So I haven't worn shoes like these since my Jr High School dancing days. I stayed away from them as an adult dancer, because I could remember hating how the heal would constantly slip around, making even simple steps a nightmare.  We are doing a show that unfortunately requires us to have Grecian style shoes.  After reading the reviews, I opted to order in my street shoe size.  When I tried them on, the length was perfect, but they were a little looser than I like (reintroducing my fear of the slip-off heal problem). I've since worn them several times to rehearsals and class.  There aren't nearly as bad as I remember!  After tightening the strap to it's tightest slot, I found I could dance without fear of heal slippage. They're comfortable, they look beautiful, and are adjustable to accommodate the width of your foot. I wouldn't order a half size smaller as I think that would be too short. My personal preference would still tend toward heal-less shoes, but if you need a elegant style shoe for performance, or like a heal on your dance shoe, these are certainly a good buy.