Fuego is a US company producing sneakers specifically for dancing and you’ve probably seen many social dance instructors promoting them. Are they worth it? I have also been using them for social dancing for many years now (zouk, bachata and salsa) and here is a review about my experience with these shoes. I am on my second pair now and I’ll reveal at the end whether my opinion of them has changed over time or not. I have an affiliate link and a discount code to share, but this will be an honest review regardless. (Tip: If you’re in a hurry, skip to the Pros and Cons section!)
What’s the Hype?
Fuego sneakers are popular since they were one of the first brands to start producing sneakers that look like regular street sneakers but are made specifically for dancing. They have soles slippery enough for doing spins on the dance floor, while offering a variety of modern fashionable designs.
Other dance sneakers used to look very strange, dated and therefore not suitable for wearing at parties. The other option was to wear leather shoes, but they look quite classy and there wasn’t an option to dress casually and have dance shoes match the outfit. Fuego addressed all these issues and gave dancers stylish modern shoes to dance in.
Busting Myths
One of the most common misconceptions I’ve heard is that the circles under the soles of Fuego shoes are somehow helping you spin. As if they’re some discs separate from the sole that rotate. This is not true and they are just a design element. What helps you spin on the dancefloor is the material that the sole is made out of, which is plastic. Normal street sneakers have soles made out of rubber, which grips the floor and makes spinning in them harmful for your knee joints, which makes Fuegos a much better option.
My Experience
When I first started using Fuego low-top white sneakers in 2021 I was over the moon and pretty sure I was not gonna use any other dance shoes ever again. They were so much more comfortable than wearing heels, they looked modern and went with almost all of my outfits.
A few years later I bought fabric jazz shoes to dance brazilian zouk in and started noticing differences. I found that it’s easier to slide my feet, therefore my balance was better. I could feel the floor since the soles are very thin, therefore I was more grounded as well. This is when I understood that Fuego shoes aren’t really meant to practice advanced dance techniques in.
I can see people who are dancing casually just for fun using Fuego sneakers all the time, but those who are working on technique and details for competitions or getting to advanced level, needing some more precision.
Pros
To give you a quick overview, here is what I think are the pros and cons of Fuego dance sneakers. Pros being:
- They are modern, fashionable and look like street shoes.
- They are better for your joints than street sneakers since it’s easy to spin in them.
- Your feet are well protected in case someone accidentally steps on you while dancing, unlike open toe strappy heels.
- As of 2024 they are now also shipping from Europe, which brings the price down for European dancers.
- They have many models and colors to choose from.
Cons
- Compared to some other dance shoes they are big and clunky around your feet, so you can’t practice using advanced foot techniques. Soles are thick and you cannot really feel the floor through them and unless you buy the split-sole model, it’s hard to practice pointing your feet.
- They are good for spinning, but sliding your feet on the floor is still harder than with leather soles.
- Since Fuego designs are more casual, they may not be appropriate for elegant gala style dance parties.
Conclusion
In a nutshell I 100% believe that a pair of Fuegos have a place in your wardrobe for more casual social dance parties or if you love to dress casually all the time. For elegant gala evening type parties I’d pick something more classy to wear, like leather shoes. If you are into dance technique and want to become an advanced level dancer, I would also make sure I practiced dancing in either socks or jazz shoes, to learn to use the feet correctly.
If you’d like to give Fuegos a go and order a pair, you’re welcome to use my discount code JETTE10 for 10% off the price. Shipping is free within the U.S. and E.U. so definitely take advantage of it if you can!
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