The 6 Best Hip Hop Dance Shoes: Women’s, Men’s & Kids
There is quite a large range of hip hop shoes available on the market, and it can be overwhelming understanding where to even begin. With so many different brands, materials, color selections, varying prices and fits, finding the best hip hop dance shoes can feel like a mission. Whether you are new to hip hop dancing, or on the hunt for a pair of hip hop shoes that are going to up your dancing game, you have come to the right place.
Our objective is to give you a complete guide for finding hip hop dance shoes most suitable for your needs. Whether you are on a budget or you have your eyes set on a special pair, we'll take you through what to consider when making your final selection.
This guide will include:
- How to make sure your shoes fit appropriately
- The benefits of ankle and arch support
- Why cushioning is important
- Choosing shoes that provide breathability
In addition, we'll recommend six of the best hip hop dance shoes to ensure you find the most ideal footwear.
Hip Hop Dancing
Hip hop dance is part of the youth subculture that first emerged from the African American community in the Bronx, New York City in the 1970’s. It began as a way to rise above negative environments and generate a positive release, redirecting energy into creativity, movement and originality. Hip hop dancing is an exciting and original style of street dance that incorporates the freestyle movements of popping, locking and breaking to create a cultural art piece.
Over the decades hip hop dancing has developed and grown into one of the most influential and popular dance styles. With such creative choreography and catchy music many studios have included hip hop dance as part of their dance repertoire.
What Types of Shoes Are Needed
In all variations of hip hop and urban dance there is no one particular shoe, style, or brand made just for the particular dance form. However there are dance wear brands, such as Bloch, Capezio and Sansha, as well as street shoe brands including Adidas and Pastry, that have designed shoes to cater to the niche market of hip hop dancing. They provide dancers with maximum comfort and support whilst they dance on stage permitting them to excel in performance.
The best hip hop dance shoe is comfortable, providing great cushioning and ankle support for the dancer whilst they practice or perform. These are important factors because the dance moves in hip hop routines are vigorous and may demand extra protection to prevent sustainable injury.
The material of the hip hop shoes should be durable and breathable, to encourage ventilation as well as featuring a sole that provides maximum grip and traction to encourage ease of movement whilst dancing.
How to Choose the Best Hip Hop Dance Shoe
1. Size and Fit
The right-sized shoe is imperative for dancing hip hop. It's an important factor that you can't compromise with. You may end up paying more for the incurred injuries sustained due to wrong sizing of footwear than its worth.
The right size of hip hop shoe should keep your feet tightly strapped in as you are dancing hip hop. They should not have your toes scrunched up at the forefoot, nor should they be so loose that your shoe flies off your foot mid movement. A shoe that fits well will allow the dancer to move without constraint sans toes hurting or slipping.
It's imperative when buying shoes for hip hop dancing that the feet are properly measured and the shoe size charts are properly read. This is to ensure you buy the fit that is best suited to you.
2. Ankle Support
Hip hop dancing can require a lot of vigorous movement from the hip hop dancer. The amount of popping, locking, stomping and squatting incorporated into the dance routine can put an enormous strain on the dancer’s joints and ligaments.
Therefore, when purchasing a pair of hip hop dancing shoes, it’s imperative for the dancer to select a pair of hip hop shoes that contain padded ankle support, in addition to tied shoe laces for maximum shock absorption and support when landing.
3. Arch Support
With every step the dancer takes, the feet are under a great deal of pressure, therefore the hip hop shoes selected need to be able to sufficiently support the arches. Each individual requires different arch support needs, whether it being for high arches or for flat feet, just as various shoes provide different arch support solutions.
It may be a tad difficult finding the right fit of shoe, but with some trial and error in your selection your feet will be grateful when you do find the best shoes for hip hop that are most suited to your arches.
Hip hop dancing requires complex, dynamic choreography which requires a lot of jumping, pivoting and twisting. It’s essential to choose a pair of shoes that provide maximum shock absorption and cushioning when landing to avoid the added stress on your feet and legs. Look for EVA midsoles and cushioned footbed when making a purchase.
4. Comfort & Cushioning
One of the most important features to pay attention to, when selecting your shoes, is the cushioning provided within the shoe. If you are doing a lot of pivoting and high impact dance movements, you want to ensure that the shoes can take the pressure off your knees, ankles, feet and legs to avoid any injury.
The comfort that stems from the cushioning within the shoe just cannot be matched. You’ll be able to dance for hours on end without getting any cramps and it's definitely worth the investment.
5. Materials & Breathability
Selecting breathable material is incredibly important when choosing your hip hop dance shoes. Wearing shoes that don’t breathe can lead to friction on the feet whilst moving and this can lead to blisters or infection due to the feet becoming hot, sweaty and wet.
It's recommended to purchase shoes made from durable leather or additionally from materials that allow ventilation, to ensure ultimate comfort for the feet whilst dancing.
6. Flexibility
The flexibility of the shoe you purchase is important as you want maximum range in movement for optimal performance. The most ideal hip hop dance shoe doesn’t hold your foot in a rigid position and bends with your feet as you perform.
7. Pricing
It’s always good to take your budget into consideration when buying any shoes, let alone your hip hop dancing shoes. You don’t want to spend money on a pair of shoes that are impractical to dance in. At the same time you also don’t want to spend very little on a pair, only having to replace them in a few months.
It's ideal to buy a shoe that is comfortable, but most importantly durable because with durability comes a lot of usability over time.
The 6 Best Hip Hop Dance Shoes Reviewed
Let's go through our top choices.
1. Bloch Dance Boost Split Sole Dance Sneaker
The Bloch Dance Boost Split Sole Dance sneakers are a very practical pair of shoes for hip hop dance. They offer breathability and comfort in addition to being incredibly sleek in design.
This style of hip hop shoes are made with a suede and mesh upper material, featuring a Dri-Lex lining inside the shoe that doesn’t wrinkle. This provides maximum ventilation for the feet. Its high arch support and tied lace fastens provide the dancer with a secure fit.
The Bloch Dance Boost Split Sole dance sneakers are made with lightweight, flexible material and feature a split, non-marking outer sole, with a heel and forefoot section to provide the dancer with maximum range of movement. This permits vigorous movement across the floor. Also, the EVA moulded sock liner and midsole of the shoe contain a 4-PSI air cushion, for maximum shock absorption, especially whilst jumping.
Bloch hip hop dance shoes range from a size 4 to 15.5 and are inclusive of half sizes. This style of hip hop dance shoe is not compatible with street style shoe sizing. It’s therefore recommended that when selecting your shoes, women go up one size from their street shoe size and men should go up two sizes larger than their street size shoe. For those who have a wider set foot, increasing by one and a half shoe sizes will allow you to fit into the shoes with ease and prevent friction whilst hip hop dancing.
All in all these Bloch hip hop shoes are brilliant for dancers. In addition to being well manufactured by a trusted brand, this pair of Bloch shoes is very affordable, ideal for those who are on a budget but seek maximum durability and comfort in their purchase.
The Capezio DS11 Fierce Dance sneakers are beautiful. Made with a polyurethane leather and mesh, they are stylish, and they are regarded as one of the best hip hop dance sneakers, with good reason to be.
This pair of hip hop dance sneaker contains a high arch support, noticeable in the split sole, ensuring comfort and flexibility through the feet as the dancer performs. The spin point located in the forefoot and the patented flex point in the sole make movement easy and the outstanding grip keeps dancers tread fabulous from beginning to end of a sequence.
The Capezio dance sneaker features a padded tongue and collar with an Achilles notch at the back of the shoe for ultimate comfort and stability of the feet. They include a removable EVA footbed that moulds around your feet to provide ultimate cushioning and shock absorption upon impact.
There is a wide selection of sizes and colors to choose from in this Capezio range. Sizes run from a size 3 to a size 14. And there are not one, but six colors to choose from including solid black, black with accents of colors, and white so you are bound to find the right pair for you.
It needs to be noted that the sizing of the Capezio run approximately one size below the standard street shoe size for women and two lower for men. They can also sometimes run a little bit narrow, depending on the width of the foot. Therefore if you do run larger in width it is ideal to go into a store to try on before making a purchase.
These dance sneakers are some of the best shoes available for hip hop dancing. They are durable in their design, with a split sole and high arch to provide maximum support and traction, affording the dancer strong high impact movements as they dance. The comfort and breathability these shoes provide will have you dancing for hours on end without any unnecessary sweating or friction. To top it off they are incredibly sleek and professional in their design.
If you are after some truly great shoes for dancing hip hop, you can’t really go wrong with the Capezio hip hop sneakers.
The adidas original superstar sneakers are iconic. With the three stripes on the side, they are internationally recognised. Though these are not a dance brand or loaded with all of the features of dancing shoes, the Adidas Superstars are some of the best shoes for hip hop.
Hip hop sneakers need to be comfortable and breathable, which is exactly what the Adidas Superstars provide. They are made with a soft natural leather that are breathable on the feet, allowing ventilation as the performer moves. In addition, they are incredibly comfortable, with cushioning insoles that provide shock absorption upon heavy impact whilst the dancer performs.
Adidas Superstars are an affordable low top sneaker, ideal for those who are on a budget but seek durability in their purchase. They feature a herringbone tread in the rubber outsole of the shoes which encourages ultimate grip and traction, as the dancer produces very concise turns and spins on the floor. The rubber toe cap at the forefoot of the shoe provides extra protection reducing chances of injury.
The Adidas Original Superstar hip hop dance shoes are available for men and women, featuring two color patterns in the leather uppers for men, and six for women. The sizing in these shoes range from 4 through to 14 for men and 5 to size 11 for women. It has been noted that the shoes can run a little larger on women, therefore women may need to size down from street size shoes.
If you are after an affordable pair of hip hop sneakers that are durable, provide ultimate comfort whilst dancing and are stylish both on and off the dance floor, then look no further. The Adidas Superstars are some of the best shoes that will have you dancing hip hop like a star.
This shoe is the crème de la crème, targeted at the younger demographic of hip hop dancers. Whether hanging out or breaking down on the dance floor, these shoes designed by Pastry are a guaranteed hit, combining high fashion with street wear.
These sleek high top dance shoes are very glittery and glamorous. They are available in four shimmery colors including red, black, silver and gold. Sizes range from a children’s 10 to an adult 3.
The Pastry Youth Glam Pie Glitter high top dance sneaker are fitted with a very breathable lining, with perforations in the forefoot region to encourage ventilation whilst dancing. This is great for deterring any sweating or friction.
They contain leather uppers, a padded tongue, a tab at the heel for easy pull on, which is very handy for children, and they are secured with tie up laces for support. The foot bed of these high top sneakers are cushioned for shock absorption and comfort and feature a rubber outsole. A rubber sole encourages tread for traction whilst also remaining flexible through pointing the toes whilst dancing hip hop.
The Pastry high top sneakers seem to run on the large side so it is recommended to purchase a size lower than street shoe size. Alternatively use thick socks, especially if the child is still growing.
The Pastry Youth Glam Pie Glitter High top dance sneaker are not recommended as the best shoes for hip hop dancing for nothing. They scream glitter, fun and sleek on so many levels and provide the ultimate support and ease of movement when dancing hip hop.
The Nike Free Tr8 sneakers, though designed primarily for activities such as cross training and HIIT training, are the best shoes for dancing. These shoes are designed in a bootie style to fit the foot like a sock. They feature a breathable mesh upper, for ventilation in the feet as the dancer moves, tie up shoe laces, providing easy manipulation on the level of support, and additionally feature a Flywire cable in the middle section of the foot to secure an even better fit.
Shock absorption and soft cushioning is offered by the lightweight midsole and wide, flat heel of the Nike Tr8’s. This assists the hip hop dancer in being stable on their feet as they move vigorously across the floor. This is further aided by the rubber pods and flex grooves in the high wear areas of the rubber sole, providing traction and grip as the dancer performs.
The Nike T8's are available in 19 colors for women and five different colors for men. The sizes available in these shoes, range from 5-13 for women and 7.5-15 for men. These shoes are quite narrow and small in make and therefore it is recommended to go up in a size when selecting a pair.
Nike Tr8's are some of the best shoes on and off the dance floor. With a sock like, lightweight design to make you feel like you are dancing gracefully on a cloud and sneakers for hip hop.
Sansha is a brand that specialises in developing dance apparel. The Sansha Motion Dance Sneaker is incredibly lightweight in build and material, created with a breathable suede and mesh combination which keeps the feet ventilated and free from blisters as well as being very light to move and perform in, which make them ideal sneakers for hip hop.
The Sansha hip hop dance shoes are available in two variants of heel and platform sizes, 1.25 inches or 2.25 inches and are available in sizes 6 through to 14. What sets them apart from other dance shoes is the immense level of ankle support they provide. This additional support gives the dancer stability whilst reducing risk of injury so that the dancer can perform at their best.
These hip-hop appropriate sneakers are flexible in their design to encourage movement and support foot work with soles that are just as flexible as the rest of the shoe. This makes it easy for the dancer to twist, turn and pivot in.
The Sansha are equipped with ultimate shock absorption in their midsole and idyllic arch support to create stability for the dancer as they practice or perform. If that’s not enough, the Sansha shoes are fitted with an air-cushioned inside heel and a gum rubber outsole. The rubber sole offers better grip on the surfaces, creating traction and preventing any unnecessary falling when moving across the floor.
Though all dance shoes narrow down to the preference of the performer, the Sansha Motion Dance Zapatilla shoes are a true contender for the best shoes for hip hop dancing. With their split sole encouraging maximum range in foot movement, rubber sole for ultimate traction when moving, maximum comfort and light weight in build, the performer will feel like they are almost at one with the floor.
In Summary
Hip hop dancing requires a lot of stomping, jumping, turning and vigorous movements throughout a sequence. Though there is not one particular pair of dance shoe that is specific to the genre of hip hop dancing, there are guidelines to adhere to in order for the dancer to find the correct footwear for their feet.
The hip hop dance shoe, most ideal for you, should be comfortable and durable and provide great cushioning and ankle support whilst practicing or performing. The shoes should be made with a material that breathes well to encourage aeration to the feet when dancing. Additionally the sole of the shoes should provide maximum grip and traction, permitting ease of movement throughout a sequence. Though the fitting of the shoes is completely personal its important that the shoes aren't too snug or too loose, instead just the right fit.
Getting a pair of the best hip hop dance shoes will reduce the chance of sustaining any injuries and allow you to get on the dance floor, popping, locking and grooving until you wear yourself out.