Pointe Shoe Fitting FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions:
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How old should you be to start Pointe?
Really, there is no absolute answer for what age – what is important is that every dancer is individually assessed and considered, looking at both their physical dance ability and maturity. Yes, age is important in that you need to be mentally mature enough...
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Why do you need intrinsic foot muscle strength?
When the foot is in the Pointe shoe, correctly pointed (long straight toes) and correctly supported in the shoe, it is the intrinsic foot muscles that do all the work, supporting most of the body weight. When a shoe is too big, and the toes are all scrumpled, being on pointe can do serious damage to your feet and ankles.
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Why are demi-Pointe shoes essential in preparing for pointe?
We were not anatomically designed to stand on our toes in pointe shoes, yet most people, when they think of ballet, imagine a dancer on pointe, and so it is every dancer's dream to reach that stage whether a hobby dancer or not.
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Why do you need excellent core muscles and good turnout?
When you dance on pointe you not only rely on the shoe for support, but also to dance 'out' of the shoe needing huge strength in your legs, hips, and abdominal muscles.
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Why Pointes need to be fitted so snugly?
Pointe shoes are designed to support the whole foot, encasing and gripping the metatarsal heads into the box. When a Pointe fits correctly, the shank of the shoe melts into the arch, supporting the rest of the foot...
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Why is the shape of the pointe shoe and vamp height important?
Pointe shoes, in our opinion, should be considered an extension of a dancer’s foot, so when buying a pointe shoe you firstly need to look at the shape of your foot, then look at the available Pointes to see which shoe matches your foot shape and start there.
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Sewing on Pointe Shoe Ribbons
Everyone has their own way of sewing on ribbons but we believe this method is one of the most secure, and really helps the shoe and foot work together, with the heel piece securely attached. Please always consult your pointe work teacher prior to securing your ribbons and elastic, due to each teacher's preferences.
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Breaking in Pointe Shoes
All of our pointe shoes are beautifully handcrafted. Please do not hammer, shut them indoors, bend them over the barre, bend them with your hands, or anything else that will damage them. This can make them unsafe. Dalbys will not replace any shoes that have been tampered with in this way. If one part of a shoe is compromised through ‘breaking’ or bashing, other parts are put under too much strain and will break!
The best way is on your feet, when all the parts of the shoe are supported together. Pointe shoes should be prepared correctly before dancing in them. Treat them with respect and they will serve you well. Don’t do any breaking in unless your teacher is happy with your shoes or has such a rapport with your local fitter that they are usually happy with the fitting.
Face the barre, with two hands on the barre for support.
- Rise onto pointe, then roll down, very slowly, on both feet.
- Pony trots, alternating feet.
- Rise onto pointe, bend both knees forwards and push over on to, and right over the box.
- Repeat, but on alternate feet.
- Repeat steps 1 to 4 in turnout position.
(Repeat until you find the shoes softening at the demi-pointe break)
You can also wear your new shoes around the house with a pair of socks over them (never go up and down stairs), or even sleep in them!
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Caring for Pointe shoes
Your new pointe shoes are durable, but you do have to look after them!
Always make sure your shoe fits you properly- a shoe that doesn’t fit well will not last as the pressures on the different parts of the shoe are unbalanced.
Break your shoes in carefully according to the suggestions above.
After each class, take out any padding you may have used, and then hang them up to dry thoroughly, we suggest storing them in a breathable pointe shoe bag.
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When is a shoe dead?
If you are dancing en Pointe daily, then you need to own more than one pair of shoes. These dancers should have a minimum of 3 pairs on the go at the same time, changing them after 45-60 mins of work. If your feet perspire heavily, change them after 30 mins of work. Pointe shoes will last longer if they are changed, drying out thoroughly for a MINIMUM of 24 hours before reusing. (take any padding out!) The average lifespan of a pair of shoes is actually only 4-12 hours of work; of course, that depends on the type of classes you are taking and the level of pointe work you are studying. When Pointe shoes have reached the end of their life, injuries can occur. An experienced dancer will know when their shoe is worn out, but if you are new to Pointe work, then please ask your teacher for advice.
Pointe shoes usually need to be replaced when:
- either the platform is no longer stiff,
- the toe box has become too soft,
- or the shank no longer offers you the support you are used to.
You need to be aware enough to notice these things. You may:
- start feeling pain in areas you never felt before,
- find you are no longer able to push right over the box,
- be falling off pointe when you try to balance, or
- find yourself falling forwards out of turns.
If the toe box or shank becomes mushy, soft, cracked, or damaged in any way, it is definitely time for a new pair of shoes. A lot of dancers only use the shank as a guide to when a pair of shoes needs to be replaced, but the box is essential too for support of all those toe joints.
Never dance in shoes that have become too soft as the shoe could collapse.
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Why should I not buy Pointe shoes on the internet?
In order to find the right pair of pointe shoes for you, a good pointe shoe fitter will try on at least 2 shapes and probably 5-6 pairs of shoes (sometimes more) to get the right fit. A good pointe shoe fitting can take over an hour. A first fitting usually takes the longest as dancers don’t usually know how the shoe should feel. (You should not be able to slip a pair of pointe shoes on like slippers- they should feel like second skin, really snug and supportive, and sometimes it takes a lot of trial and error to achieve this.
Once you have had your first pair of Pointes fitted, don’t assume you can just order the same shoe again.
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What happens if my feet are different sizes?
Your fitter will always try and get you fitted in one pair of shoes, and there are devices by Tendu called inlays which can change the size of a shoe by 1/4. See this link for how to insert
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How is it possible for my feet to fit equally into several different widths of shoes?
One of the things we have noticed with a foot that does not have good intrinsic muscle bulk under the metatarsals, is that the foot is very ‘squishable’. i. e, one can squeeze a seemingly wide foot into a narrow shoe because it does not have enough muscle bulk to hold it firm. This is of course potentially risky as you could land up in a shoe that is too narrow without knowing! This is another reason why you must work really hard to strengthen your intrinsic foot muscles. We fitters want to feel a good solid mass underneath the metatarsal area when your foot is pointed. It should not feel like we are pushing our thumbs into marshmallows.
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How do I attach Suede Tips?- see video here
As a quicker alternative to darning your pointe shoes, Tendu offers Suede patches to attach on to the platform. Take the round part of the suede tip, and place it over the platform edge, so that the edges around the top part of the circle/ platform are smooth and flush with each other. Then fold the 'extra, overhang' part with the logo on it down towards the sole of the shoe. Depending on the size of the shoe, this may overlap the front part of the sole. If so, trim the suede patch so that it sits flat next to the front of the ballet shoe sole. (don't worry if you have to trim some of the logo off!) Then use a strong adhesive suitable for fabric / leather such a High tack or UHU strong adhesive, to glue the patch to the platform and underneath . Do check your patches before each use of your shoe- you would not want them coming off while you are dancing!