What to wear for dancing

Everything else is optional; this is not. The sole has to slide so you can turn. Trainers grip the floor, and when the foot cannot turn, the knee does — which is where most beginner injuries come from.

For the first few weeks any thin, smooth-soled shoe you already own will do. You do not need to buy anything.

After two or three months of going regularly. Before that it is not worth it: they cost a fair amount and you still do not know which style you will dance, which is what decides the type of shoe.

Dance shoes have suede soles that slide just enough without skidding. The difference is big, but you only notice it once you have something to compare it with.

Something you can raise your arms in that does not trap heat. You sweat far more than you would think: three hours at a social goes through several shirts.

Carrying a spare shirt and deodorant is normal, not excessive. You dance very close to other people and it is appreciated on both sides.

There is no rule that follows wear heels or that leads wear flats. Both work, and more and more people choose flats precisely because they survive four hours on a floor better.

If you do go for heels, start low — two inches — and go up only if it feels good. A high heel moves where your weight sits, and learning the basic step and how to hold yourself on your toes at the same time is fighting two things instead of one.

What matters either way is that the shoe holds the foot. A sandal that slips off mid-turn makes for a short night.

Trainers, as covered: they grip, and the knee pays for the turn. Thick rubber soles, the same. Brand new shoes are also a bad idea — a social is three or four hours on your feet, and that is not the moment to find out where they rub.

And one that surprises people: dance shoes are not worn in the street. Suede soles are ruined by two blocks of pavement. You travel in something else and change when you arrive, which is why everyone turns up carrying a bag.

In summer a lot of parties move to terraces, squares and beaches, and suede is useless there: rough ground eats it and sand does the rest. Old smooth-soled shoes you do not mind wrecking are the answer.

It is worth checking the venue before deciding what to bring. Concrete and a wooden floor do not ask for the same shoe.