Monday, June 17, 2019

The Rutherford Review

All Irish dancers need a pair of ghillies (soft Irish ballet shoes) and a pair of hard shoes (heavy tap shoes). But what company has the best quality shoes?

Rutherford is a well known company that specializes in Irish dance shoes and costume pieces. I had recently needed a new pair of both hard and soft shoes (ghillies) and decided to purchase both from Rutherford. The Irish company has a reputation for making shoes that last a really long time and that are of the best quality of leather (both shoes are made from leather for durability). But having highly durable shoes means they need lots of breaking in.

When an Irish dancer purchases new shoes, hard shoes especially, they need to "break them in" by bending them in multiple directions and placing the bent shoes under pressure to hold the position. It is recommended to hold them bent under a couch for days and weeks at a time to maximize the leather's flexibility.

The Review


I had purchased Rutherford hard and soft shoes in January and had placed them under the bed for 4 months while I was studying abroad in London so that they would be perfect and ready for dancing in when I returned. This week I took it upon myself to give them a try and I was more than pleased. Both shoes were comfortable and the leather was bendable enough to allow for maximum foot flexibility and I didn't feel restricted in either pair.

Image result for rutherford shoe
The hard shoes were the right weight so that they were heavy and loud when my foot hit the ground but I didn't have a hard time lifting my feet. The tip of the hard shoe was perfectly comfortable and strong so that I could go on my toes without issue or pain.

The soft shoes weren't stiff and allowed fluid motion without looking like I had flat fleet. I was able to point my toes easily and the balls of my feet were comfortable with the sturdy padding on the bottom.

I would recommend this company to any Irish dancer looking for a new pair of shoes!

No comments:

Post a Comment