I’ve checked the threads, but haven’t found quite the answer I was looking for. Thought I would throw this out there. We need to buy character shoes. We have always borrowed from the theater closet every time she has used them in a show. My D is 5’ 7.5" tall. What size heel? What color is most prevalent/called for at dance auditions? Thank you so much in advance for your input.
My daughter is 5’8" and she has character shoes in both beige and black with the 2" heels.
My is also 5’7" and her character shoes have 2" inch heels. I would recommend getting both beige and black/ but if you are getting only one pair- I would start with beige. Another recommendation- dance shoes come in a wide range of prices, if you think D is going to be doing a lot of dancing- nicer shoes feel better and last longer.
I would go no shorter than a 2 inch heel. I have a pair of 2.5" black character heels and 3" nude heels. 3" seem to be the industry standard for professional work. I second the recommendation to start with a nude pair.
Also, don’t feel like you have to buy La Ducas…my feet are very narrow and I love my So Dancas!
@CanadianMTgirl - I agree you don’t NEED “top of the line”, but going with something “nice” ( which could mean $40 instead of $20) can be a good "investment. That being said - my D’s favorite possession on the planet (with the possible exception of her phone) are her La Ducas 
I think beige would be the best color if you are only getting one pair. It gives the leg a long continuous look and goes with anything you might be wearing… I would get black if you are getting a second pair - but it is probably not necessary to do so unless needed for a show. My daughter’s likes the 3", but she’s only 5’4". You may want to go with the 2" to start if your D hasn’t danced a lot - they may be easier for learning than the taller ones.
I would suggest if you have a dance store close by that you try on different pairs and see which brand you all like best. Get a sense of whether your D’s foot is wide or narrow and if there is a brand that seems more comfortable to her. Different people like different brands. You also may need to decide what type of strap you like (t-strap, etc.) It really is a personal preference.
If you want to splurge on LaDuca’s, if you aren’t in NYC, they will ship them to you and they do allow you to return their stock shoes as long as there is no scuffing on them (so if you try them on at home, do so only on carpet). But there are plenty of options that are not as expensive which may do the trick for right now. Also, LaDuca does have a great sale in the summer - not sure what day it is this year. But if you are in NYC the weekend of the sale it is well worth the wait. Shoes are sold at huge discounts that weekend so you may want to check that out.
That’s my height exactly! Mine are black, and I believe they’re either 2" or 2 1/2". I would say beige is a better way to go, but she’ll probably need both, eventually.
Thank you so very much everyone! As soon as she gets home from summer camp we will be heading to the shoe store. Definitely going to start with the 2" so that she can confidently dance in them. I would love to purchase La Duca’s. I danced for 13 years and a good shoe can be worth it’s weight in gold. However, I think I will wait until auditions are over in a year in a half…just in case she changes her mind about her career path :).
LaDuca FB page says the sale is July 25/26 this year.
Honestly, The D never wore character shoes for the dance portion of the auditions last year or this. She wore her black jazz shoes.
D often wore jazz shoes for college auditions too. One thing that surprised me was how many girls I saw wearing character shoes for singing/ monologue portion of audition (with street clothes), walking around the audition sites, and even (gasp) wearing them outside!!
I think for college auditions, jazz shoes are worn for the dance portion. I do know that my niece recently had professional auditions and the dance portion was in character shoes.
I went to the LaDuca sale last summer and it was quite an experience. I stood in line for 5 hours and my phone died after 2! But they have all these custom made shoes left over from Broadway shows and tours, and I got lucky and found a pair that perfectly fit my wide feet for only $70. 2.5" and I’m 5’6". Since I splurged on that tan pair, I stuck with my $40 black character shoes. You don’t need both colors for college auditions, although you may want to wear black tights with black shoes/tan tights with tan shoes. And I definitely recommend bringing jazz or ballet shoes with you just in case. Oh, and the other thing about the LaDuca sale is that the line is full of professional dancers and MTs and you get to listen to them talk about their lives. Bring a friend if you can—that way one of you can run to Starbucks without losing your place in line!
Just bought D her first pair of LaDucas as her graduation present, but have survived just fine up until now in her 2.5" heel Bloch character shoes. She is hard on shoes, so always has a few pairs in nude and black. Has found that she prefers a T-strap and feels like they look more sophisticated than the basic Mary-Jane.