This is a fun image - very creative. A couple of things IMO that would have helped it is a bit more contrast (seems a little flat), and the womans foot would appear more natural to the stance you were trying to get if the toe was pointed out/away from the mans foot a little. As it is, it seems a bit "complicated".
Yeah, that is a problem :) The darks should be darker. The highlights are good, the light is soft. The high-heel should be a bit darker. Mabe you could change that during b/w conversion in the channel mixer? 7.
8 - I do like this shot, I nearly marked it down to 7 but it is the simplicity and creativity I think I like the most, so 8 it stays. Criticism; It is lacking 'something' in my opinion. Whether it is 'depth', coloring, more shadow play, not sure. The shoes are a good 'clean and simple' choice, just needs some 'oompth' somewhere in my opinion. Perhaps even in this case, a frame may have 'dramatized' it more, not sure. Perhaps a different background, perhaps more 'space' on one side, different angle, not sure, sorry. The only other thing to add would be that the focus seems to be sharper on the 'far' shoe than the 'fore', it would have been nice to see more detail/texture on the 'fore' shoe, especially the 'toe'.