The Albemarle Chapter of the Country Dance and Song Society
Charlottesville Contra Dance

SHOE POLICY

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Because the Charlottesville dance community has ruined several floors in the area, the board of the Charlottesville contra dance has amended the shoe policy to protect the finish on our dance floor.

The soles of all shoes must be:
Cleaned of all dirt
Soft
Non-marking
Free of exposed nails or any other feature which could damage the floor or its finish.

Questions and Answers

Can I dance in my street shoes?
Yes, if they meet the requirements above and you clean their soles completely. We'll also have cloths to dry them if it's raining. Several groups around the country prohibit street shoes completely. We would like to avoid that measure by providing a serious cleaning alternative. "Completely" means running an awl through all the grooves, if any.

I never wear my dance shoes anywhere but dancing. Why do I have to clean them before each dance?
Because dance floors, themselves, are dirty despite out efforts to keep them clean. We want every shoe to start out clean. If your dance shoes have smooth soles, then cleaning them will probably require no more than a few swipes with a brush.

What if I go outside after cleaning my shoes?
Then you'll need to clean them again. Or remove them before you go outside. It sounds extreme, we know. We're not happy about it either. We don't have a better answer yet. The problem is that stepping onto the sidewalk or parking lot puts grit and stones back on our shoes. Having smooth soles is best because they're easiest to clean.



This site maintained by Paul Rosen