Footwear and sole structures include structures and properties, e.g., to support urban dance and urban dance moves. Such dance styles include various dance moves and movements that require contact between side edges of the wearer's shoes and the dance floor surface (e.g., made from concrete, asphalt, wood, etc.). Such dance styles also require transition of the body's center of mass along the edge(s) of the foot. Footwear and sole structures in accordance with this technology provide structures and properties to support to support such dance styles and moves, including one or more of: selected materials and/or selected material properties in various areas to promote sliding or gliding along various surfaces and/or other desired interactions with various surfaces; selected sizing and/or dimensional features of components in various areas; various flexion promoting structures and/or characteristics; etc.

Articles of footwear and methods of making articles of footwear including one or more continuous threads wound around anchor points. The winding of the one or more continuous threads forms a thread pattern that imparts desired characteristics to components of the article of footwear. Thread lines of the thread pattern may be bonded together. In some embodiments, thread lines may be bonded with a bonding layer.

Examples of the disclosure are directed to a tap apparatus for attachment to a tap shoe. In some examples, the tap apparatus can include an upper tap portion that can be attached to the tap shoe, and a lower tap portion that covers and protects the fasteners used to attach the upper tap portion to the tap shoe. In some examples, the lower tap portion may slide onto the upper tap portion using a dovetail-like attachment mechanism. Screws or locking tabs may then be used to hold the lower tap portion in place. In some examples, the lower tap portion may be affixed to the upper tap portion using a threaded fastener, plug, or floating screw. In some examples, a tab in the upper tap portion can be retained in an aperture in the tap portion, and the lower tap portion can be pivotably engaged with the upper tap portion.

Examples of the disclosure are directed to a tap apparatus for attachment to a tap shoe. In some examples, the tap apparatus can include an upper tap portion that can be attached to the tap shoe, and a lower tap portion that covers and protects the fasteners used to attach the upper tap portion to the tap shoe. In some examples, the lower tap portion may slide onto the upper tap portion using a dovetail-like attachment mechanism. Screws or locking tabs may then be used to hold the lower tap portion in place. In some examples, the lower tap portion may be affixed to the upper tap portion using a threaded fastener, plug, or floating screw. In some examples, a tab in the upper tap portion can be retained in an aperture in the tap portion, and the lower tap portion can be pivotably engaged with the upper tap portion.

The present invention includes a sole that can be used as a dance or a general shoe. The protruding platforms of the sole are arranged, oriented, and dimensioned to permit ruggedness, dancing, and substantial grippiness for both dance moves as well as general wear.

The present invention includes a sole that can be used as a dance or a general shoe. The protruding platforms of the sole are arranged, oriented, and dimensioned to permit ruggedness, dancing, and substantial grippiness for both dance moves as well as general wear.

A pointe shoe combines enhanced impact protection for the toes of a dancer provided by at least one viscoelastic polymer layer, with resistance to moisture degradation of internal structural components of the pointe shoe provided by two surrounding layers of silicone that present a moisture barrier against perspiration. The pointe shoe includes a tip portion, front portion, right side portion, and left side portion having an outer fabric layer; an outer silicone layer bonded to the outer fabric layer presenting an outer moisture barrier; a paper mache layer, attached to the silicone layer; a viscoelastic urethane polymer layer, attached to the paper mache layer, to evenly spread impact of pointed toes of the dancer; an inner silicone layer, attached to the viscoelastic urethane polymer layer, the inner silicone layer presenting an inner moisture barrier to protect at least the paper mache layer from moisture; and an inner breathable fabric layer.

A pointe shoe combines enhanced impact protection for the toes of a dancer provided by at least one viscoelastic polymer layer, with resistance to moisture degradation of internal structural components of the pointe shoe provided by two surrounding layers of silicone that present a moisture barrier against perspiration. The pointe shoe includes a tip portion, front portion, right side portion, and left side portion having an outer fabric layer; an outer silicone layer bonded to the outer fabric layer presenting an outer moisture barrier; a paper mache layer, attached to the silicone layer; a viscoelastic urethane polymer layer, attached to the paper mache layer, to evenly spread impact of pointed toes of the dancer; an inner silicone layer, attached to the viscoelastic urethane polymer layer, the inner silicone layer presenting an inner moisture barrier to protect at least the paper mache layer from moisture; and an inner breathable fabric layer.

The sliding-shoe sole is a device that is permanently attached or removably positioned on fitness shoes or the like. The sliding-shoe sole is fabricated from materials that reduce the degree of factional contact between the sole and a contacting sur -face. The sliding-shoe sole may encompass a portion or the entire bottom of the fitness shoe and portions of the heel, toe and side areas of the shoe. This arrangement enables the wearer to participate more fully in exercises and/or dances that require the foot to not only slide and/or glide along the dance floor or exercise surface along the shoe bottom, but also along the shoe heel, toe and side.

The sliding-shoe sole is a device that is permanently attached or removably positioned on fitness shoes or the like. The sliding-shoe sole is fabricated from materials that reduce the degree of factional contact between the sole and a contacting sur -face. The sliding-shoe sole may encompass a portion or the entire bottom of the fitness shoe and portions of the heel, toe and side areas of the shoe. This arrangement enables the wearer to participate more fully in exercises and/or dances that require the foot to not only slide and/or glide along the dance floor or exercise surface along the shoe bottom, but also along the shoe heel, toe and side.