To help ring in the New Year and kick off the 10^th Annual National Skating Month, we chose the 4200 Dance boot as January’s Boot of the Month. Over the past few skating seasons, Ice dance has grown in popularity. Ice dancers and Olympians like Meryl Davis and Charlie White and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are household names and have helped introduced this exciting discipline to people around the world. And with the Sochi Games only two years away, we have a feeling Ice dance may be one of the most popular events at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Did you know that Ice Dance became an official Winter Olympic sport in 1976?

Ice dance differs from other disciplines of figure skating, so we designed a boot specifically to meet the rigors of the sport. How does ice dance differ?

• There are different requirements for lifts
• Spins are to be performed as a team in a dance hold
• Throws and jumps are not allowed
• Typically, partners must stay within two arm lengths. Originally, partners were supposed to be in a dance hold the  entire program, but this restriction has been lifted somewhat in modern ice dancing. (source: Wikipedia)

Part of our Specialty Boot line, the 4200 Dance offers flexible comfort and support. A dance-cut backstay collar is designed specifically to allow for more forward and backward flex, which is important for the intricate footwork and toe pointing necessary in ice dance. The 4200 Dance also is designed with a slightly higher heel than other boot models for enhanced foot maneuvering. Other great features of the 4200 Dance include:

• Dual-density foam ankle padding for comfort where you need it most
• Thick padded collar enhances comfort
• Flex notch design allows the boot to move and flex with the foot

Partner the 4200 Dance with the Eclipse Dance blade for a perfect ice dance pairing!