A Brief History Of The Greek Sandal

A Brief History Of The Greek Sandal

Dancing is an active exercise which is not only enjoyable but also physically demanding. While dancing people make a lot of body movements and it is hard work for their muscles, joints and particularly feet. Taking care of feet is of vital importance for all dancers, that is why comfortable shoes are an absolute must for them. Perfectly fitted footwear helps dancers move freely while providing comfort and good support.

The greek sandal is the very type of footwear that is suitable for pleasant and healthy dancing. Made of high quality leather and suede materials, it is as light and flexible as a ballet shoe. A regular greek sandal has a low and stable heel which is secure and gives a dancer good support even on the slippery floor. A closed toe and a closed back also protect the feet of dancers sometimes preventing them from injuries. Found in different colours, sandals look nice and elegant also lending great style to the wearer.

Sandals have a very long history. It is said that they were invented by people in ancient Rome and ancient Egypt more than 5 million years ago. Their design of the greek sandal was not intricate at first. Depending on the country, they were made of different materials such as papyrus, palm branches, crude skin. That primitive footwear let people move freely and was convenient to wear. The majority of ancient Greeks simply went barefoot and it was only the soldiers and wealthy citizens who began wearing them. The first shoes were sandals or boots. Early Greek sandals were made of stiff leather and had a wooden sole with leather straps attached to them. The straps went between the big and the second toes of the wearer and around the back of the ankle giving better support to the feet.

The Greeks developed the art of shoemaking and created various types of leather sandals which differed according to the person’s position in society. For example, rich and well off Greeks wore soft leather sandals decorated with jewels, precious metals and even gold, while the typical Greek sandal of a worker was heavy and cumbersome. As a matter of fact, sandals were made for all classes of people and worn by both men and women. Each Greek city had its special style and it was possible to find out a lot about the people by the style of sandals they were wearing. The ancient Greeks were great masters at producing sandals and their footwear may be called a prototype of modern sandals. Nowadays there are a great number of sandals and their modifications but the modern greek sandal is especially designed for people who practice or teach dancing.

Due to its flexibility and lightness the greek sandal is one of the best choices for those people who want to take care of their feet and reduce foot strain. That type of shoe may be used by people practicing different types of dancing such as line dancing, country dancing, salsa and many others. Wearing this footwear may help them feel secure and comfortable on the dance floor.