Pointe Shoes

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By: Madeline Seminaro, Journalist

Ever heard of ballet? Well, there is more to it than just the famous Nutcracker Show. Ballerinas works for weeks or even months to perform on the stage. Whether it’s poise or strength, ballerinas have both. If you are en pointe, you have to balance and turn on your toes. Not only is it painful, but it really causes you to engage your whole body to keep yourself steady. Now, sometimes not having the right shoes can amplify your pain. Every person’s foot is different.

Fitting a person for pointe shoes:

  • You have to keep in mind all the possible different factors that go into getting fitted.
  • Things like ankle flexibility, foot strength, weight, foot size, foot width, and body strength.
  • You can’t just go “en pointe.” You usually wait until 11 or later to start so that your body doesn’t have all that stress. You also have to have good ankle flexibility, good ankle strength, and good core muscles.
  • Just because your foot is shaped weirdly doesn’t mean that there won’t be a pointe shoe just for you. There are different brands, sizes, and creators that make each shoe differently.
  • You may think it is straightforward, but truly, it isn’t. Years of training are required before you are even able to get assessed for pointe classes.
  • Lastly, you have to have a passion for the sport. If you don’t feel like you want to do it, why even bother?

RELATED STORIES:

  1. https://us.blochworld.com/collections/adults-dance-shoes-pointe
  2. https://www.pointemagazine.com/history-of-pointe-shoes-2646384074.html 
  3. https://www.danceus.org/ballet/pointe-shoes-their-history-construction-use/