Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Keeping Perfect Pointes: Tips for Getting the Most out of Your

Author: Jen Wasilewski

Article:
Getting your first pair of Pointe shoes is a very excited part
of your dancing career. While they may be slightly uncomfortable
at first, your new shoes will eventually wear and become fitted
to your foot and its characteristics. To make sure you get the
most of your Point shoes once you've broken them in, you will
need to take special care of them. Here are some excellent ways
to help extend the life of these ballet necessities.

    Get the Right Fit: Wearing the appropriate size
    will help you dance better, safer, and ultimately longer. Shoes
    that fit improperly will be exposed to wear and tear that is not
    necessarily normal for a usual shoe. While most materials will
    stretch over extended use, never buy a Pointe shoe with the
    belief that it will stretch substantially. Clearly if you're
    Pointe shoes are too small they will eventually stretch and tear
    quicker and will obviously be painful. It's also a bad idea to
    buy shoes on the basis that you will grow into them. Shoes that
    are too small hinder your ability to perfect positions and again
    will wear improperly.

  • Let Them Air Out: Letting your Pointe shoes dry is
    imperative to their long life. Moisture that builds up in your
    shoe will cause a quicker deterioration. Not letting your shoes
    dry out appropriately can also cause them to take on a foul
    odor. In order to make sure your shoes dry out after use, remove
    any lamb wool or other inserts from your shoe and let them rest
    in a warm dry place. Never store your Pointe shoes in a bag for
    an extended period of time after wearing them.


  • Take Proactive Steps to Preserve Your Shoes:
    Preparing your Pointe shoes before wearing them is another great
    way to extend their life. Many dancers suggest darning the point
    of your Pointe shoes to help cut down on the fraying that may
    occur from average wear and tear. After darning the shoes with
    thread and needle, you can also apply a thin layer of shellac to
    help reinforce the material around the tip.


  • Alternate the Left and Right Shoes: If it's possible,
    you should alternate your Pointe shoes. If your shoes are the
    same size on each foot and there is little difference between
    your right and left, you may want to consider alternating your
    shoes between feet. Label one shoe left and one shoe right and
    alternate on a daily or weekly basis. This will help keep wear
    equal on both sides. If you're particularly rough on your right
    foot, you will be able to prevent wear that results from a
    dominant foot.


  • Use Alternating Pairs: If it's at all possible try to
    invest in a second pair of point shoes. A second pair of shoes
    will allow you to alternate pairs. Some people would assume you
    would save one pair for say performances and one for practice
    but that's really not a great idea. If you don't wear your
    performance shoes in you may be in for a painful and less then
    desirable performance.




  • About the author:
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