subject: New Pointe Shoes - Learn How To Break Them In [print this page] Breaking in new pointe shoes can be intimidating for a pointe beginner in ballet. Softening the heel end, avoids breaking the middle of the sole. Easing up the very edge of the box where the toe joints bend for you to go through demi pointe, will prevent pain when your dance pointe shoes are new and hard.
If your fitting went well, you should be able to rise up onto demi (or three quarter) pointe without the vamp preventing you from fully extending your ankle joint. If the box of your pointe shoe presses into your foot when you do this, you can gently soften the very edge of it with your hands.
Just bending about a quarter-inch edge of the box that hurts your foot, can ease this discomfort without diminishing the support that you need when you are on full pointe.
The heel end of the shank can be softened so that it will bend, and this is where your heel's weight will rest when you are on full pointe. This will prevent the shank from snapping in the middle of your arch, taking away the support of the shoe.
If you have lower arches, your feet probably will not snap a shank, but you also will need to soften the heel end of your toe shoe in order to get right up onto the platform of the shoe. While you may not think that your feet are as pretty as a more mobile-jointed foot, your feet can develop strength in pointe shoes more easily.
Some ballet dancers' guides for pointe shoe sizing will suggest that you choose two or three sizes smaller than your street shoe. And the same is suggested for soft ballet slippers. This does not always get you the right ballet shoes, because many people are not wearing the right size street shoe to begin with.
Commonly, street shoes are too small, without the room in the toe area that you need in order for toes to spread comfortably as the body weight shifts onto them.
Don't get nervous about fitting pointe shoes. Make sure that you can demi plie in a small second position without your toes feeling crushed. Make sure that you can press up to demi pointe without the box/vamp area stopping you. Before you get to breaking them in, or sewing the ribbons on, let your ballet teacher check the fit. If you are not completely sure that you are ready, consider getting an expertly written ballet students' manual on new pointe shoes.
