Strutting you stuff

[Helen_Highwater]

TikTok, YouTube, FaceBook are awash with vids of dance couples performing intricate dance routines and what always both amazes and impresses me is when the female half of the pairing performs the dance in high heels.

I am in awe of such ability and let's face it, for many of us it's all we can do to walk through a shopping mall without breaking an ankle, OK perhaps not that bad. I would however say that my guess would be that there's very few of us who could come close to doing a dance that is little more than a bit of shuffling while wearing heels. I suppose our excuse is even if in drab mode, the best we can manage is a bit of awkward Dad dancing at a family get together so starting from a low baseline.

That said, I guess there's a lot of GG's who can't do much more than shuffle dance when in heels so perhaps it's better to be like the crowd an blend in.

[CharlotteCD]

I learned some ballroom back in 2018/2019, and as part of teaching my wife, I learned to demonstrate her steps to her. Naturally I then did this in heels when I was alone.

What i'll say is that it's not difficult to do to an amateur level, but that relies on you having the technique to dance and the technique to walk in heels BEFORE you put them together.

If you can dance, but you can't do heels, and vice versa, you'll find it tough. If you can do both, you'll adapt quickly.

[char GG]

The trick is to have decent dance shoes. They are usually sold in dance supply shops. It?s much easier than in regular heels made for sitting around.

[Sometimes Steffi]

I remember this old quote about Fred Astaire:

Sure he was great, but don't forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did…backwards and in high heels.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Helen , So many of the lady's started as teenagers wearing Heels with many years of practice in Heels, >Orchid**00**

[kimdl93]

I seem to suffer some sort of cognitive and rhythmic disability in this regard. I cannot comprehend dancing at all.

[docrobbysherry]

Patent nonsense, ladies!
I have a bad back and can dance way longer and better in 4"+ heels than I can as a man in flat shoes. Heels change your posture, so the way u walk and dance!

Of course, u have to learn how to move around comfortably in hi spikes before u can dance in them. That took me YEARS!

I'm 80 now and was having a problem with sore legs after walking or dancing in hi heels after a few hours. But, that was years ago. I read about toe lifts here on CD.com and added 75 of them to my morning excersize and stretching routine. Back to walking miles and dancing all nite in hi spikes with no shin splints!
My feet still hurt but not my legs!

What Char said is true and I'm still figuring this out? I go out in hi heels that always hurt my feet but I try to choose those that fit the best!
However, once I get on the dance I find I have to be very careful how I move in some of them. While others let me "strutt" all my best moves!

So, it's NOT just comfort but support that counts in dance shoes. Even some 4"+ spike heels r better than others!

[rachael j.]

I've had several women tell me that they can't even walk in heels when they see me wearing mine. I haven't been out dancing in mine yet, but genuinely looking forward to it!

[Diane P]

I have to agree with what Steffi said. Fred Astaire was great but Ginger Rogers was fantastic, doing it all in high heels and backwards.

[Debbie Denier]

Strictly not dancing for me . Never been able to dance even after taking lessons as a teenager. Used to marvel at my friend that could do the Saturday Night Fever moves.To this day an awkward shuffle is the best I can do.

[CDMargret]

Ballroom dance teacher for a few years. About 4 years of dancing all together. LOVE dancing in heels. Looking to start back at it. Been going to the gym and getting my thighs ready for burn you get dancing. GREAT EXERCISE. And really gets your legs ever so sexy looking. So does vacuuming in heels.

[amykwanishere]

Listening to the discussion so far has piqued my interest in trying out ballroom dance. I practiced ballet and Chinese dance for many years but never tried ballroom dance.

I would love to give it a try, but I seriously doubt that I can find a class in Houston that allows me to take the female part (the one wearing heels). :-m

[Sandi Beech]

I am not a good dancer by any means but I am comfortable dancing in front of others, unlike in my youth.

The thing is, trying to dance in the wrong shoes can be very problematic, that is for sure. I try to stay away from strappy types. A narrow band above the toe line can exert a tremendous amount of pressure when moving moving 200 lbs of weight on the dance floor in my case. I still have a sore spot on my foot from an outing a while back. You definitely want to try them out at home before you go in public where taking them off may not be feasible.

But yes Helen , I know what you mean. I wish I could dance I like I am floating on air but that is not going to happen.

Sandi

[Sometimes Steffi]

I seem to suffer some sort of cognitive and rhythmic disability in this regard. I cannot comprehend dancing at all.

Try having a couple of shots of liquid courage first. It helped me!

[Jane G]

I love dancing. Heels or not. It's just time and practice. My role models are Michael Jackson. Cyd Charisse and Fred Astair.

[Sometimes Steffi]

I would love to give it a try, but I seriously doubt that I can find a class in Houston that allows me to take the female part (the one wearing heels).

Maybe, maybe not.

I searched for "ballroom dance lessons in Houston". I found several dance studios, but here's one.

https://www.houstonballroomdance.com...-dance-classes

Here's what they say

There is not always an even number of leaders and followers in each group class. If you enroll alone, there might be times you will not have a partner to dance with. We do rotate partners in every class. If you are enrolling in a class with a partner, please be advised that you will be rotating and dancing with everyone.

So, you could go as a girl and rotate among partners. Of course, the partner would have to lead and accept you as a follower.

I took a ballroom dance class locally as a single.

I also took a number of Zumba classes. Again alone with mostly GGs. I stayed in the back of the class because I couldn't keep up with the moves, but no issues otherwise.

I also took a belly dance locally. It was me and about 6 GGs. I didn't have any problems, but we didn't have to partner up.

[Emily in the south]

Fred and Ginger.. Fred was far and away the better dancer, she was just able to keep up with him. He had many more years of experience than her, & choreographed all their dance moves.
She was about 5'4 and danced with Fred in 3" heels, he was 5'9.

I would love to try it, I think I would probably use the Stefi liquid courage suggestion, Lol.

Ann Miller & Cyd Charisse were my favorites.

Emily

[Karren H]

I really do not dance. Last time was at our wedding. But I do admire those who can. There?s a couple of ice dancers that are always practicing their routine at the ice rink where I go to skate every week. They are amazing and she is doing the same moves as he is, but backwards, at a very high rate of speed. Lovely! Meanwhile I?m doing laps around the rink, just trying to keep these 7 decade old ankles from collapsing.

[BobbiKay]

Never was much of an ice skater.

I was that klutzy kid who was the last chosen for teams in Phys Ed class. "We had him last time. You have to take him this time!"

Tried a ballroom class with my ex. "Lead, dammit! I can dance great with the instructor, but I can;t do a thing with you!" That didn't last.

A friend suggested that I try contra dancing. Took me for-ev-er (5-ish sessions) to get to some degree of confidence, No special equipment required, just jeans, a t-shirt, and soft-sole shoes (I use bowling shoes). And a water bottle; it's aerobic exercise. It's customary to change partners each dance. There's live music,and minimal expense. I can do this!

[kayegirl]

My wife is a big fan of the Strictly come Dancing programme, there's no escaping it in our house. One of the things that I have noticed over the last two or three series, is that more than one of the professional male dancers, can and do dance in heels. Also in the current aeries one of the male celeberaties is also dancing in very feminine shoes and heels. Looks darned good as well.

[amykwanishere]

Maybe, maybe not.

I searched for "ballroom dance lessons in Houston". I found several dance studios, but here's one.
...
So, you could go as a girl and rotate among partners. Of course, the partner would have to lead and accept you as a follower.
...
I also took a belly dance locally. It was me and about 6 GGs. I didn't have any problems, but we didn't have to partner up.

You must be living in a more progressive area (may I ask where?). My experience of attending dance classes (jazz, Chinese dance, ballet, etc.) in Houston for over 10 years is that I almost never saw transgender or crossdressing (CD) people there, except on one or two occasions. In all those cases, the attendees were "invited to leave."

It's a sad reality, but that's Houston. :-{

[sometimes_miss]

It's just a matter of wearing those shoes a lot, and getting used to being in them. After developing arthritis in both my knees, suffering from 'loose joints' and the pain and almost falling down when the joint gets a little out of place, I developed the need to learn to walk all over again. Simply focusing on keeping the muscles which keep my knee in place tensed up ALL THE TIME when walking, solved the problem. As time goes on, it just became the way I walk ALL THE TIME. i no longer think about it, I just do it. Like the old saying goes, 'it's just like riding a bike', or swimming. I now longer have to think about it.
Walking in heels was the same way. I learned when I was a kid, clandestinely wearing my older sister's high heel shoes whenever I could, in the expectation that I would need that skill 'when god fixed me and made me into a girl'.
So when I see women doing elaborate dances or running while wearing heels, I understand that they can do that as naturally as any man can while wearing his wing tip loafers.