What are the best shoes for Zumba?

From time to time, my students will ask me what the best shoes are for Zumba Fitness, so I thought that I would share and discuss my favorite Zumba shoes (and please feel free to add your own thoughts!)

First of all: Yes, you do need shoes for Zumba!  Zumba is a dance fitness class and it is important to give your feet proper support and stability while we dance for that fun-filled hour.  I find that the best shoes are ones with either a worn out sole (i.e. no traction) or a dance fitness shoe with a pivoting point.  This will help give you a full range of motion, especially to prevent you from twisting your knees.  If you’ve been using cross trainers or running shoes, you will notice a difference immediately.

Nike Shox: I’ve been partial to the Nike Shox Electro (but then they had to go and be discontinued!)  Now, you can get the Nike Shox Cameo 2 (from Zappos, Amazon, Endless or any of those other fabulous online shoe stores).

Notice the bottom of the shoe and the pivot point – amazing!  They really give you a full range of motion for dancing while still providing sufficient support for those higher intensity songs.

Capezio: I’ve spoken to other Zumba Instructors, who really like the Capezio dance shoes, for the same knee-saving reasons as I like my dance fitness shoes.  However, I have to say that I really need more support than these dance shoes.

Old Sneakers: Some Instructors prefer to use old tennis shoes or sneakers that have worn down soles and give you that mobility like dance shoes.  If you do decide to use old shoes, I would highly recommend putting some athletic insoles or shoe inserts inside to give your feet a little extra cushioning.

According to Zumba: “Zumba Fitness recommends that you wear “cross training” or “aerobic” style shoes. They provide the cushion and medial lateral support needed for side-to-side movements.  They also have low traction rubber for easy sliding and turning.  Please be careful with “running shoes” since they use a heavy tread on the bottom and are designed for forward movement.” (Zumba FAQ)

Hope this helps and make your feet as happy as you are in your Zumba class!

xoxoxo,

Alena