Dreaming of Tango Shoes

tango shoes by timoshea95

The only thing better than a ruby slipper reverie is to dream about tango shoes, especially the sexy red ones.

Or dancing tango in red light:

Tango in Red by zabaro tango

Tango fashion is just as much fun as tango dancing, and tango shoes are a key element in a milonguera's wardrobe. Would that my middle-aged feet could still wear some of these sexy stilettos which are often found in 3 1/2 to 4 inch heel heights.

A good tango shoe, with a very high heel placed straight at the very rear of the foot bed really helps you to maintain the forward position that is characteristic of Argentine tango. This shoe is different from a traditional ballroom shoe in which the shoe's heel is placed in a central position under your heel and in which the heel is not usually as tall.

I can wear 3-inch heeled tango shoes, if they are well padded and fit my feet perfectly, for about an hour and a half. Then I start walking like a sailor on shore leave because my feet ache so much. This is a serious limitation to taking intensive tango workshops. Nevertheless, a girl can dream!

(Even milongueros can have this dream.)

Tango Red Shoe for Men by Fattomano

If you would like to dream of dancing tango in sexy shoes, here are some Comme Il Faut tango shoes featured in a video that will show you the allure of a night spent dancing tango.

Comme il Faut Shoes Commercial by JuliaBella

Ruby Slipper Reverie

Thanksgiving dinner turned out pretty good, but I may not want to go through all that work again next year. It surely made a shambles out of the kitchen. Fortunately Mr. ChaCha was a big help with the cleanup detail. The leftovers are great, though. Hmmm . . . let you know next year whether it will happen again chez nous.

While cooking the turkey, I lapsed into a little musing about Thanksgivings and other family traditions of the past. That naturally led to remembering annual childhood TV viewings of the Wizard of Oz, which always was featured on television between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My sisters and I would be so excited and would sit close together to keep from getting scared when the wicked witch cackled on screen. We sometimes brought our favorite dolls along to the showing and even the dolls would get mightily frightened seeing the flying monkeys and hearing that witch.

There were so many fun things about the Wizard of Oz. The Cowardly Lion was a favorite because we all were very shy and felt great empathy for his stuttering speech. The Lollipop Guild with their singing and dancing ways were enchanting, and Glinda, the good witch, was so pretty!

Two more things stand out for me:

1. I just loved those ruby slippers that Dorothy wore and seeing them and all the glorious costumes in the film may have helped to start my love of accessories.
   
2. I first started imagining leaving my home town after seeing this film, and kept imagining it fervently until it finally happened.
   

This Thanksgiving Day reverie led me later to do a little search on Etsy.com for "Ruby Slippers." There were so many wonderful items. Here are some of my favorites:

"Spun" by cathynicols

As a child, spinning was a favorite thing to do, and as a dancer today, who still loves spinning, this print of an imaginative painting really captures my heart.

Dorothy's Ruby Slippers, Exact Replica

You can get these exact replica shoes from Cybertosh, a film student and costumer, and you may want to wear them to go out dancing, but I think the intention may be more for them to be displayed.

redbloodedwoman by WolandandMay

If you're getting a little older, but still want to dance in style, these great ruby oxfords are the way to go!

Ruby Red Dottie Baby Booties by pedrosprout

And if you want to take the grandchild along to the dance, these cute as can be booties are the way to go.


After you click on the red slipper items, you might want to check out this irreverent YouTube video. For us adults, a late night television skit on an alternate ending to the Wizard of Oz was aired by MadTV. (Click on the link only if you love sick humor.)

Dear readers what affect did the Wizard of Oz have on you? What were your favorite parts? Did you ever desire ruby red shoes?