When sneaker meets marching shoe, your feet can live happily ever after.
Director’s Showcase International (DSI) has unveiled the new Crossover Shoe, an “athletic shoe with a marching band sole,” developed in collaboration with Dr. Tom Freeman, a podiatrist who works with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.
The goal of the shoe is for marching musicians to wear it during practices and performances, according to Jeff Dyson, vice president of marketing.
The Crossover Shoe provides support and stability in the midfoot area. “We’re talking about a solid midfoot section, so that your lateral movements don’t hurt your feet,” Dyson says. “Drummers, when they’re crabbing, don’t want [their] shoe to move too much sideways.”
The shoe also features a canvas toe, one-piece reinforced rubber sole, and breathable mesh upper. “A lot of running shoes [have] very little support in the back,” Dyson says. “That back part of the heel had to be solid. Similarly, most performance shoes for marching band aren’t breathable; breathability was another major requirement for the Crossover Shoe.”
The need for this type of hybrid shoe came about as more and more drum corps as well as other groups have broken away from the traditional corps-style roll step and added more dance elements to their performances. “Even high school [and] collegiate bands are going to more of an athletic, more rigorous performance than just your traditional step,” Dyson says. “Kids can practice on these shoes for eight hours a day without their feet hurting.”
Visit dshowcase.com/crossovershoe for more information.
