Bloch Women's Grecian Sandal Dance Shoe

I purchased these Bloch teaching sandals in ballet pink in a size 8. I also bought the Sansha teaching sandals in black in a size 10 (they run small and were awkwardly long and narrow... but that’s another review). After swing dancing in my Capezio 1.5” character shoes for 2 years, I wanted a lower-heeled, but still nice-looking dance shoe, especially since I’m currently learning lindy. All three of these shoes are pictured for reference (the Capezio’s are also a size 8). I also have a pair of Block lace-up jazz shoes (size 8) that I have worn to smithereens.Okay - are you ready? These shoes are SO AMAZING. They fit exactly like my Bloch jazz shoes and took exactly zero minutes to break in. I have a wider foot with a narrow heel, so the fact that these shoes come up around the ball of my feet and don’t rub anywhere is a gift from heaven above. The heel is a perfect height for lindy, swing, and contra (I’ve worn these to dance all of those so far) and they aren’t so tight or short that my toes are crying out by the end of the night. The fact that these are indeed sandals also means your feet can BREATHE. I don’t know why they don’t make more all-leather teaching sandals, because they are the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever danced in.These babies are SUPER soft leather with a cloth lining in the toe (which I love, since it makes them more forgiving than the stiffer leather-lined Sansha’s). The heel is suede-lined, as is the footbed, with the exception of the pink leather piece under your heel. The elastic band on the instep isn’t too tight, even for my extremely high arch and instep, and makes them super easy to get on/off. The sole and heel are suede and provide just enough traction, even on not-so-clean wood floors. Also, the color is exactly what you’d expect ballet pink to be. Not a weird nude, just nice, classic ballet pink.One note about sizing: I usually wear an 8 in street shoes, sometimes an 8.5. I am a true 39, if you use European sizing. My Capezio’s (8M) were a bit snug on me in both length and width, but have stretched over time to be perfect. My Bloch jazz shoes (8M) are a smiiiidge big on me, and if I wanted absolutely ZERO room for my feet to move around, I probably would have purchased a 7.5M in these teaching sandals. Since these are a soft sole (they don’t have any support/stiffness between the ball of your foot and your heel), the sole can bend/arch upward under your arch and take care of any extra length you have in the shoe. However, if you want to wear these sandals WITHOUT nylons and DON’T want them to feel like they’re painted on to your skin, go with [the smaller of] your regular street shoe size[s].As Fred Astaire sang: “Put on your dancing shoes, stop wasting time; Put on your dancing shoes, watch your spirits climb!”

I bought a size bigger, since other Bloch shoes I've had ran small, but this one seems true to size. I didn't want to have to send them back, so bought memory foam insoles to put in them. Pure heaven. Now the larger size fits perfectly, and the shoes feel much more comfortable and supportive than without insoles. So I'd recommend getting a larger size and adding the insoles. Using them for contradance and waltz.

It's a dance shoe meant for moving, dancing. Comfort and support are not the priorities for this shoe. I bought a 9 and it fits perfectly, stays on like a glove. The upper is made of a fine, supple leather that allows a tight fit without creating discomfort. I like this shoe but can only wear it for a few hours. There is absolutely no padding in the shoe. It's probably like a ballet shoe. It has a suede bottom (great for spins) and after a number of hours in this shoe you can actually see my toe imprints on the bottom of the shoe. That's how thin it it! It is so flexible that it easily folds over, perfect for rolling your foot in WCS. I just added a cheap foam pad last night which worked alright but still it's thin. I normally wear orthotics but again, for a few hours of dance, I can get away with these. I like wearing them because they are so flexible, fit to well and are light. I especially love doing spins and turns in these shoes. So, I guess you will have to see for yourself!

They fit great with a larger size. I normally wear an 8.5 or sometimes 9 in street shoe. A 9 would probably have been ok for the type of dancing they are made for (jazz) but for my purpose (swing dancing) and not needing them to fit like a ballet shoe, the 9.5 works great. I still don't have extra room in the toe area. So size up! But they are easy to get on and off (elastic, no buckle) and offer a more sturdy heel than a simple foam block like some others.

Im really sad to return these but there's no way I could wear them. I love how thin and light the leather is. The back fit my heels perfectly and wasn't rubbing against my skin or hurting at all. These were going to be my first Blochs so I went up half a size and ordered 7.5. Everything was great except the elastic band on top. It was SO tight!! It's not the first time I had problems with shoes being uncomfortably snug right on my navicular bone (sanita nurse clogs kill me for the same reason), not sure if mine is higher/sticking out more than most peoples but as soon as I wore these I knew they were going to be no go. If you dont have the same problem, go for it.

I bought this for a stage dance performance and it was a very comfortable and perfect fitting type of dance shoe. Love the elastic too so easy and quick to get on and off especially with costume changes this shoe stays on my foot and for me very comfortable to wear and move in.

I like these as they have a small heel instead of completely flat. They don’t look as frumpy as the lace ups but I’m not sure how long the elastic will last. I bought the tan and ordered one half size up which was a little large so I put in an insole. I tried my regular street size but they were too small

Very happy with these dance shoes. I have side feet through the instep but they are average otherwise. It's been extremely difficult to find dance shoes that I can wear comfortably for the 4 hours I spend dancing in one night. These did the trick. Not a lot of arch support, but they aren't made for that with the split sole. Comfort is main benefit. There's a lot of forgiveness through the instep and the toes - just what I needed.

Looks very good feels comfortable except there is not sufficient room at the front for my big toe it gets squished in a little bit.

Beau cuir, souliers parfaits pour enseigner. Une pièce sous le talon a par contre décollée après la deuxième fois que je les ai portés.

So comfortable!

Cette commande a été retournée. Produit non conforme à mon attente.

Super confoPrévoir 1/2 à 1 pointure plus grand que l’ordinaire