Jazz shoes are a kind of dancing shoes. While the name suggests they are intended for jazz dance, they are used in other styles of dancing: acrobatic rock'n'roll, hip hop, aerobics, acro dance, etc.
There is a wide variety of jazz shoes, with different advantages. They may be high-rise and low-rise slip-ons or lace-up Oxfords. Split-sole jazz sneakers allow the dancer to take an advantage of the foot flexibility by showing the arch of the foot. Rubber soles in some of them provide extra cushioning. Some may have a suede patch, good for faster turns, especially on plastic surfaces. Still others come with shock-absorption heels. Some models have reinforced toes, subject to increased wear. [1]