Dance shoes with improved heel and arch sections

A split-sole dance shoe, comprising:

• a thin flexible shoe upper defining an opening to receive a foot;
• an outsole region to underlie a sole of the foot and in combination with the upper defining a heel section, an arch section and a forefoot section, the outsole region comprising a split outsole in two parts, wherein the heel section comprises a first outsole part and the forefoot section comprises a second outsole part;
• and
• thin flexible reinforcing structure coupled to the shoe upper and the outsole region and extending from adjacent the opening in an upper part of the heel section around a lower part of the heel section and through the arch section along a longitudinal direction of the shoe, the reinforcing structure broadening from adjacent the opening to substantially cup a lower posterior portion of the calcaneus when the shoe is worn on the foot and then narrowing toward the arch section, the reinforcing structure in the arch section being formed to closely match flexion of an arch of the foot when the shoe is worn on the foot and the foot is in pointe position without the appearance of bunching of the shoe upper in the arch section.