Dance footwear

Abstract

In example embodiments, a thin, compliant covering is provided for engaging the bottom of a dancer's foot. The covering has a body portion and a distal securer, which may comprise toe openings for receiving and encircling toes of a wearer. In these example embodiments, the body portion does not extend substantially proximally of the midfoot. The covering includes a proximal securer that follows a path over the top of a wearer's foot or around a heel. The covering's securers are arranged to optimize the visibility of the top and sides of the foot, while helping to protect the foot. In certain embodiments the covering has a three dimensional conformation for conforming to a wearer's foot.

1 . A covering for compliably conforming to a foot of a wearer, 
 the covering including a body portion that has a ground engaging side and foot engaging side;    the ground engaging side having a distal-end boundary and a proximal-end boundary, the proximal-end boundary is adapted to be disposed substantially between about the metatarsal heads of a wearer's forefoot and a midfoot; and    the covering including a distal securer comprising a plurality of toe openings, each adapted to receive and encircle a single toe of a wearer.    
   
   
       2 . The covering of  claim 1  further comprising a proximal securer oriented transversely to the foot of a wearer.  
   
   
       3 . The covering of  claim 2  wherein the proximal securer defines an elastic opening for receiving a top foot of a wearer.  
   
   
       4 . The covering of  claim 3  wherein the covering consists substantially of a single ply of compliable material.  
   
   
       5 . The covering of  claim 3  wherein the covering has a three dimensional configuration for cupping the foot of a wearer at a front portion of the foot and at least one side portion.  
   
   
       6 . The covering of  claim 5  wherein the openings are defined by boundaries that elastically receive the toes of a wearer.  
   
   
       7 . The covering of  claim 6  wherein there is an opening for each toe of a wearer.  
   
   
       8 . The covering of  claim 7  wherein an elastic element forms the top boundary for one or more toe openings.  
   
   
       9 . The covering of  claim 3  wherein each toe opening has bottom and side boundaries formed or cut into the body portion of the covering and wherein the top boundaries are defined by an elastic element.  
   
   
       10 . A thin, compliant covering for a wearer's foot that is substantially free of bulky materials; 
 the covering having a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side;    the covering having a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a wearer's foot defined by about at least three metatarsal heads;    a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a foot along a line generally perpendicular to the long axis of the foot and disposed between about the metatarsal heads and the midfoot of a wearer's foot; and    the covering leaving a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed.    
   
   
       11 . The covering of  claim 10  wherein the distal securer comprises a plurality of openings for receiving and encircling toes of a wearer.  
   
   
       12 . The covering of  claim 11  wherein the proximal securer comprises an elastic proximal opening for encircling the foot at a position between about the end of a forefoot to a midfoot.  
   
   
       13 . The covering of  claim 12  wherein the covering consists substantially of a single ply of leather or synthetic material.  
   
   
       14 . The covering of  claim 12  wherein the covering has a three dimensional configuration for cupping the foot of a wearer at a front portion of the foot and at least one side portion.  
   
   
       15 . The covering of  claim 12  wherein the toe openings are adapted to elastically receive the toes of a wearer.  
   
   
       16 . The covering of claim of  11  wherein there is an opening for each toe of a wearer.  
   
   
       17 . The covering of  claim 15  wherein the covering includes an elastic element oriented transversely to the foot at about the distal end boundary of the body portion, the elastic element serving to tension the covering to the foot.  
   
   
       18 . The covering of  claim 1  wherein the covering includes a lateral side-foot extension or a medial side-foot extension.  
   
   
       19 . The covering of  claim 10  wherein the covering includes a lateral side-foot extension or a medial side-foot extension.  
   
   
       20 . The covering of  claim 1  wherein the covering includes lateral and medial side-foot extensions.  
   
   
       21 . The covering of  claim 10  wherein the covering includes lateral and medial side-foot extensions.  
   
   
       22 . The covering of  claim 20  wherein an extension slopes downwardly in a proximal to distal direction.  
   
   
       23 . The covering of  claim 21  wherein an extension slopes downwardly in a proximal to distal direction.  
   
   
       24 . The covering of  claim 1  further comprising a grip zone on the foot engaging side of the body portion that provides enhanced engagement of the foot to the covering relative to adjacent areas of foot contacting side of the body portion.  
   
   
       25 . The covering of  claim 10  further comprising a grip zone on the foot engaging side of the body portion that provides enhanced engagement of the foot to the covering relative to adjacent areas of foot contacting side of the body portion.  
   
   
       26 . The covering of  claim 2  wherein the body portion comprises a relatively inelastic material and at least one securer is elastic.  
   
   
       27 . The covering of  claim 10  wherein the body portion comprises a relatively inelastic material and at least one securer is elastic.  
   
   
       28 . The covering of  claim 27  wherein the relatively inelastic material comprises leather.  
   
   
       29 . A method of manufacturing a covering for compliably conforming to the foot of a wearer, comprising: 
 providing a body portion having a ground engaging side and foot engaging side, the ground engaging side having a distal end boundary and a proximal end boundary, the proximal end boundary is adapted to be disposed substantially between about the metatarsal heads of a wearer's forefoot and about a midfoot; and    disposing on the covering a distal securer comprising a plurality of toe openings, each adapted to receive and encircle a single toe of a wearer.    
   
   
       30 . A method of manufacturing a thin, compliant covering for a dancer's foot that is substantially free of bulky materials, comprising: 
 providing a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side;    disposing on the body portion a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a foot defined by about at least three metatarsal heads of a wearer's foot;    disposing on the body portion a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a wearer's foot along a line generally perpendicular to the long axis of the foot and disposed between about the metatarsal heads and about the midfoot of a wearer's foot;    and arranging the body portion, and the distal and proximal securer, so as to be capable of securing the covering to a foot and leaving a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed.    
   
   
       31 . A thin, compliant covering for a wearer's foot that is substantially free of bulky materials; 
 the covering having a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side;    the covering having a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path, defined by about at least three metatarsal heads, from the body portion and over the top of a wearer's foot;    a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path from the body portion and around the heel of a wearer; and    the covering leaving at a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed.    
   
   
       32 . The covering of  claim 31  wherein the securer comprises an opening that extends from the body portion and is adapted to elastically encircle the bottom of a wearer's rearfoot and heel.  
   
   
       33 . The covering of  claim 32  wherein the proximal securer comprises an elastic strap that has opposite, first and second ends secured to body portion, the first end is attached at a medial side of the body portion and is adapted to cross over a lateral side of a foot, and the second end is attached at a lateral side of the body portion and is adapted to cross over a medial side of a wearer's foot.  
   
   
       34 . The covering of  claim 32  wherein the covering has a three dimensional configuration for cupping the foot of a wearer at a front portion of the foot and at least one side portion.  
   
   
       35 . A method of manufacturing a thin, compliant covering for a wearer's foot that is substantially free of bulky material, comprising; 
 providing a body portion with a ground engaging side and a foot engaging side;    disposing on the body portion a distal securer that is adapted to follow a path over the top of a wearer's foot defined by about at least three metatarsal heads;    disposing on the body portion a proximal securer that is adapted to follow a path from the body portion and around the heel of a wearer; and    and arranging the distal securer and the proximal securer so as to leave a majority of the top of the forefoot between the distal and proximal securer visibly exposed.    
   
   
       36 . The covering of  claim 1  further comprising a proximal securer and wherein the proximal and distal securer are arranged on the body portion so as to leave the rearfoot entirely or substantially uncovered and the top of the foot entirely or substantially uncovered.  
   
   
       37 . A covering comprising a body portion adapted to cup the foot of a wearer along a front portion and at least one side portion of a foot, the distal securer and the proximal securer are arranged on the body portion so as to leave the rearfoot entirely uncovered and the top of the foot substantially uncovered.  
   
   
       38 . A covering comprising a body portion adapted to cup the foot of a wearer along a front portion and at least one side portion of a foot, the distal securer and the proximal securer are arranged on the body portion so as to leave the top of the foot entirely or substantially uncovered and the rear foot substantially uncovered.