Dancing In Trainers

[Markw]

Boom! Boom!!      

[Paul-s]

It seems to be a trend at the moment to see a lot of dancers wearing trainers.Mostly its the younger guys.It puzzles me surely they are too grippy to dance easily in or are there particular brands that have smoother soles.Can anyone who uses trainers comment on why they prefere Trainers and how they perform on untalced floors.

 

 

Basically, each to there own and I know i used trainers back in 76 (see pic). Did a lot of acro then and you need grip for that. So with talc and trainers you got  a balance. But some want leather to float or spin without talc etc. I used to take brogues and trainers and use what i felt was right that night. So many ways of dancing so going to be different footwear. Some of the best dancers I've seen have been women just casually floating around in heels

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Guest]

Basically, each to there own and I know i used trainers back in 76 (see pic).

 

Great picture...you look about 12 years old, Paul

Gola?

 

(I also used to wear trainers a lot if the floor was too slippy!)

[Chalky]

Whatever happened to Polyveldts? 

 

Just joking - they were shite. IMO.

 

Peter

 

My headmaster at school, he was about 110 years old, I remember he used to wear then so they were never trendy or cool enoug for me to wear plus they looked fookin awful. 

[Zed1]

Basically, each to there own and I know i used trainers back in 76 (see pic).

 

 

An Adidas 3-Stripe T-Shirt and Trainers were much more the 'Uniform' I remember from the day rather than the String vests and Bowling Shirts which todays lot seem to think everyone wore....

Edited September 22, 2014 by Zed1

[Guest manusf3a]

Used to always go to Wigan in a pair of Como's along with a pair of Samba 3 stripes in my bag, and would change depending how the floor felt.

What are comos?do they have a different name  in different areas?

[wiganpotter]

Ive danced in flop flops at one of Alfie's alldayers before its not what you wear its how you move to the groove baby 

 

I have been known to wear shoes before but some dance floors are far too slippery for me so trainers (adidas gazelles) suit me fine 

Ah Yes Bearsy , was it the first alldayer  or second ............... { brain damage kicking in } , you were flipling your flop in front of me , I had only one thought .............."what the fook ! " ..........but in fairness it was a so fookin hot 

WiganBrian .

[tim smithers]

Trainers are cool and its easy to dance in them, if you can dance

[Guest Dave Ward]

Clark's "commando's"real sensible footwear, animal tracks on the sole and the added bonus of a compass in the heel..just the job for getting down.

Clarkes 'Wayfinders' recommended by the Boy Scouts, I had a pair at age 10, seconds of fun. I also had a pair of Alan Ball football boots which were white and had numbers on them, the boots came with a leaflet showing you how to use each part of the boot to do different kicks. Anyway 49 posts on shoes, shows that this site still has legs.

[Guest manusf3a]

Couple of weeks ago I bought a new pair of royals brouges(Round our part of the world we always called royals the brouges with pattern running unbroken the length of the shoe,slightly more pointed front.After wearing out for the day quickly remembered that good old way to break your leather soled shoes in from the now long gone seventies,get blocked right off it and wear them to a nighter,dance all night and phook the consequences to your feet(what are you anyway if your wearing mans shoes act like one(a man not a shoe) bollux to the pain in yer feet when it eventualy hits you).After getting down all night your shoes will have definately reached the ",there getting there stage and after a few more polishes come next all nighter bobs yer uncle you wouldnt feel any pain in yer feet when you put them on,even before youve had your gear.

 

Shoe count at the mo for me with that latest pair leather soles only is The royals,two pair of ordinary brouges one black one brown,one pair of "real,original leather loafers brown,one pair of bas Weegan loafer like shoes brown,one pair of gibson lace ups plain black with toe cap.brouges are loakes and churches, one pair of original style solatios black.most of the time I wear trainers,those sketchers(I like them for casual have quite a few pairs)or various other non leather sole shoes.The leather soles are kept for soling and getting smart formal dressed only apart from the very few occassions .

[Guest manusf3a]

Clarkes 'Wayfinders' recommended by the Boy Scouts, I had a pair at age 10, seconds of fun. I also had a pair of Alan Ball football boots which were white and had numbers on them, the boots came with a leaflet showing you how to use each part of the boot to do different kicks. Anyway 49 posts on shoes, shows that this site still has legs.

Were the Alan Ball boots the ones that had a set of spinning studs for doing his trademark turns on the ball?I wanted them but got a smack round the chops for winging after them instead.Had the animal tracks though,I remember the childish amazement as I was shown the tracks in the mud that they made by another kid,hooked on sight,the compass was just an add on for me I wanted to leave trails  in the muck.

[Steve S 60]

Shoe count at the mo for me with that latest pair leather soles only is The royals,two pair of ordinary brouges one black one brown,one pair of "real,original leather loafers brown,one pair of bas Weegan loafer like shoes brown,one pair of gibson lace ups plain black with toe cap.brouges are loakes and churches, one pair of original style solatios black.most of the time I wear trainers,those sketchers(I like them for casual have quite a few pairs)or various other non leather sole shoes.The leather soles are kept for soling and getting smart formal dressed only apart from the very few occassions .

[TheBigO]

I've had my Doc Martin shoes for 22 years and they are worn in nicely (to the point where I've had to superglue and sticky tape them together) and have no problem dancing in them. As any dancer will agree once you've broken in your dancing shoes they stay with you until the bitter end. 

[Guest manusf3a]

Shoe count at the mo for me with that latest pair leather soles only is The royals,two pair of ordinary brouges one black one brown,one pair of "real,original leather loafers brown,one pair of bas Weegan loafer like shoes brown,one pair of gibson lace ups plain black with toe cap.brouges are loakes and churches, one pair of original style solatios black.most of the time I wear trainers,those sketchers(I like them for casual have quite a few pairs)or various other non leather sole shoes.The leather soles are kept for soling and getting smart formal dressed only apart from the very few occassions .

Bloody hell, Imelda Manus!

[Guest manusf3a]

My headmaster at school, he was about 110 years old, I remember he used to wear then so they were never trendy or cool enoug for me to wear plus they looked fookin awful. 

The sort of shoe that goes well with cavalry twill strides  and a huge checked sports jacket(leather football type buttons ) with leather elbow savers and lapels that look like the wings of a hang glider

[Guest Dave Ward]

The sort of shoe that goes well with cavalry twill strides  and a huge checked sports jacket(leather football type buttons ) with leather elbow savers and lapels that look like the wings of a hang glider

Don't forget the foul coffee breath of your Maths teacher !

[Guest manusf3a]

Don't forget the foul coffee breath of your Maths teacher !

True, most school teachers especialy male seemed to have that bad breath thing going on,is it because our sense of smell is more sensitive when young that we noticed all those bad breath adults to us kids as in later life bad breath doesnt seem to happen very often but is a phooker with no mistaking when you get a whiff of it.Does this mean bad breath is rare in ordinary populations of folk but common in  those of the teaching profession,male!therefore our sense of smell has not declined with age,I think I will go with the second and hazard aguess more common in male teachers.

[Guest Dave Ward]

True, most school teachers especialy male seemed to have that bad breath thing going on

1970's Most teachers smoked in the staff room and drank coffee, I know this because I spent a lot of time standing outside the staff room, waiting for the Deputy Head to smash my hands with a stick, Teacher breath, you never forget it ! Edited September 22, 2014 by Dave Ward

[Guest Bearsy]

Ah Yes Bearsy , was it the first alldayer  or second ............... { brain damage kicking in } , you were flipling your flop in front of me , I had only one thought .............."what the fook ! " ..........but in fairness it was a so fookin hot 

WiganBrian .

2nd dayer I think Brian and yeah it was bloody hot even in me flip flops and combats.. I remember a woman asking me how the fook can I dance in flip flops so I offered to swap her high heels for them too try for herself   oh and I have also danced in high heels that were about 5 sizes to small for me before too but that wasn't so easy 

[Guest Dave Ward]

An Adidas 3-Stripe T-Shirt and Trainers were much more the 'Uniform' I remember from the day rather than the String vests and Bowling Shirts which todays lot seem to think everyone wore....

There were Bowling Shirts from 'Clobber' a la Russ Winstanley and Bowling Shirts from the US. I'd rather have died than worn trainers, makes you you look like Rab C Nesbitt.

[Winnie :-)]

Were the Alan Ball boots the ones that had a set of spinning studs for doing his trademark turns on the ball?I wanted them but got a smack round the chops for winging after them instead.Had the animal tracks though,I remember the childish amazement as I was shown the tracks in the mud that they made by another kid,hooked on sight,the compass was just an add on for me I wanted to leave trails  in the muck.

The Alan Ball ones were the first white boot I can remember, I did have a pair at one point. The revolving stud ones came a bit later and were removed from the market due to health and safety issues. Just from memory, a kid wearing them, got the revolving bit stuck in mud, went to turn and did something really serious to his leg, maybe reports on the net that could give a bit more detail, mine's just a hazy memory. 

[Paul-s]

Great picture...you look about 12 years old, Paul

Gola?

 

(I also used to wear trainers a lot if the floor was too slippy!)

 

I was 15, but looked 12. ha! I think they might have been Puma .....totally agree with the floor to sloppy and the need for trainers.

[Winnie :-)]

I was 15, but looked 12. ha! I think they might have been Puma .....totally agree with the floor to sloppy and the need for trainers.

Paul I know it's your pic mate, but they're definitely gola trainers, the stripes and slash are very distinctive, plus I still have a pair now, knocking about

[Guest manusf3a]

Can someone please tell me what "como's are???????????

[Guest manusf3a]

Paul I know it's your pic mate, but they're definitely gola trainers, the stripes and slash are very distinctive, plus I still have a pair now, knocking about

Didn't puma have a  what looked like an upside down shoe  long nike stripe on them? the ones in the photo are Golas.

Edited September 23, 2014 by manusf3a

[dedji1955]

Can someone please tell me what "como's are???????????

Comos where the shoes all the Wiganers wore from around 68 - 75, they where very popular in Liverpool and most North West Towns

They came in black and brown and where a plain leather shoe with leather soles... If memory serves me right the Skins wore them first

Finest dancing shoe I ever wore

[Guest Chris61]

Can someone please tell me what "como's are???????????

 Checkout this 

[dedji1955]

Chris 61..... Brilliant, who would ever thought there was a video of them

Do you know the guy.. I want them shoes lol

[Guest Chris61]

You can buy something similar here https://www.loake.co.uk I think you'll need deep pockets though

[dedji1955]

On the You Tube Vid there appears to be disagreement if they are genuine Comos but they appear to look like how I remember them

[Guest Chris61]

They'd argue Blacks White for 5 mins of fame on YouTube,LOL.  I just googled 'comos shoes' 

that vid was first on the list.

[Steve S 60]

Had a pair of Dunlop Green Flash back in the mid 70s, which were really comfy with stacks of grip but were a bugger to keep clean.  Just looked on line for a pair, and Dunlop do them in loads of different colours now, and I can't believe they're less than a tenner.

[Hornet]

never heard of comos but like my loakes , remember times  in coopers bar tho 

[wiganpotter]

2nd dayer I think Brian and yeah it was bloody hot even in me flip flops and combats.. I remember a woman asking me how the fook can I dance in flip flops so I offered to swap her high heels for them too try for herself   oh and I have also danced in high heels that were about 5 sizes to small for me before too but that wasn't so easy 

Why am I not surprised that you have danced in high heels , A regular thing, I imagine when you go to Soho ....................................to the 100 club 

Edited September 23, 2014 by wiganpotter

[Guest Backdrop]

 I cant rember them been called como"s  in the Notts/Mansfield area,  but looking at the foto thats definitly the shoe.

 

We would buy them in Black or "Oxblood"   at  Wakefields army stores and take them to the cobblers to get an extra soul stitched/nailed on, some lads had two or three extra souls put on ..spit and polish toe caps ..they were cool

[Stevegods]

It seems to be a trend at the moment to see a lot of dancers wearing trainers.Mostly its the younger guys.It puzzles me surely they are too grippy to dance easily in or are there particular brands that have smoother soles.Can anyone who uses trainers comment on why they prefere Trainers and how they perform on untalced floors.

Can't understand trainers at all ... always been "little pieces of leather" for me ..

But then as i've always loved to slide and shuffle doing it in trainers even with talc ... would have had dickie ankles by now ... not that i dont crap up quick anyway ...

Nice pair of Brogues / Como's .. all the time ...     

[Bazza]

Tried a pair of loafers in the early 70's,I thought they were rubbish for dancing in ,been Brogues for 40 odd year now,I see no reason to change 

 

Bazza  

[manus]

 

 

Can someone please tell me what "como's are???????????

 

Pretty sure they are what we used to call Smoothies or very similar , worn in the skin/suede days

 

Cheers

Manus ( the other one)

Edited September 24, 2014 by manus

[richo991]

MY LEATHER SOLED SHOES WERE IN DOCK RECENTLY WORE MY TRAINERS INSTEAD AND  ENDED UP TAKING EM OFF AND DANCING IN MY SOCKS

 

KEV

got to say Kev feel sorry for Grantham that night LOL

[Guest manusf3a]

 

 

 

 

Pretty sure they are what we used to call Smoothies or very similar , worn in the skin/suede days

 

Cheers

Manus ( the other one)

 

Thanks Manus the other one from Manus the other one,hope all is going good Atb Manus the other on from Manus.

[manus]

Thanks Manus the other one from Manus the other one,hope all is going good Atb Manus the other on from Manus.

 

Ha Ha , all the best Manus

[Wicked]

On the You Tube Vid there appears to be disagreement if they are genuine Comos but they appear to look like how I remember them

2 lace holes on comos as I remember, but might be wrong.

[kevinsoulman]

got to say Kev feel sorry for Grantham that night LOL

so was i

i was in ancaster 6 miles away 

[Guest Bearsy]

For all those that don't understand trainers here are my dancing shoes   its easy if you know how 

[Guest Bearsy]

For all those that don't understand trainers here are my dancing shoes   its easy if you know how 

I have some new ones since this photo was taken 

[Frankie Crocker]

 Checkout this 

So, what were the shoes with strips of leather crossing over the toe called? There was also a shoe with a toe cap effect with a bit of piping going across the top. Both these shoes were leather soled and popular with dancers in the 70's. I'm in the brogues camp with a pair of Mc Afees strictly reserved for dancing only. Rockport did a lightweight wing-tip ie brogue about ten years ago and these are brilliant for dodgy floor conditions and a long walk home being made of something synthetic with a spongy feel to them.

[Guest SteveBev]

So, what were the shoes with strips of leather crossing over the toe called? There was also a shoe with a toe cap effect with a bit of piping going across the top. Both these shoes were leather soled and popular with dancers in the 70's. I'm in the brogues camp with a pair of Mc Afees strictly reserved for dancing only. Rockport did a lightweight wing-tip ie brogue about ten years ago and these are brilliant for dodgy floor conditions and a long walk home being made of something synthetic with a spongy feel to them.

Are you meaning what are now for sale as Zodiacs by Ikon       https://ikonfootwear.net/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=446

 

Available in all black as well. Couple of sellers on eBay knocking them out for anything from £55 - £65. I remember shoes like this first time round as I had a pair (all black, I wasn't flash enough to have ones like the one shown!

[Guest Chris61]

Frank, do you mean 'Royals'??

 

Found these 'Oxford Brogues' if you have deep pockets..

 

Chris..

[Frankie Crocker]

Are you meaning what are now for sale as Zodiacs by Ikon       https://ikonfootwear.net/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=446

 

Available in all black as well. Couple of sellers on eBay knocking them out for anything from £55 - £65. I remember shoes like this first time round as I had a pair (all black, I wasn't flash enough to have ones like the one shown!

Yep, those are they. Never knew they were called Zodiacs. Had a pair in the late 70's. Not sure I'd settle for the two-tone model but black would be fine.

[Frankie Crocker]

Frank, do you mean 'Royals'??

 

Found these 'Oxford Brogues' if you have deep pockets..

 

Chris..

No, not Royals although they look cool. The shoe in mind was plain but with a toe cap and piping going across the foot. Around the same time as Zodiacs. Leather soled and fine for the wooden floors 40 years ago...