| Fitting your Pointe Shoes for your ballet dancing is very | | | | vamps can be deep or shallow. Sides of the shoe can |
| important and you can afford to be very fussy here. | | | | be cut high or low, and heels may be so low that extra |
| Your pointe shoe is your tool of trade for your ballet | | | | elastics are needed to keep the shoes on. |
| dancing and is more important than your costume, as it | | | | When picking out your pointe shoes for your ballet |
| is considered to be an extension of your body. It is an | | | | dancing, take the following into consideration: |
| essential piece to take your ballet dancing to the next | | | | 1. Choose a store where the staff is knowledgeable |
| level. Choosing the right pointe shoe allows you full | | | | and experienced in fitting your pointe shoe. Make sure |
| artistic expression, and the wrong shoe or fit can not | | | | that the shop has many different brands for you to try. |
| only injure you, but throw your ballet dancing | | | | Do not order your first pair of pointe shoes by mail |
| completely off. So you must be very precise with the | | | | order, you need to check on the fit. |
| fit as it is important to dance correctly and | | | | 2. Make sure that your toe nails are short prior to your |
| comfortably, and your long term safety depends on | | | | fitting. |
| your choice. | | | | 3. Allow plenty of time for your fitting, don't rush in and |
| Dancers do not, as many assume, need to be in | | | | out. |
| constant pain. With the proper fitting shoes, the human | | | | 4. Make sure that the assistant who helps you is up to |
| body will do well on pointe, providing the body is | | | | date on pointe shoe accessories such as toe pads, gel |
| properly aligned and all the muscles are engaged | | | | pads and tapes that can improve your comfort. Try on |
| correctly. With modern technology today, foot | | | | as many different shoes as you can to find the best |
| problems such as bunions can be totally avoided | | | | fit. |
| correctly fitting shoes. | | | | 5. Before sewing on the ribbons and elastics, let your |
| Pointe shoes all look very alike to the eye, and this is | | | | teacher check the shoe for you, as she knows your |
| how it should be, so everyone on the stage can look | | | | feet almost as well as you do. |
| alike, but there are a lot of variations in the | | | | With the correct fit and shoe for your foot, your ballet |
| components of the shoe that you don't see. Shanks | | | | dancing will blossom for many years to come. |
| range in flexibility, boxes come in different shapes, and | | | | |