I'm hung up on the symbolic value of the dancing shoes too. I agree with the above commenters who argue that the man isn't just some short-lived hobby to pick up and drop at the girl's leisure-- a pair of dancin' shoes. He wants the whole picture, but she only takes him for test drives-- dances for a song or two, then takes the shoes off. I think there is a definite play on the phrase "walked all over." He doesn't want to be exhausted by the dance of their relationship if that's all it is-- ephemeral, for her enjoyment, and disingenuous.
I'm hung up on the symbolic value of the dancing shoes too. I agree with the above commenters who argue that the man isn't just some short-lived hobby to pick up and drop at the girl's leisure-- a pair of dancin' shoes. He wants the whole picture, but she only takes him for test drives-- dances for a song or two, then takes the shoes off. I think there is a definite play on the phrase "walked all over." He doesn't want to be exhausted by the dance of their relationship if that's all it is-- ephemeral, for her enjoyment, and disingenuous.