Modern dance shoe

Abstract

Embodiments relate generally to footwear for dancers performing modern dance. In particular, embodiments relate to modern dance footwear comprising an enclosed toe portion to surround the forefoot, and a form-fitting section to surround much of the hindfoot, having a heel strap. A particular embodiment relates to dance footwear to be worn on a human foot comprising: a fabric tube formed of an elastic first material to receive and partially cover the midfoot and hindfoot, the tube comprising a heel end and an opposite midfoot end; a forefoot portion formed of a second material different from the first material to receive and enclose the ball of the foot and the toes, the forefoot portion comprising a toe end and an opposite midfoot end, wherein the midfoot end of the forefoot portion is coupled to the midfoot end of the fabric tube; and at least one floor-engaging forefoot pad disposed on the forefoot portion to underlie a ball of the foot. The tube defines first and second openings at the heel end and a heel strap to extend around the Achilles tendon of the heel between the first and second openings and thereby retain the footwear on the foot.

1 . Dance footwear to be worn on a human foot comprising:
 a fabric tube formed of an elastic first material to receive and partially cover the midfoot and hindfoot, the tube comprising a heel end and an opposite midfoot end;   a forefoot portion formed of a second material different from the first material to receive and enclose the ball of the foot and the toes, the forefoot portion comprising a toe end and an opposite midfoot end, wherein the midfoot end of the forefoot portion is coupled to the midfoot end of the fabric tube; and   at least one floor-engaging forefoot pad disposed on the forefoot portion to underlie a ball of the foot;   wherein the tube defines first and second openings at the heel end and a heel strap to extend around the Achilles tendon of the heel between the first and second openings and thereby retain the footwear on the foot.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises a medical-grade compressive sock material. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises a more durable material than the elastic first material. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises an elastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is a stretch canvas. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises a non-stretch material. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises a canvas or leather material. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel strap comprises first and second strap portions that are continuous with the tube and are joined together at a position substantially overlying the Achilles tendon. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second strap portions are stitched together. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material of the tube is seamless where it overlies the midfoot. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has a single seam where it overlies the midfoot. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one forefoot pad has an irregular shape sized to extend underneath at least some metatarsal bones of the foot but not the tarsal bones. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one forefoot pad has a medial portion and a lateral portion to respectively underlie medial and lateral parts of the ball of the foot. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the lateral portion extends posteriorly to a substantially greater extent than the medial portion. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one forefoot pad comprises a single pad. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one forefoot pad comprises separate medial and lateral pads. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one forefoot pad is stitched to the forefoot portion. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one forefoot pad comprises a suede material. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening is sized to allow the calcaneus to be substantially uncovered by the first material. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second opening is sized to allow the base of the tibia and fibula to be substantially uncovered by the first material and is sized so that the elastic first material covers less than all of the talus. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material extends posteriorly of the at least one forefoot pad to overlie most or all of the arches of the foot. 
     
     
         22 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is mostly single-layered except for the at least one forefoot pad. 
     
     
         23 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tube and the forefoot portion have a substantially lower coefficient of friction relative to a dance floor than the at least one forefoot pad has relative to the same dance floor. 
     
     
         24 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are selected to readily permit sliding of the first material over a dance floor and to have a substantially lower coefficient of friction relative to the dance floor than that of human skin. 
     
     
         25 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the forefoot portion is coupled to the tube by a stitched seam. 
     
     
         26 . The footwear of  claim 25 , wherein the stitched seam is elastic. 
     
     
         27 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear further comprises elastic trim applied to sections of any one or more of the forefoot portion and the tube. 
     
     
         28 . The footwear of  claims 1 , wherein the forefoot portion is formed of a unitary piece of the second material. 
     
     
         29 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the forefoot portion is coupled to the tube at an area adjacent to a metatarsal region of the foot of a wearer of the footwear when the wearer is wearing a size of the footwear that corresponds to a related size of the foot of the wearer.