Not a question just wanted to say... I am ready for pointe?

Question

Hi I am knew to yahoo. I am dancer so well ask many questions. I would like to say my teacher has said I am ready for pointe shoes soon.!!! I am very very excited. What are the best beginner kinds of pointe shoes? I want to know what are the best beginner padding and please provide with a brief description of pointe shoes.

Answer 1

Well different style point shoes fit different peoples feet, so I really can't suggest any styles.  However, I do suggest quality ribbons that won't fray, lambswool toe pads, and if you need it ball of foot cushions.  the latter two are both available through capezio.  im sure that non fray ribbons are too, but i'm not sure as i've never used their pointe shoe ribbons.  also, if your trying to break in pointe shoes for a shoe so don't want to get them dirty, u can use a toe cover, also available through capezio.  u can use those for other things but thats wut i use mine for.

Answer 2

The kind of shoe you get depends on your feet. My first pair of pointe shoes were Principles, because I have a high arch and a long and skinny foot. Ask your dance instructor which kind is right for you. And get cotton toe-pads. Gel toe-pads are more comfortable, but they are not good for beginners because you can't really feel the floor right, and they are harder to keep your balence.

Pointe shoes are ballet slippers that have cardboard-like soles that support your feet. In the tip of the shoe, there is a block of some weird cementish-wood called your box, that is flat on the bottom so you can balence. Do a lot of relevaes(however you spell it) to develop your achilies tendant because if you don't, you will get bad pains there and your achilies tendant will feel overly streached out. And when you start "tape" each of your toes individualy with paper medical tape to prevent blisters. Eventually you will know which toes are more prone to blisters so you won't tape every single one. Pointe is not really "fun," but it makes you feel graceful and important. It is really painful, but the preformances make it all worth it.

Answer 3

Pointe shoes aren't made of wood. At all. Ever. The box is basically made of reinforced canvas (and lots of glue). The shrank is usually made of cardboard, leather or more reinforced canvas.

These are pretty good diagrams of the different parts of a pointe shoe: http://www.freewebs.com/dance2thetop/poi... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en...

Releves will help to stregnthen your ankles which will help on pointe but will not really do anything for your achilles tendons. Pointe will probably not cause pains them if you don't.

Getting your pointe shoes:

You need to make an appointment at a dancewear store with a trained pointe shoe fitter. Wear your ballet tights underneath your clothes to the fitting (regular socks may make your feet a different size). Also cut your toenails the day/a few days before (if they are too long it hurts) but not on the day in case you cut them too short (hurts too).

The fitting will probably last 45 minutes to an hour and you will try on lots of different brands, styles and sizes of shoes. There is no one "beginner" type. Softer shoes with easy passage through demi-pointe are sometimes better to start with, but they still need to be hard enough to support your foot. The fitter will help you decide which ones fit best. They should fit snugly on pointe and not bag around the heels. Also if you demi pile in second your toes should touch the ends (never actually tried this but have been told).

You don't actually need any padding (plenty of people dance without it - myself included - with no pain) but for some people it can sometimes hurt a bit (I think especially for people with very long toes or thin flat feet) so you might want to try a few types on in the store with the shoes you are going to get (important: can change the size of shoe you need). You might need gel pads and toe separaters; you might need nothing.

These could include:

Loose Lambswool

Lambswool pads

Gel pads

Ouch pouches

Foam Pads

Toe Spacers

Gel pads for individual toes

Foam pads for indiviual toes

Toe Tape

And other random stuff that people use as padding:

Bits of socks

Kitchen roll

Makeup sponges

Duct tape

Band aids

etc.....

Some studios will allow only loose lambswool or tape for your first pair (or may not allow Gaynor Mindens - a type of pointe shoes) so check before going.

You'll also need to buy ribbons to sew on (and possibly elastics). They will probably tell you how to sew them on and how to tie them. The ends of the pointe shoes (the bit which touches the floor when you go on pointe) will probably need to be darned. This takes quite a long time and they will probably explain how do do that too. If there are already coverings (usually suade?) on the tips then they won't need to be darned. You can also buy things to glue/sew on the end if you don't want to darn them.

Your teacher will probably want to check your shoes, especially your first pair, before you use them. Don't darn them, sew the ribbons or break them in before they are checked - they can't be returned then. Your teacher will tell you how they want you to break your shoes in if they do.

I would also advise to have some band aids/plasters ready after your first class with new, stiff, completely un-broken in shoes (just in case you get a blister! You might not, and if you do you won't always - after they are broken in blisters are very less likely).

Pointe is a fantastic experience and even if it's hard work and hurts occasionally, it's still great fun in the end (think about that first performance on pointe and how fantastic that will feel!). Good luck!