subject: Some Features Of A Good Point Shoe [print this page] Plain ballet shoes are good for most of the performances. Not for all, however. Some ballets require dancing ''en pointe'' abilities from ballerinas, a technique which is not easy to learn and requires special shoes. A classic point shoe is pink with a hardened front to make dancing on toes easier. Normally good point shoes need to allow easy movements and offer leg support. What is also important is the shoes' durability, especially for the professional ballerinas. Some of them wear out as many as one shoe per day when performing frequently.
A high-quality pair of point shoes can provide mechanical strength and flexibility to the leg. This is almost guaranteed by two important structural attributes which are the box and the shank. These point shoe parts are especially important since their quality determines whether the shoe is supportive enough.
The box is the hard front part of the shoe which is specifically designed to protect the dancers' toes. A point shoe is square-tipped to make dancing as comfortable as possible. Beginners usually choose shoes with harder boxes. Additional comfort may be provided with putting soft rubber toe pads inside these shoes.
Shanks are normally made from leather, plastic or cardboard. A standard point shoe is likely to have either a full or one-half shank. This part of the shoe may vary in thickness along the length to produce different strength.
The upper part of the point shoe is important mainly for looks. It is usually covered with satin or canvas. They are two very delicate fabrics so shoes look elegant and luxurious. Some ballerinas also choose to decorate their shoes with various accessories.
The sole of a point shoe is usually made of a piece of leather which is attached to the shoe with stitches. The fact that a sole covers only a part of the bottom guarantees elegance and style, as the delicate fabric covers the rest of the bottom area.
Point shoes are usually secured to the leg with ribbons and an elastic band. Two ribbons usually wrap around an ankle and form a cross at the front. The elastic band, in its turn, keeps the heel of the shoe against the foot when a ballerina is on her toes.
Various additional products may make a point shoe more comfortable to wear. There are various additional ribbons sold using which ballerinas may secure the shoe on the foot better. There are also specifically designed ribbons which help to ease the pressure on the Achilles. Stitch kits are usually needed to help placing those ribbons. There are various gels which help to protect the box from wearing out. Toe tape may be used for additional protection of each toe.
Ballet shoes are very unique and normally every dancer needs to soften them before wearing. This is especially true in case of point shoes. Ballerinas usually break a new shoe in to minimise the discomfort. This may be done by striking them with blunt objects or wetting their front parts. In such a manner a point shoe becomes softer and easier to wear.
Point shoes require some work before wearing, nevertheless, a great pair of them is likely to make dancing easy and comfortable. Any professional ballerina normally sticks to her brand of choice, since changing the style of the shoes may require some additional time for adaptation.
