Grahame
Co-founder
Rose
Co-founder
20+ years on the dance floor
Our story
We met at a salsa dance congress over 20 years ago. Dance is in our DNA – and GRAYAMZ was born from a problem we lived with for years.
The frustration
We could not find dance trainers that truly worked. The good ones were hard to find, expensive, often needed importing, and did not always fit. One mistake – stepping in something sticky or damaging the suede sole – meant throwing away serious money.
The hack
So we did what dancers do: we improvised. We bought lightweight trainers and stuck suede to the bottom. Comfort went up, movement felt better than any dance shoe we had tried – because suede gives you low-friction freedom to slide and glide properly.
Why spin spots are not enough
Spin spots have limited coverage – they only help if you land perfectly on them, but real dancing is not always perfect. Drift off the spot and the feel changes instantly. We wanted low-friction coverage that works across real movement, from slides to heel spins, whatever your style.
The solution
Our DIY suede worked, but edges peeled, replacement was messy, and it was not built for real wear. That is when we realised the answer: a trainer designed from the ground up to take replaceable pads properly.
We created recessed friction zones to protect pad edges, with placement guided by the GRAYAMZ logo angles. Each pad uses carefully picked industrial-strength self-adhesive backing that holds firm yet peels cleanly when it is time to replace. When pads wear or get ruined, you replace the pads, not the shoes.
"Peel. Align. Press. Dance."
Who we are
We are Grahame and Rose. We still go out dancing – and now we have got two boys who love it too. Salsa is our heart, and we are coming for jive and West Coast Swing next.
Rose heads up the distribution company and daily operations, while Grahame focuses on the product engineering and design.
Oh, and the name? GRAYAMZ is a nod to Grahame, who designed the shoes. Rose was more than happy to let that one stick.
A different approach
Most manufacturers profit when you replace the whole shoe. We are doing the opposite: replace the wear part and keep the trainer. We are not perfect, and we are not here to preach, but we believe better design should last.
The best inventions start with the inventor's own need. These shoes were made for us first. We hope you love them as much as we do.
Join the journey
Tired of replacing shoes because the sole wears out? Get early access updates, limited-run polymer pads, and new pad options as they drop.
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