, it was kind of like exercising, and I knew sandals wouldn’t do.

The athletic shoes worked out okay, but I learned a few days later that it is better to wear a shoe more suited for dancing. Like a dance sneaker. The main reason is because athletic shoes are typically designed grip the floor/ground.

But dancing has you pivoting, scuffing and making moves that should not grip the floor. If your feet can’t move freely, you could hurt your knees or other joints. And that’s the last thing I want to do, be out of commission and miss my line dance class.

Another bonus is you’ll feel lighter on your feet since dance sneakers tend to be lighter in weight.

I visited Amazon to figure out what I wanted to get. I ended up with the PUMA Women’s Soleil V2 Comfort Fun Fashion Sneaker:

I’ve been wearing these dance sneakers for five months. They still funny to me when I put them on, because the arch support is very high. The shoe is very light weight, and feels stiff, although when I’m dancing, I don’t notice the stiffness. I do feel like I am lighter on my feet while I’m dancing with these shoes.

The bottom of the shoes do not feel slick to the touch, but they allow me to pivot and scuff and perform dance steps easily, as if the sole is slick.

I wear an US 8 or 8.5 in shoes, depending on manufacturer. I ordered the 8.5 for this pair and it feels snug, but not too tight. I also discovered it’s best to wear snug fitting socks. One night I wore a larger pair of socks and my feet were hurting like they were sloshing around in the shoe.

I am happy with this pair of dance sneakers and would recommend them. UPDATE August 2019:  I have been buying and wearing PUMA’s dance sneakers since early 2016. I find that these shoes last for a good 6 months (line dancing approximately 10 hours a month), then start to break down internally and my feet start aching. This may not be your experience.

There is another pair I want to invest in eventually: DPO Women’s Mesh Breathable Modern Ballroom Lightweight Comfort Dance Sneaker

UPDATE August 2019: I tried these shoes and although I have known line dancers that where them, they did not do well for my feet. They hurt my feet so badly that my feet were sore for several days after wearing them one time.

These look more sporty to me.

There is also the option to use dance socks. These fit over an athletic shoe, allowing one to pivot and shuffle. The set I am linking to costs $20 as of today, and contains 4 pairs of dance socks. That ends up being $5 for each pair, and is more affordable than buying a pair of shoes which typically run around $40.

AUGUST 2019 Update: I still wear DanceSocks! These are important tools for line dancers!

If you’re attending a special dancing event and need to be a little more dressy, you might want to try this pair, they are very comfortable.

What are your favorite line dance shoes?