How To Dance in High Heels

High heels. They are adorably pretty and sexy, but they can hurt really bad. Anyone who has danced with high heels can swear that after an hour or so, she so desperately wanted to take those heels off, if only she wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous in them. Apparently, compromise is not a route to go. But there are some things you can do to comfortably dance in high heels. Here are some of them.

* Choose comfortable high heels. Get this: not all high heels are dreadful. There are some you can wear for long periods of time. Examples are shoes with cushioned insoles, wide heels, and roomy toe area. If you can, practice wearing them in the house for a whole afternoon. This way, your feet can get used to the shape, mold, and height of your shoes.
* Practice dancing in your high heels. Few days before the dance night, regularly practice dancing in your heels. Do side-steps and other simple dance routines and see how you can adjust your weight to reduce the pain. Ideally, you should practice in front of a mirror, so you get to see your posture, foot works, and movements. If you have balancing problems, try to straighten your back and put the weight on the balls of your feet.
* Do stretch exercises before dancing. Pain is most likely to occur if you don’t properly condition your feet for the stress you are about to place on them. So before heading out, take time to do some stretching to loosen up the muscles of your calves, feet, legs, and ankles. If you do Pilates and yoga, good for you. You have improved balancing skills and endurance, enabling you to withstand the grueling hours of moving about in your high heels.

* Use foot protectors. They can be as simple as foot petals and as technical as arch inserts. Foot petals are cushioned inserts that prevent pain in the balls of the feet and help avoid calluses. Aside from that, they also give protection to foot muscles and bones. Arch inserts, on the other hand, are used to reduce pain and to balance the body weight by providing support to the foot arch. There are many kinds of foot protectors in the market today, and foot petals and arch inserts are only two of them. When looking for foot protectors, look for the kind that is most convenient for you to use.
* Stick to simple dance moves. When dancing, your tendency is to groove to the music with total abandon. However, this puts a tremendous amount of stress on your feet. And the results are unthinkable. You might end up having lots of blisters, breaking an ankle, or falling. So remember not to overdo it. Enjoy the dance, but try to keep your movements simple. This doesn’t mean, however, that you limit your dance to head bobbing, hand swaying, or hip moving. You are allowed to do varied moves, but make sure not to stress your feet out.

Dancing in high heels has its advantages. You get to create the illusion of lean and long legs, prettify your wardrobe, and have a sexy appeal. But it also has its disadvantages. Your feet will easily get tired, and going home with blisters is not impossible. But following the discussed tips above will undeniably make your feet happy.