Abstract: A shoe, e.g. for dance or athletics, having a split sole, with a front portion at the front of the foot, a rear portion beneath the rear of the foot and no sole beneath the mid-section of the shoe upper at the mid-section of the foot, beneath the arch. To help support the foot and prevent sag of the mid-section of the shoe upper, a band of flexible, but non-stretchable, fabric is stitched inside the shoe upper to extend from the bottom of the shoe upper, up the sides of the shoe upper, to the top of the shoe upper. The stitched in material supports the mid-section of the bottom of the shoe upper against sagging, while permitting the foot to be flexed. If the shoe has a split top side of the upper and is closed or laced, the closing of the top of the shoe upper pulls up on the band.

Abstract: A shoe primarily for dance including separate front and rear portions connected at their respective undersides by a narrow width elastic strip extending between the opposing edges of the shoe portions. A strap toward the top of the uppers connects the front and rear portions also. A sole beneath the front portion and a heel beneath the rear portion.

Abstract: A dancer's shoe, slipper or the like having a stiff sole comprised of split front and rear soles separated at the arch. To enable the dancer to stand on pointe, the front sole is "cup" shaped with a generally "C" shaped cross-section. The upstanding wall of the front sole is attached to the sides and may extend up the front of the shoe box. This enables the front sole to bend upward around an axis across the foot when the foot bends but prevents the front sole from bending downward around such an axis which enables the dancer to stand on pointe on the tip of the shoe. The wall may be notched to facilitate bending at a particular location. There may be a rear sole spaced from the front sole behind the arch. To stiffen the shoe body, a toe box is provided in the front portion of the shoe upper.