<p>I remember quite some time ago, someone mentioned a particular type of character shoes/tap as well. I think it was called Da Lukas or something like that. I need help if anyone can guide me on this. I guess they are quite expensive but are very,very comfy and last forever.</p>
<p>Thank you
lexismom</p>
<p><a href="http://www.laducashoes.com/home.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.laducashoes.com/home.htm</a></p>
<p>They're great shoes, but they don't last forever.</p>
<p>Thank you!!
lexismom</p>
<p>They are wonderful shoes, but really only appropriate for more accomplished dancers. The heal tends to be higher, and some styles do not offer as much support on the sides of the feet, making it easier to roll your ankles. As they state on their site:</p>
<p>"The LaDuca® Cherie, Dina, Roxie, Alexis, Tanya, Teresa womens high heel shoe is a very high level, sophisticated instrument specifically designed for use by professional dancers. In so much, it is high level tool. And like all high level tools, it must be used in the proper hands (or feet) in this case.</p>
<p>This shoe is NOT for the beginner or any dancer who has little or no training. It requires a advanced level of strength in the ankles and feet as well as the upper body. We suggest that you consult with your teacher before purchasing this shoe."</p>
<p>Because they are so soft (you can actually point your toe in this character shoe :)!), they can wear down more quickly as well. Some of the shoes also come with suede soles and can be more slick, so make sure to talk with the representative about these issues.</p>
<p>I love these shoes, but I just want to make sure that anyone looking into buying them consultes the website, and the very knowledgable La Duca representatives.</p>
<p>Lexismom...I think I was the one who brought the La Duca character shoes up in another thread a couple of months ago. My daughter had told us that many of her classmates had those. And yes, they are expensive. Luckily, her grandparents treated her to a pair and I must say, she loves them and says they are not like any cheaper character shoes she has had in the past. Normally, in dance classes, over the years, she has worn jazz shoes or jazz sneakers (or ballet shoes or tap shoes, depending on the class) but not character shoes. But in shows, she has to dance in character shoes. So, in her classes at college, she now has to start tap dancing and doing jazz in character shoes. This past summer, she was in a professional show in which she had to dance a lot. She wore the La Ducas for the first time and said they were amazing and easy to dance in. She used to hate dancing in heels until now. Now, she'll have them for class and shows. Before, she didn't use heels in class. This year, in tap, she has to tap in heels and her tap shoes she has had until now were not heels. They were slip ons that had a flexible sole, which she really likes. But I found a new character tap shoe (not La Ducas) that are flexible made by Capezio and so now she has those for tap. I suppose if someone didn't invest in La Ducas, these character tap shoes with the flexible sole might make a nice character dance shoe as well, for less than La Ducas. She has six dance classes per week, three days per week and then there are shows, plus summer productions, so I think these shoes will be well used. Of course, the price is a lot. One way to think of it is text books cost a lot too and so for dance classes, there are no text books and the dance shoes are like the material fee! :D
(at least they cost WAY less than my other D's ski boots)</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>PS, sorry I hadn't seen your post, Kat, when I had posted just now. I can't recall Leximom's D's background (sorry!) but some kids in BFA programs, have been dancing for 13 years or so before they got to college and are advanced dancers. That has been my own child's background. I agree that a beginner might need a differet shoe. But the flexibility of La Ducas is nice as a character shoe since many are not made as a good dance shoe, which is why my D always preferred her jazz shoes over character shoes in the past. Even her new heeled tap shoes are flexible at the mid sole which is what her non heeled ones are and so that really makes a difference to her.</p>
<p>I think she may have Alexis based on the description. She got them in NYC in person.</p>
<p>Yeah, the fleixiblity is one of the many wonderful things about the La Ducas. They are a great shoe for those with good solid dance training and background, which many do have when they start a BFA program. I just worry about the ones without as much dance training. They are such a beautiful shoe, that some who are not ready may try to work in the shoe before they are stong enough. I just want to make sure that parents... who are often the ones buying the shoes :)... know the questions to ask.</p>
<p>I know there are several other petite students represented on this board - one other advantage my D found with the LaDucas were that small sizes that were custom order (and thus, more expensive) at Capezio, were in stock at LaDuca. I know that they go down at least to a 3.</p>
<p>Kat, I agree with your suggestions as dancers with less experience may need different "equipment". </p>
<p>Also, less experienced dancers may wish to learn about all the differences in shoes available....such as ones with flexible soles (inc. tap shoes) and advantages of each, etc.</p>
<p>Your advice is very much appreciated! I think there is a wide range of dance backgrounds amongst students who enter BFA programs. </p>
<p>This board happens to have a bunch of experienced dancers and their parents :).</p>
<p>Interesting conversation about LaDuca character shoes! This fall my daughter, who is a freshman MT, lost her two pair of character shoes (black and tan) somewhere between home and the dorm. When it came time for rehearsal for the musical, she was in a panic for shoes. She told me she really wanted the LaDucas because "all the girls" had them (yes, I am apparently one of those naive moms;)). Since I knew she was going to be really using them for a long time, and since she is a very advanced dancer, I let her purchase one pair. She chose the heel height and the color she wanted. Then a couple weeks later she discovered exactly what shoes she needed for the show, and of course she had ordered the wrong color and heel height. Luckily, I found a very old pair in the "ragbag" at home, which happened to be the correct shoes for the show. But that's the problem with investing too much money in character shoes: every director wants something a little different for each show.</p>
<p>But what if we are those more inexperinced dancers, and still want flexible characer shoes? </p>
<p>I've been dancing for three years, and I need a tan character shoe no higher then 2''. I want one that is flexible- and I don't know where to look.</p>
<p>Help?</p>
<p>I posted this somewhere else before, but when my daughter started dancing in heels we tried these
<a href="http://www.onlinedancewear.com/catalog/prod_S4316.cfm%5B/url%5D">http://www.onlinedancewear.com/catalog/prod_S4316.cfm</a>
The S4316 pair. Since then, the whole competition team at her former school has purchased them and everyone loves them. The girl who used to do her solos with the LaDucas has even traded them in for this cheaper model. They are slightly lower heels about 1 1/2", but when you have a shoe repair put the rubber bottom on (they are suede sole and leather bottom heel) They are closer to 1 3/4" and make a nice leg line. La Ducas were very high to "start out" with at 2 1/2". My daughter actually used to have two pairs of the $21 shoes for her solos...one without the rubber bottom (suede) for stickier surfaces like the marley floor, and used the rubber soled ones for wood surface stages. Her forte was turning, and she loved the way these shoes performed.
I know Leo's also has a soft sole character as well but their heels are shorter at 1 1/4" and don't look nearly as nice on stage.</p>
<p>Hi Melsmom, I sent you an email through CC (do not know your actual email), rather than the PM function as my box keeps filling up. I am not sure if you got it or not but if not, if you can email me, that would be great. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Susan
I did a "reply" to your email, which must have gone to your PM box if you did not get it...So sorry, and it was so lengthy! Will see if it is in my Sent box and try to get it to your private email. Oops.</p>
<p>laduca's! my fave...incredibly comfortable...good investment :)</p>
<p>Melsmom....geez, I am glad I asked. I don't think it went to my PM box because when someone tries sending a PM and the box is full, I get a little email note that says that. I didn't get that or an email from you. So sorry! I hope you have it in your SENT box. My email address is my posting name at AOL. Or you can write me at susant which is at collegeconfidential.com. I appreciate the response and your helpfulness. I'll let you know if I get anything!</p>
<p>Susan
I sent it last night to your aol, but no confirmation again, so I resent today to your cc.com box. Are you getting all your mail at aol? maybe there is some kind of filter on your inbox.</p>
<p>Susan,</p>
<p>I sent you an email also this last weekend. Not sure if you are getting your email or not. Sidenote: I don't expect you to email me back, but just thought I would mention it in case there is an email issue.</p>
<p>SUE</p>
<p>Hi ladies....Melsmom, I did not get the email to my AOL account that you sent. I just got it today to my CC acct. and plan to write you back! I can't figure out the issue with the AOL one as I have no filter. </p>
<p>Sue, I indeed got your thoughtful note and have planned on writing you back. I owe a LOT of emails right now! It also is a very busy time with the students whom I am helping with their college process and I am in daily contact online, sometimes many times per day with them, to all hours. Since I am online, I check back on the forums periodically, however. My personal emails have gotten short shrift. I also had my inlaws here visiting. </p>
<p>I'll be back with you guys! :)
Thanks so much.
Susan</p>
<p>I see this is an old thread- can those of you currently associated in some way with an MT college program comment on the style of LaDuca’s most useful for school performances? Would it be the traditional T Strap (“Teresa”)? Also, every dance studio I’ve seen of late, and all the stages, have a Marley type floor, for which the suede soles are said to be most suited. Then why does it seem that “everyone” is getting the shoes rubberized? Should the dancer wait on the rubberizing or just get it done? (The dancer is very strong, especially in the feet and ankles, from so much pointe work.) </p>
<p>By the way, just saw Maurice Hine’s “Sophisticated Ladies” and it was astounding what those women could do in their towering heels!</p>
<p>My D will be a senior in college in the fall and is a lifelong dancer. She bought her first pair of LaDucas two years ago, black, Alexis model 2 1/2 inch heels. Used them in shows and school when needed. This summer, she was cast in a summerstock production and called during the rehearsal period to ask if she could buy beige LaDucas, exactly the same as her black ones, because the show would either provide some shoes for her which she didn’t want to use because she wouldn’t be used to dancing in them, or she could buy her own and they would rent them from her (she is equity and that is an equity rule I guess) so we decided to let her buy them since she will use them for other purposes later, and might as well have this show supplementing her purchase cost with the rental she’ll get. She has not had either pair rubberized. LOVES her LaDucas right out of the box (we were able to order them over the phone and have them overnight shipped to the stage door of the theater! Cool!) I agree with someone who posted above, that you really don’t know what each individual director will want. In this case, they didn’t care about style, only heel height of 2 1/2 or 3 inches, and beige, but the actual style of strap didn’t matter so she went with what she aleady had, figuring they would fit the same (and they did).</p>