Was Thom wearing latin shoes? I thought he looked very flat footed during his chacha

Can't quite see on the replay. There is a heel but it looks a bit small for latin one.

His big problem was bent legs and feet not turned out. Unforgiveable in cha cha.

I know squat about dancing but even i noticed that his legs never straightened. I was surprised at how little comment that got from the judges

I didn't notice anything about Thom's dancing, "Iveta was in the way."

Iveta's dress did more dancing on its own than Thom did.

Ballroom shoes do not do any damage to floors, if that was the case there would be virtually no venues prepared to host comps week in week out. The soles are suede and the heels are either rubber or plastic.

If any place had such a policy, surely they would accept shoes with heel covers, Ballroom B? I imagine the issue would only be with the slim style. Would suggest as beginners they'd be better off with flared.

Some of my lessons are in a gym. Quite a swish one too. I've always worn ballroom shoes. The main problem has been with people wanting to wear their off the street shoes. (We are banned from the yoga room though )

I agree about Latin shoes.

I bought these a few weeks ago for AT. Very comfortable, light and I a have got used to the 4cm heel . Very different from normal patent leather dinner suit shoes which I used.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Comfortabl...item232f225a70

Fitness First and Nuffield Health gyms (amongst others) do not have a problem with heels for Tango.

That's a good point about some places not permitting heels to be worn. I'm sure that I've been to places places that don't allow shoes ballroom or Latin shoes to be worn without heel protectors - we all had to buy some at uni, though I don't remember if it was our rehearsal space that was the issue or some of the competitions. I would have thought that Strictly would make sure studios were being used that at least permitted shoes with heel protectors but for the celebs who end up training around the country, it's possible they end up in halls where it's a problem. I'm not sure if I've ever seen anyone on Strictly wearing heel protectors, actually?

I'm always surprised to see people rehearsing in socks, especially the faster dances. That just seems dangerous to me. I think Pixie was wearing socks practising samba last week, which is not something I'd want to be doing on a smooth floor!

I don't think heel protectors would be obviously visible on tv, franglemand. I'm sure a female dance teacher I know said that she wore them, even though she's a professional competitor.

Oh goodness, no, I'd never see it during the live show - I barely see the shoes most of the time! I was thinking of when Ian or whoever zooms in on the feet in the Wednesday Warm Up on ITT. I can't think offhand if I've seen them then or not.

I've never seen anyone wearing heel protectors. I know the shoes don't actually damage the floor, but I have I have heard it touted as a reason for not being allowed to use certain sports spaces. I have some heel protectors for my dance shoes but I hate wearing them as they make the heel just a bit too high and alters my balance. When I ordered my last pair of shoes I didn't twig that they were measuring the heel height from the front of the heel rather than the back. I should have got a 2" rather than a 2.5" as the back is more like 2.75". Therefore once I have the heel protectors on the heel is nearly 3". Fine if you have a size 7 foot, but not ideal for my tiny size 3.5!

My sincere apologies all. I take full responsibility for the derailment. As it happens I wasn't talking about golf at all. I was playing around with double entendres. So childish.

Now back on track. About these kick ball changes - whoops.

Ah, see what you mean franglemand. Not noticed any protectors in practice rooms either.

Have to admit that I love heel protectors Ballroom B as they usually stop me from slipping, but recently one of the schools I go to had had something done to the floor (polished) and I started slipping. Had to revisit my forward action which was a good thing really. Yeah, I've fallen in that different makes measure heels differently. I wear a 2 inch heel but have a practically unworn pair of shoes which I bought pretty much under the same misapprehension as you.

The heels on proper dance shoes do very little damage to floors, especially if heel protectors are used, something a lot of studios insist on. Dance trainers are useful to a certain extent, but a celeb needs to get used to dancing in heels or will find Saturday performance much harder.

I agree about the male pros not wearing proper Latin shoes - been saying it for years! Some of them do, and they look so much better.

Female beginners usually advised to do the opposite and start with a Latin sandal & add a pair of ballroom shoes later; they can dance ballroom in Latin shoes, but not Latin in ballroom shoes.

From this video perhaps even socks never mind shoes with or without heels are unnecessary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB8z6KEN9Yw.

Not a practice clothes query, more about professional "show outfits"

I know the men have their shirts as part of an all in body to prevent them coming untucked, but I have a question about trousers.

When Jake was doing his "knees up mother brown" bit in his jive last week, his trouser ankles were flapping around and we got flashes of the top of his black socks and white calves. It looked very ungainly, but I'd never noticed this before in previous jives.
Do men normally wear long black socks, or do the trousers usually have a hidden stirrup under the foot to prevent excess sockography?

I dunno about that, but in some cases, no amount of sockography can disguise cloggography, or even wellieography.

I always wear knee high socks.

Calves must never be visible even when the trouser leg is pulled up.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/me...ong-socks.html

Trouble is, long socks can look a bit "orthopedic."
i.e., hiding some varicosity.

Fortunately that isn't a problem for me. My doctor says I've "veins like drains."

Hiding or generating?

Could be if they're too tight.

I don't like long socks.

A few thoughts on "sockography."

Buy only two colours of socks.
Chuck 'em all in a drawer loose. Then you only have to pick out two to ensure a matching pair.
My former thought on socks, was to only buy navy, then I'd always be sure of a matching pair. After a few washes, have you any idea how many shades of "navy" you'd get?

I now buy those with brightly coloured toes and heels. Much easier to pair up after my wife dumps a load of my washing in an arm chair, after it comes out of the dryer.

Quite. I have sock clips from ebay.

Long socks are meant to prevent DVT. In any event I feel undressed with calf length or shorter socks so not an option.

Of course no socks with loafers and shorts.

I always wear socks, with "boat shoes" and even with sandals, (chinos, not shorts and the socks the same colour as the chinos), without socks you get dirty feet. I don't care if that's considered unfashionable, or less macho.
As far as clothes go, I'm quite old fashioned. Still wearing Ben Sherman shirts with button down collars, (long-sleeve for winter). I've worn them all my adult life, though the quality of the cotton these days, is often inferior to what it was twenty or more years ago.
As for jeans, I stopped wearing them at forty and I don't possess a pair of trainers.
My last track-suit with a big sponsor's logo on the back and my last pair of squash shoes, when I gave up the game, ending up just as, "gardening gear," but only worn in the back garden. I've still got a couple of good suits from my time at work, but they're only for weddings and funerals, worn only of course with shoes with, "hard heels."

If on holiday and sitting outside a pub with my wife, the first one to spot a guy over forty with a gut, wearing an Umbro sweat-shirt, jeans and white, "holiday trainers" gets ten points.

See you and raise you. I stopped both at 19 or so. I wear trainers for running and cycling only. Unbranded tracksuit from Primark for exercise.

Chino long trousers or shorts and corduroys for me.

My wife found M&S discontinued Blue Harbour blue and white Oxford Cottons at a market for £1 each so I said get 10 white and 10 blue. Job done for the rest of my life.

Polos in summer.