A month or two ago I needed to buy a pair of shoes for The Killer Diller duo charleston number, Puttin’ on the Ritz by the Pasadena Roof Orchestra.
I figured I should own a pair of character shoes being that I’d like to break into the “real dance world”. I think every female dancer on stage I have seen owns a pair and by golly, I figure I’ll “fake it ’til I make it!” until I do (specifically I mean outside of the lindy world).
Bloch SFX split sole heels
“The Bloch SFX Split Flex enables the dancer to better articulate as it works with the foot to provide a great range of movement and a beautiful, extended line when the dancer is pointing. A versatile character shoe, the SFX Split Flex I suitable for character dance and interdisciplinary demi-character work. Smooth leather upper. T-strap with adjustable buckle and small hidden elastic gore around ankle for a comfortable, personalized fit, allowing movement of the foot. Shorter shank and elastic goring that wraps around the underside of the shoe combine to enhance the dancer’s pointe. External stabilizer reinforces the heel without compromising the flexibility of the shoe enabling the dancer to feel supported and secure. Soft leather lining. Cushioned insole for comfort. Suede forefoot outsole facilitates turning and sliding while providing some grip.”
Bloch – Sfx Split Flex (Tan) – Footwear
I’ve had these guys for two months and absolutely love them. They run a tiny bit small, but because the shoes is made of soft leather, they’ll stretch a wee bit to your feet. They are rather plain looking, but if you adorn them with ribbons or any flashy shoe buckle thing, they’ll look stunning. The night I got them I rehearsed in them for an hour and my feet were completely fine (yeah for comfortable shoes!!!). I can still point my toes and control my balance in these no problem. The shoe has a 2 1/2″ heel on them, so they aren’t too tall to start off with if you haven’t worked in heels before. I would absolutely recommend buying these guys if you were on the look out for character-esque shoes.
Final note: I ordered these guys off of Zappo’s and they came the next day. Kinda scary how fast they shipped, but I ordered them at 4pm on a Thursday and they arrived by 10am on Friday. Maybe they ship from PA, but really it’s just that they are THAT good.
