Buying Ballet Shoes

Things to remember when fitting new soft ballet and pointe shoes

It is imperative that toe-nails are checked and properly cut before buying the shoes. This is extremely important for a good fit. Nails are there to protect the flesh and the bones and should reach the tip of the toes only. The corners of the nails should be slightly rounded to prevent ingrown toe nails. It is HIGHLY INADVISABLE to buy soft and pointe shoes larger than the actual fit to allow space for eventual growth. Shoes must fit snugly. If there is extra space and shoes move about in any way, they will cause callouses, bruises to joints and facilitate accidents to ankles and toe-joints. Toes must not be able to move around in your shoes, but neither should they be scrunched up. This is especially important for pointe shoes.

Preparing the shoe

Darning You will need: a large darning needle, curved would be best, carpet thread or stranded cotton in the same colour as shoes, whenever possible. Note that this is not frequently used any more as you can buy soft leather tips of 'darned' tips and simply glue them on to your pointe shoes. Darning is a traditional practice, and ballerinas used to darn their shoes before using them. Place shoes on feet and slightly soil the satin by turning the fully pointed foot to and fro. This indicates how far the darning should reach. Start as near as possible to the end of the leather sole and stitch a series of bars of stranded thread to and fro across the pleats adjacent to the sole until they reach as far as indicated by the soiling. Do make sure that the satin is well caught with the needle. This is easier with a curved needle. The first line should pick up the satin with every stitch. Start near the sole and blanket stitch over each bar, linking rows by pushing the needle through the loops of the row below. Continue until all bars are covered (see drawings 1 and 2). If the satin at the sides of the toe and under the big and little toe-joints shows signs of wear, these spots should also be darned. Sewing on ribbons You will need: 2 to 2½ metres of ribbon from 1.25cm to 1.87cm wide. The amount depends on the side of the ankle. If you wish, a short length of tape slightly narrower than the ribbon may be attached to strengthen the ribbon from where it is sewn to the shoe and just past the first crossing. Sew on with light herring bone stitches to the ribbon before both are sewn on the shoe together. Fold back seam straight forwards towards insole (see drawing 3). Ribbons must be sewn at the angle of the fold at either side. They must tilt slightly forwards so that they lie flat over instep. The ribbon (and tape if used) must be sewn on with the raw edge well turned-in on the inside of shoe. It must be hemmed on securely. No knot should be used as this can bruise the flesh. Do not stitch the ribbon to the upper binding and drawstring as the drawstring may need to be tightened to mould the shoe to the foot (see drawing 4). Tying on the shoe The shoe should be tied kneeling with the foot flat to the floor and leg, with knee bent, leaning slightly backwards. It must never be tied on with toe on pointe, nor with leg straight as this allows no flexibility of ankle and prevents a full movement of the foot in demi- and full plies. Bring one ribbon forward, cross it and allow it to lie flat on the centre front of foot (roughly at level of ankle bones). Take ribbon round to back of ankle and again forwards so that it lies flat on centre front of leg and a little higher than first cross. Take to side of leg and hold firmly. Bring second ribbon forwards, crossing over other so that it lies flat at centre front of leg. Take second ribbon right round ankle and knot with other at the small hollow between ankle-bone and Achilles tendon. They must be knotted twice and the ends pushed down this slight hollow and underneath the ribbons so that no ends are visible. If the knot is tied on the outside of the leg, there is less danger of it being rubbed undone against the opposite leg. Never tie the knot over the Achilles tendon which is aggravated by pressure and thus frequently becomes inflamed. Working the shoe in Always work the shoes in before wearing in class and particularly on the stage. Soften the block slightly by moulding them in the palm of the hand Ease the insole by lightly pressing it to and fro at instep level between the palms of the hands Always wear shoes before class, preferably the night before, and work them in by walking around, rising from quarter, to demi- and three-quarter pointes several times which moulds the shoes to the foot and finally occasionally rise to full pointe on one and then the other shoe, and turn the toe lightly to and fro.

Warning

If a shoe needs elastic round the ankle or up the back of the heel, it means that it is a badly fitting shoe. Elastic restricts the Achilles tendon during bending and constrains the blood flow through the important veins of the foot and leg. For free movement of the toes, do not use foam rubber toe pads. Never use cotton wool to soften the inside of the shoes as this is non-absorbent. Animal wool may be used but as little as possible and only to prevent blisters when the shoes are new. Article featured on www.the-ballet-shop.com