Slip These On for Better Zumba Moves

So you know how Erin and I aren’t exactly known for our dance skills? Well, I realized it may not have as much to do with our genetics as we thought. Like most people, we go to Zumba or BodyJam in a pair of our regular workout shoes, which, for me, is almost always a pair of running shoes. But—and this is a big but—the traction on running shoes doesn’t let you pivot your feet like you should when trying to shimmy those hips, thereby making our sambas, hip rolls and general booty shakes not nearly as impressive as they could be. (I use the term “impressive” loosely here.)

Enter in the new product Slip-On Dancers, our new aerobic-dancing BFF. While no product will probably ever make us as groovtastic as the chick at left, we’ll take any help we can get, and these do help! Made of just a band of stretchy material, you slip these over your shoes in the area between your toes and your heel. The fabric allows you to better twist your feet and legs, which not only helps keep you from torquing your knee dangerously (unless you put the band too close to your toes in which case it can be so slippery that you’re at a higher risk of injury) but also helps you nail those mambos. At $10 to $12 for pairs that come in funky and fun colors and patterns, they’re a good investment for the gal who loves dance-based workouts but isn’t so “dancey” that that she’d need actual dance shoes.

I tried these on my wood floor and immediately noticed a difference in my ability to get my groove on. It didn’t make me Paula Abdul in reality—but it did in my head. And, really, that’s enough for me. —Jenn