a question for male dancers

[silvy]

If this is not the appropiate forum for me to post (as I am a female) please delete it, or move it as necessary.

 

This may seem like a pretty stupid question, so I apologize in advance.

 

I must confess as far as boys' wear is concerned. My question is: I dislike the look of soft shoes over tights when they "cut" the line of the boy's leg. How would you guys manage so that the shoes "melt" with the tights? Is dyeing the only option? Or do you put the tights over the soft shoe?

 

I must confess I had not paid enough attention to that but when I had my partner "in charge" of me, with no AD around, as we were guesting and doing a pdd.....

[Mel Johnson]

Dyeing is really the only safe option. Mismatched tights and shoes, unless they're being used for a period or other effect, look amateurish.

[silvy]

Mismatched tights and shoes, unless they're being used for a period or other effect, look amateurish

 

I agree with you Mr. Mel - hence my question

 

But, talking about "mismatched tights and shoes", I was really surprised to see that in ABT "The Dream" (it is one of the boys playing the lovers, but I do not remember who - I even wondered if that was done on purpose..... )

[Mel Johnson]

Yes, that's intentional. It was the look of the William IV period in English costume - Ashton translated the action to the Romantic period. Black shoes with white stockings were left over from the days of breeches and buckled shoes.

[Hans]

It's not normally necessary to dye black shoes to match black footed tights, but I wouldn't wear white shoes with black tights unless I had white socks. If I had, say, blue shoes to wear with black tights, I'd roll up the tights so the colors wouldn't directly contrast.