How Do You Put on Pointe Shoes the Right Way?

How Do You Put on Pointe Shoes the Right Way?

All brands make pointe shoes in different shapes and styles for different people and functions. This can be very complicated for those who are buying for the first time, so if you can, bring your dancing teacher or an experienced dancer with you to the fitting. It is a good idea to get the name of a good fitter from someone you trust because the fitters at different places can be great or just okay.

The person who fits your shoe should check all of the following items, but it's also good to know what to look for and feel for yourself. The fitter can see how the shoe looks from the outside, but only you can tell how it feels on the inside.

If you can, ask your teacher to come with you when you get your pointe shoes fitted for the first time. They can check the fit. Always check the fit of the shoes with them before you sew on the ribbons, break in the shoe, or dance in them if they can't go. If you wear them about the house and they get dirty, you might not be able to return them to the retailer, which can be quite expensive.

There is a name for each section of the pointe shoe. Before you go to the store for the first time, try to memorise the names of the different sections of the shoe. If the fitter asks, "Is that vamp too high?" you'll know what she means. There are a lot of websites that can help you with this.
When you try on the shoes, be sure to wear any padding or "Ouch Pouches" that you will wear while dancing. Also, inspect the shoes in each of the following positions.

A) Check the fit of the box. When standing, the foot should fit snugly, and the toes should not be overly crushed in (they should be able to rest flat). When standing, the skin should not bulge over the top border of the shoe. The top of the box should touch the skin on the top of your foot. You should be able to fit the tip of your finger just over your toes inside the shoe. There will be extra space here if the box is too round for a flat foot. You can make the box a little flatter, but it will also change the breadth.

B) Check out how long the wings are. The wings should reach the side of the big toe joint. If they are excessively short, the box will pull the big toe in at an angle, which could cause a bunion to occur. If they are overly long, it could be hard to work properly through the demi-pointe.

C) Look at where the heel of the shoe is. The satin on the heel should go to 7/8 of the way up your heel bone. If you get too high, you can have trouble with the attachment of your Achilles tendon. If the heel of the shoe pops off as you stand up, it's too low.

D) Keep an eye on the length of the vamp, which is the front of the shoe. You won't be able to rise through the demi-pointe well if the vamp is too long. If it is too short for long toes, though, you will feel like you are falling out of the front of the shoe.
E) When you plie in a wide seconde posture, your foot is at its longest and widest, thus it's crucial to make sure your shoe has enough room for your foot as you dance. At the depth of your plie, your toes should stay long in the shoe and only touch the end of the shoe. You might need to pad the inside of the shoe box if your toes are really short so that the shoe fits well and looks good.

F) Before putting any weight on the shoe, you should check to see if it fits when standing up. Put one shoe's tip on the floor and put your weight on the other foot. To see if the box fits, press down a little. The box should support the foot and not let it sink too deeply. Look at how much satin is on the back of the heel. There will be more satin if the shoe is excessively big and the foot has moved forward in it. The box is too tiny if the top of the foot is sticking out. The wings should support both the big toe and the small toe knuckle joints. If they are excessively short, the top of the wings will dig into the toe of the shoe and make an ugly line.

G) To check the length of the shoe, pull the satin from the heel and fold it back under the shoe. Put the foot back on point and look at where the sole ends. The end of the sole/shank should be just a little bit shorter than the end of the heel. The satin on the rear of the shoe may bag if the shoe is too long (as in the illustration on the right). This is because the satin is cut to fit around the heel. The foot will shake more and the satin will draw too low if the shank is too short. This means that the back of the shoe commonly pops off when you go from demi to full pointe, which may be very annoying.

H) When the foot is en pointe, check to confirm that the shank is in line with the sole of the foot. Check the foot's alignment first if the shank of the shoe is twisting. It should be fine as long as the box is level and the foot is in the right position. A lot of the time, the shoe twists because the shank doesn't fit the contour of the arch. You can fix this by breaking in the heel of the shoe before you wear it. But if the box is too small, the shank may also twist on the foot, so check this area again.

You can try putting weight on the shoe by stepping up onto pointe once it fits well. Place one foot en pointe and hold onto the back of a sturdy chair or bench. Put some weight on that shoe, then lift your other foot up onto the point. Make sure your toes are pointed long in the shoe and that none of them are under a lot of pressure. Specific padding in the shoe can help with isolated regions of pressure, but if you can, you should try to eliminate them by getting a proper fit.

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