First time Ballroom dance class- what kind of shoes should I wear?

Don't buy anything from the store. Wear what you already have. If you think of buying - might as well buy a pair of dance shoes. The best would be a pair of dress shoes with leather (as opposite to rubber) sole. It has to be a full shoe, not a flip-flop kind (lady) otherwise you'll keep losing your shoes. Heel height doesn't matter so much as long as you can comforatbly step in them. Ladie's street shoes won't last very long if you dance in them because the heels are not designed to take this kind of stress. So don't take your favorite pair to the dance floor. Sneakers sound comfortable but I advise against them because the rubber sole of a sneaker is designed to grip the floor, and you will be tripping all evening over your own feet if you wear sneakers. Ballroom shoes are not as expensive as it may seem, if you are not ready to invest in professional quality shoes just yet you still do yourself a favor by getting a pair of proper shoes. - check out www.featherdanceshoes.com Whatever they have for $36 is actually a decent quality dance shoe.

just wear jazz shoes

Comfortable ones that don't slip on your feet or the floor.

Ordinary dress shoes with leather soles. You want your feet to be able to slide, not grip the floor and trip you.

Are you a man or woman? If you're a woman you'll want something with a solid heel, not too tall, and an ankle or T-strap. If you're a man, you won't want anything too slippery.