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Many dancers and flamenco students often ask what shoes are best, which are most economical, which have the best sound, how to order your size, where to buy shoes. I will do my best to inform you from personal experience, on which ones I think fit each category.
Gallardo [Madrid] – Great professional handmade shoes, many styles, colors, designs and heel options for you to choose from. Strong shoes with great sound, but they do take a long time to break in. Can be purchased online at: http://www.flamenco-world.com/tienda , http://www.flamencoshoes.com (Catalina Isand), http://www.Flamencoexport.com (Madrid). Prices range from $110-$200 (not including shipping).
Don Flamenco [formally Don Piel, Madrid] – Great handmade professional flamenco shoes made to order or choose from available styles in their catalog. Choices of colors, designs, heels, straps, material. This is a great, sturdy shoe, great sound, excellent arch support, good service from the owners. Prices range from $100-$135 (shipping not included). http://www.flamenco-world.com/tienda
Coral [Madrid/Sevilla] – offers ameture and professional handmade shoes. Choices of colors, design, straps, heels, leather or suede. Prices range from $85-$150 (shipping not included). Can be purchased online at: http://www.flamenco-world.com/tienda , http://www.flamencoshoes.com (Catalina Isand), http://www.Flamencoexport.com (Madrid).
Menkes [New York, Madrid, Sevilla + more] – Strong handmade Professional and ameture flamenco shoes, Note…they do take a while to break in as well. Choices of design, color, heel, material, straps. visit http://www.flamenco.menkes.es . Prices range from ameture styles at $40 to professional pairs ranging from $100-$200 (Shipping not included).
There are other makers of semi-professional and ameture shoes such as Begoña Cervera, Ball Pilmar, Yebra, Gladis and more (all in Spain), and for those living in Los Angeles the Duran flamenco and folklorico workshop is still being run by his cobblers in Los Angeles on 4th St. all of these shoemakers have shoes at various prices. But be sure to look for things like: Leather vs. Synthetic , Nails already put into the heel and toe (it’s hard to find someone in the U.S. to put them in correctly). Buckle vs. Straps and look for the style of heel and shank of the shoe appropriate for you.
Remember when ordering sizes on the internet that European sizes don’t normally have 1/2 sizes. For example if you wear a size 6 or 6 & 1/2 U.S you should try a 36 or 37 Spanish Size. Many professional shoe makers like Gallardo and Don Flamenco will have you trace your foot and have you email or fax it to them so they can make it to your size (great for people with wide feet or people who have one foot slightly larger than the other.)
As for the sound of your shoes, any good sturdy, leather or suede professional shoe with te nails on the bottom should have a great sound, Quality of sound may depend on the surface you dance on.
For anyone living in the Los Angeles area looking for some slightly used professional flamenco shoes at great prices, ranging from $40-$90. I have several shoes for sale sizes 36-37. Call for more info (626)274-1500. Ask for La Sole.
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How can I buy Gallardo shoes and get it delivered to New Zealand?
Gallardo shoes can be purchased online at http://www.flamencoshoes.com (based out of Catalina Island) pretty good prices and I think they ship internationally. or try http://www.flamenco-world.com you can purchase here from anywhere in the world.
Do you know where I can get nails put on my flamenco shoes, I bought shoes and the woman told me they were flamenco shoes, when in fact they were character shoes now I need nails put in them. I live in the los angeles area. I have called Casa de California, Shelly’s dance studio, and another place in Venice already.
Thanks,
Stacy
Try giving Old Willie’s Shoe Service a call… 323-463-5011
Willie’s Shoe Service
801 N. Cahuenga
Hollywood, Ca
He is a genius with all types of shoes even makes custom shoes for people… Let us know how it goes… Good luck!
Nails can be put on character shoes at almost any shoe repair but be sure to have the cobbler put on an extra layer of sole and use tiny nails so they don´t come through and poke you on the bottom of your toes. It might be expensive so It might be a good idea to purchase another pair of shoes, you can get a amateur pair for approx. $80 to $85. made of real leather. If you want info on purchasing shoes from Spain and having them shipped you can email lasoleflamenco@yahoo.com.
I was in Madrid, Spain in March 2007 and had my foot traced at a Menkes store. The shoes arrived 6 weeks later too small! I was so disappointed! So I sent my shoes back to the New York Menkes Store and called (and Madrid, Si hablo espanol) so I could exchange them for a bigger size. After numerous calls to both New York Menkes including 3 different employees and the manager Pepe, I still don’t have my shoes. It has been 10 months, and I still don’t have my shoes, or my money back. Menkes has a wonderful product, but terrible service.
Sorry to read about your bad experience… I hope your story will help others from going through the same thing… Good luck and I hope you can at least get your money back.
I am looking to find out what kind of nails are best used for the flamenco shoes
I’ve been trying to find flamenco shoes for my three year old daughter who has been dancing for 6 months in used flamenco shoes that are 4 sizes to big. I’ve been searching everywhere and am willing to spend the money to get her in the right size. Her studio is getting geared up for recitals, performances, and parades and i want her comfortable. She wears a size 9 in little girls. Can anyone help or get me going in the right direction?
Thanks a lot for this article. I get asked this question often by flamenco dancer clients and since I don´t dance myself
I could never give a satisfactory answer. I will definitely put a link to it on my website.
Anke
About how long do (well used) flamenco shoes last? Thanks.
I do not recommend flamencoexport.com. I had a bad experience with them. And every cobbler I spoke with said they would not put nails in character shoes. The soles are not as strong, and only the Spanish really know how to do it correctly for the best sound. Best of luck finding good flamenco shoes.
As for product orders, I would also not recommend buying anything from Color de Flamenco as they do no make guarantees that what you order is what you will get.
i am looking for 2 pairs flamingo dance shoes in 9 size or 9.1/2 sizes. i am mail and i can pay 40 $ for each pairs please mail me
For those of you looking for flamenco shoes for your young daughters, I wanted to let you know that I bought my daughter Folklorico shoes. “el charro” for $35 USD below is the link. copy and paste if it doesn’t work.
http://www.backbaydancewear.com/catalog_i846088.html?catId=225980
FYI, for anyone looking for low-priced beginner or children’s shoes, Mexican ballet folklorico shoes are the same as flamenco shoes, for a much lower price, about $45. For some reason they don’t seem to have professional-level shoes, but for amateurs I think they’re comparable to something like Gladis. See mariachiconnection.com, or you can probably look for stores if you are in Texas, California, New Mexico, etc.
For great, comfortable, durable,and long lasting shoes visit http://www.miguelitousa.com, best flamenco and folklorico shoes in the americas. located in San Antonio, Texas. Don’t setel for second best Miguelito has been around since 1940.
anybody in NY who can put in the nails in a flamenco shoe?
Menkes makes a very good shoe, however; I would think twice before having them make a pair of shoes to order. Despite a commitment to “listening to the client” on their website, the customer service is appalling. I had an unpleasant experience with an item bought. The clerk had it repaired (badly at that) and sent it back to me with a tag on it to pass it off as a new item (I was promised a replacement item, not a repair). Customer service in Spain never replied to my email, but had someone from the shop phone me to inform me that they don’t replace items. No one apologized for attempting to deceive me with the repaired item nor did they offer any incentive to visit their shop again.
A most unfortunate experience. All I can say is caveat emptor.
I visited Malaga last week and saw a pair of red childrens flamecoshoes with black dots at the airport and wanted to buy a pair for my grans child. They were 14€. But I could not find them anywhere else and now when at home I do not know how to be able to get a pair of them…
Do you have any experience of this?
Best regards
Solveig Mörn
For anyone just starting out or needing to keep their expenses down, i would recommend either Miguelitos Flamenco shoes in suede (Sevilla or granada style) or El Charro Flamenco suedes. I like the El charro, they look better but the Miguelitos are more durable.. the main difference is the type of heel. Miguelitos uses a cuban heel wheras the el charro look more like a standard flamenco heel. 2 -1/2 to 3 inches.
Both will not run you over $70.00 bucks. they are handmade in Mexico and trust me, they outlast the spanish ones 10-1.
Spanish shoes are nice, look great but wont last more than a feather..
they are outrageously expensive and yes, if you have to deal with spain.. God bless you!
My family is from Spain and i had to send my cousins to Madrid to get them to return the shoes that I sent
back for an exchange (it was their fault on the sizing.) not mine..
ridiculous, i never had this problem with mexico!! never.. Good luck.
I’ve been going through a major nightmare dealing with Flamenco-world.com — I wish I had never ordered shoes from them. Their website claims it will take no longer than 60 days to get them, but it has been about twice that and they don’t respond at all to emails or phone calls. They seem to barely be in business at all and seem to me to hate their customers — I feel that they think I am worth less than dirt even though they were only too happy to take a very large amount of my money — but not send what I ordered. They sent me a skirt that was not what I ordered and they are ignoring my entreaties that I need to send it back and get a refund because they obviously can’t sell me what I ordered! Plus, for megabucks, the thing was incredibly shoddily made — not even properly hemmed. Amazingly bad. I will never again do business with Flamenco-world.com or with Spain — it’s easy to see why it’s an economic basket case. They don’t seem to know how to do business and don’t seem to care.