Linda Joy Douglas (Adjudicator at the Emerald Ball, Fellow and National Examiner for Fred Astaire Dance Studios, member of DVIDA)

"Yes, competition shoes are made specially for Dancesport and differ from regular dance shoes in that the soles are made of suede so that they don't skid on the dance floor and the heel is placed slightly forward for proper balance, toward the arch so that the balanced forward pose is more easily achieved. They also have steel arches."