While hitting the dance floor, a smooth sliding can take your moves to the next level. But, it becomes the opposite when your shoes hold you back from showing off your dance skills.
Luckily, you can prevent such a humiliating situation by making your shoes slippery beforehand. But how can you make them slippery in no time?
No trouble! Stay put with this article as I’ve explained the 10 best ways to make your shoes slick enough for dancing.
So, read on!
Why Do You Need Slippery Shoes For Dancing?
We all know you need a firm and improved grip for your badminton shoes, and also for running or hiking shoes. But the case is totally different when you are dancing.
Because you need a pair of shoes that are somewhat slippery for the dance floor.
As shoes with good grip create loads of friction, it’s not easy to smoothly slide and glide wearing them. So, to execute smooth and fluid movements while dancing, you need shoes with slippery soles.
Furthermore, dancing with non-slip shoes like Vans can make your dancing more difficult. As you’ll have to make more effort for each dance step with grippy shoes.
This can ultimately put you in injuries like strained ankles or blisters. But a slippery pair of shoes will allow your feet a comfortable adjustment with each dance step you take.
So, to achieve the perfect slide and glide while dancing, pick a slippery pair of shoes like the professional ones.
How To Make Shoes Slippery For Dancing?
Well, professional dance shoes can provide you with the slickness you need on the dance floor. But, what to do when you don’t have such specially designed shoes but still wanna show off your best moves?
Thankfully, with some easy and useful methods, you can make your non-slip shoes like skate shoes slippery for your next dance.
So, let’s find out 10 easy ways you can use to make your regular shoes slippery in order to dance:
1. Gaffer Tape
Unlike duct tape, Gaffer tape comes with a fabric protective liner. Using Gaffer tape on shoes is a temporary process.
This means you can use this tape to turn your regular shoes into dance shoes. And by removing the tape after the dancing session, you can get your walking shoes back easily.
Here are the steps to make shoes slippery with Gaffer Tapes:
- Attach the adhesive liner of the tape to the soles of your shoes.
- Cut the tape on the edges using scissors when the whole shoe bottom is covered.
- Make sure to even out any kinks or creases by gently rubbing through them.
This Gaffer tape process is an easy and affordable one to make your shoes slippery enough for dancing.
2. Stick on Suede Soles or Suede Paper
You can use this temporary method when you want to make your shoes slippery without ruining the soles for good. When you are done with dancing, simply taking off the suede paper or sticker from your soles can get them back to their previous state.
However, you can find two types of suede soles even in the local stores. One comes in whole for the sole, and the other one comes in sections for part of the soles like the front, and heel or ball area.
You can also use these suede papers or stickers on the suede shoe soles to make them more slippery for dancing. And when using a sticker on suede, take a leap and start directly from step 4.
Just follow the below steps to use the suede stickers on your regular shoes:
- Place your shoes on the paper and make an outline of your shoe soles on the paper.
- Cut the outlined section of the paper using scissors or a sharp knife.
- Carefully peel off the suede liner from the adhesive backing.
- Then gradually place the paper or sticker on the sole of your shoes without forming any creases.
- And if you find that the stickers are bigger than your soles, you can cut out the extra sections with scissors.
By following these easy steps, you’ll be ready to rock the dance floor with your slippery shoes in no time.
3. Using Sand Paper
Using sandpaper on your soles is the easiest way to make your shoes slippery for dancing. But unlike the first two methods, this is a permanent process, as you are doing some irreversible work on the soles.
In this process, instead of sandpaper, you can use nail files as well. [Image of using nail files on shoes]
To proceed with this method, follow the below steps:
- Make sure to remove all dirt or mud from the soles and clean them properly, before using the sandpaper.
- By holding your shoes upside down, firmly rub the paper on the soles systematically. But don’t rub it too hard, as this can damage the soles entirely.
- When done, feel the soles by hand and check if the smoothening was evenly done or not. If not, then repeat the process.
Also, after using the sandpaper, you can wear the shoes on rough surfaces to smoothen the soles even more.
4. Using Olive Oil
Using olive oil is kinda like an elongation of the sandpapering process.
As in this method, you need to use sandpaper on the soles, before applying the olive oil.
To slicken your shoes with olive oil, follow these steps:
- Polish the soles with sandpaper in a firm and circular motion.
- After that, tap the shoes on the ground to remove the formed debris due to the sandpapering.
- And finally, put a few drops of olive oil on the bottom of the shoes, and gently wipe it with a paper towel or a piece of clothing. If you can’t get your hands on olive oil, simply using cooking oil will do the work.
Using olive oil is an easy method for making your shoes slippery, but make sure not to use too much oil on the soles during the process. As this can make your shoes too much slipperier than needed.
5. Use Dance Shoe Spray
If you want a more professional solution, dance shoe sprays are designed specifically to make your shoes slippery for dancing.
These sprays are usually made with silicone, which makes your rough shoe bottoms a smooth and slick surface.
To get that done, just spray the product on the soles of your shoes and let it dry before hitting the dance floor.
6. Use Rubbing Alcohol
Using rubbing alcohol is one of the most effective and simplest ways to make your shoes slippery for dancing.
And to do that, simply soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and wipe the bottom of your shoes with it.
Rubbing alcohol breaks down the grip of the sole and allows your shoes to slide across the floor with ease.
7. Using Moleskin
To make your shoe bottoms slippery for dancing, you can easily attach a moleskin on the forefront, heels, or in the ball section of the soles.
Moleskin is readily available in pharmacies and local stores at an affordable price. You just have to buy them according to your need.
And barely put them on the bottom of your shoes before going on the dance floor. This will make your shoes slippery by reducing the friction between the shoe’s bottom and the floor.
The best thing is that, just like suede stickers, moleskin is very easy to remove.
8. Apply Baby Powder
Another simple and cost-effective solution to make your shoes slippery is by applying baby powder to the soles.
Just sprinkle some baby powder on the bottom of your cleaned shoes and spread it evenly with your hand. The powder will absorb any moisture and reduce the grip of the sole, giving you more freedom to move and slide.
But the thing is that the baby powder won’t stay long on the shoes, and after a while, your shoes may become grippy again. Yet, you can reapply the powder several times if needed.
9. Scuff the Bottom
The most simple method to make shoes slippery is by scuffing them on rough surfaces. After wearing the shoes, simply scuff them against the asphalt or concrete.
Scuffing against rough surfaces will damage the treads and reduce the grip of the soles. But don’t scuff them too much, as this may make your soles thinner.
But remember, the shoes won’t be suitable for walking again. Meaning, this is the cheapest yet permanent method.
10. Take Your Shoes to Professionals
If you’re afraid that your shoes might get ruined while doing the above-mentioned methods, you can take them to a cobbler. Within a few minutes, they can make your shoes slippery by applying shoe wax or other tools.
Though this can cost you more than the other methods, you will get a better and long-lasting result. Cobblers can make the shoes smaller if you need them to.
Moreover, all these processes are simple yet effective for making your shoe’s bottom slippery on the dance floor. So, pick the best suitable one for you and get ready to slip and slide like a pro.
FAQs
How to Make Ballet Shoes More Slippery?
Using synthetic oils or olive oils on the bottom of ballet shoes is the best way to make them more slippery. But you can also make them slippery by applying sandpaper, suede stickers, or felt pads on the soles of your ballet shoes.
Which Type of Sole is Best For Dancing?
Both suede soles and leather soles are best for dancing. Shoes with suede soles are good for dances like ballroom dance, as they allow you to slide smoothly yet with a bit of grip. And the leather shoes will allow you to rock on dances like tango or salsa on wooden floors.
Final Words
Making your shoes slippery for dancing is all about finding the right balance between grip and slide. Shoes that we wear casually, however, will fail to provide you with this balance.
But with all the methods I’ve given you in this article, you can easily turn any pair of shoes into the perfect dance partner of yours.
So, without any confusion, put these methods to the test and see how they can boost your dance moves.
Happy dancing!
