In short: for the cha-cha (or cha-cha-cha), you dance in Latin dance shoes. For women, an open-toe sandal, securely fastened at the ankle with a strap, with a 5 cm heel for beginners or 7 cm and more when you are comfortable. For men, a closed Latin dance shoe with a low heel. The sole must allow you to pivot on the dance floor without catching.
The cha-cha, a Latin dance
In competitive dance, the cha-cha-cha is part of the Latin dances, along with the samba, rumba, paso doble, and jive. It is also danced at parties and in ballroom dance classes. Its fast steps and weight transfers require a foot that is well supported: a shoe that moves around will cause you to lose the rhythm.
The 4 points to check
1. Support
An ankle strap, crossed straps, or laces keep the shoe on your foot during chassé steps and turns. This is the most important point.
2. Heel height
A heel of around 5 cm is a good compromise between style and stability for beginners. A 7 cm heel elongates the leg more. If your feet tire quickly, a small 3 cm heel, square or flared, is still a real Latin dance shoe.
3. The sole
On a dance floor, a suede sole or a flexible sole allows you to pivot. A suede sole should not be worn outside: asphalt damages it very quickly. See our article on the suede sole.
4. Shoe size
A dance shoe should fit snugly: the toes should almost reach the front. Measure your foot in centimeters and use our shoe size converter.
Our Latin dance shoes for the cha-cha
- Katowice (€29.99): satin, buckle strap, flexible outsole, 5 or 7 cm heel.
- Thorogood (€29.99): sandal with crossed straps at the front, buckle ankle strap, 5 or 7 cm heel, 4 colors.
- Virginie (€29.99): canvas upper, laces, 3 or 5 cm square heel, flexible outsole. For practice or sensitive feet.
- Phlox (€49.99): sandal with crossed glitter front, crossed ankle strap with buckle, 6 cm flared heel.
For men, see our selection of men's dance shoes. The entire range is on Latin dance shoes, and the comfort selection on comfortable Latin dance shoes.
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