Jazz shoes are a kind of dancing shoe

Shoe

A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...

s. While the name suggests they are intended for jazz dance

Jazz dance

Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...

, they are used in other styles of dancing: acrobatic rock'n'roll, hip hop

Hip hop

Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

, aerobics

Aerobics

Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness...

, acro dance

Acro dance

Acro dance is a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements. It is defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography, which seamlessly blends dance and acrobatics, and its use of acrobatics in a dance context...

, etc.

There is a wide variety of jazz shoes, with different advantages. They may be high-rise and low-rise slip-ons or lace-up Oxfords. Split-sole jazz sneakers allow the dancer to take an advantage of the foot flexibility by showing the arch of the foot. Rubber soles in some of them provide extra cushioning. Some may have a suede

Suede

Suede is a type of leather with a napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, shirts, purses, furniture and other items. The term comes from the French "gants de Suède", which literally means "gloves of Sweden"....

patch, good for faster turns, especially on plastic surfaces. Still others come with shock-absorption heels. Some models have reinforced toes, subject to increased wear.