Silicone straps are for when your dance shoe does not stay on the foot as firmly as you would like: the heel lifts slightly out of the shoe in a turn, or the foot moves inside it. A strap helps hold the shoe more securely on the foot.

When they are worth a try:

• you have a narrow foot and the shoe feels a little loose;
• your shoes are well worn and have lost some of their original shape;
• you want more confidence in fast turns and spins.

If the shoe is too big along its whole length, straps will not fix that – a different size is the better answer.