[stlgurl702]

Is there a way to quickly break in character shoes without just wearing them?

[broadwaybelle22]

I usually hold onto something, like my kitchen table, and stand up on tiptoe, alternating back and forth. If that made any sense.... You can also go out into your driveway and scuff them up so that you don't slip and fall.

[Kiwi]

The problem with scuffing them up on the driveway is that you get little bits of gravel up in the soles, which can be bad for the stage you walk on in them. I suggest using duct tape on the bottom of them to keep from slipping.

[Bianca.]

I bend them around a lot to make them less stiff.


Also, I like to lightly sandpaper the soles to give it a bit of traction.

[Clarabelle]

You see, I'm really unconvinced about needing to break them in, so much. I tried on several pairs of character shoes and they were all so uncomfortable that I couldn't imagine wearing them and I wasn't prepared to dance for hours in uncomfortable shoes just in case they then got comfy! So I went somewhere that I'd not been recommended, just on the off chance, and I tried on the most comfy pair of shoes EVER and I love them. Bloch shoes are too wide for me, they rub at the instep, but my Freed shoes fit perfectly and have done since I got them (from the Freed shop in London which was a scary experience for me having not been a ballet dancer, haha).

My tap shoes were stiffer but not uncomfortable so I just wore them round my house for about a day, that's ok on carpet but slippery and my family didn't thank me in the kitchen!

[DontDoSadnessxx]

two days before my anything goes opening I had to get new character shoes. But I couldn't spin in them so I went and rubbed them on concrete, it worked really well for me. And I didn't have any gravel in them. So I would recommend that.
Sandpaper, like Bianca said would work too.

[Kiwi]

No, really, it's just generally better for the shoe and the surface you walk on in the shoes if you don't use the driveway to make them less slippery. I learned this the hard way. I used to walk outside in my character shoes all the time because I was just too lazy to take them off or whatever reason, and now they're in really bad condition, the heel's all funky and it's just not good. It's better to avoid having them on concrete as much as possible. Sandpaper is good.

[Catherine]

How much do character shoes generally cost? Do you think they'd be essential for WSS? I'm new to all this sort of stuff.

[Kiwi]

Character shoes are in general a good investment. They match with just about anything and are fitting for a majority of characters, you can dance in them easier than street shoes, and if you use them well and get ones that fit right they can last you for many years. They usually cost between $30 - $60, depending on the brand and if they're made out of real leather, which breathes better, doesn't scuff as easily, and is more comfortable but therefore is more expensive. The ones I have are pleather and work just fine, though, it depends on what you want.

By WSS I assume you mean West Side Story, yes? For any of the roles in that show a character shoe or other dance shoe would probably be best to have. If you wear some other shoes you may not be able to dance in them comfortably.

[broadwayxdoll]

while were on the topic of character shoes, i have a question.



i got new ones before my last show and there were a lot of painted set peices involved. i must have brushed up against one and now theres a pink streak on the toe of one of the shoes. what can i do to get it out?

[Kiwi]

Shoe polish. Works wonders.

[AnnieER25]

I was always told to scuff mine on concrete, even by the teacher that got them for me for his class. However I have a pair that just wouldn't scuff up properly on concrete and I kept having trouble with traction so my friends told me to put powdered tide in a shoe box and scuff them up that way. Aside from on the really smooth concete strip on one of the stages, I no longer slip in them.

[Catherine]

[Kiwi]

Glad to be of help, chica

[Phantom On A Budget]

If the shoe is made of real leather, one of the quickest and painless methods is to wet them thoroughly and wear them about until dry. It's a scary concept for people, but soaking leather footwear in water and then wearing them can work wonders. It's a common practice for breaking in riding boots. The military has taught it for years and years.

[Kiwi]

Hmm... that's one I haven't heard, I must say. Sounds like it'd work pretty well though.

[Elphaba22]

Actually, funny story, I was in Jerry's Girls, which is a revue of Jerry Herman songs with an entirely girl cast, and I left my character shoes outside accidently (im really forgetful) and it rained, and they got really wet and I had to wear them practically all day the next day for a long rehearsal, while they were still wet, and the next day, and once they dried, they were so broken in, I couldn't have asked for a better solution.

[Phantom On A Budget]

It's really effective. I've known so many people who would probably rather throw themselves in front of a train before soaking their expensive riding boots in the bathtub, but when it's all said and done, they're raving about the results. Just put the shoes on, stand in the bathtub or shower for a minute or so, then go about your day while wearing the shoes. Once should do the trick.

[disneybeauty]

i do something similar with my character shoes, and I think it's a little faster than waiting for wet leather to dry: I steam them, then wear them around the house. I only steam the areas that need stretching because it works so well. I usually wear them for about an hour after I finish steaming them, and they're good to go.
I agree with the concrete thing to scuff the bottoms. You can also get a shoe rasp to scuff them up, and in a pinch to increase traction you can put a small strip of duct tape on the bottom.
Personally, I prefer to wear ballroom shoes onstage. The sole is sueded so the sound is muffled. Plus you have pretty good traction everywhere, and they're super easy to break in. Down side=$$$$$$$.

[kiwiholly]

I had never heard of the idea of soaking leather shoes to break them in either, it does sound a little odd, but I suppose it might be worth a try!

[sweetsoprano]

I wear LaDuca shoes and they are perfect! I normally have to soak shoes and I don't have to soak these at all! My dance teacher wore them when she was in Movin' Out and Fosse. They last a while too! But they're more for advanced students...so if you're a serious dancer, they're a great investment!