How to Break In Pointe Shoes

Posted on September 28th, 2009 by Elaine

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

No Comments (Post Comment)

Republish

Ballerinas are graceful and lithe, but do you know how painful their training is? For any ballet dancer, one of the most difficult aspects of this art is breaking into their ballet pointe shoes. New, unused ballet shoes are extremely hard to use, acting like a corset for your feet. If you’re a ballerina, breaking in your pointe shoes so they’ll mold to the shape of your feet is very important.

What You’ll Need:

Pointe shoes
Loose wool
Toe nail clippers
Rubbing alcohol
Tights
Sports tape, medical tape or moleskin

Procedure:

Clip your toenails before you begin. The object is for your toes to rub as little as possible against the hard wood in the pointe shoe’s toe. A long toenail jutting out would mean a lot of pain for you.
Massage the shoes. Soften the block and the underside (or the shank) with your hands. Rub and press the shoes in different parts. Gently bend it and massage, your focus on the demi-pointe. If you want, you can even step on it. Be careful not to flatten it completely though, or you will lose the support it gives. Don’t break the arch or shank, because these may also cause harm to your muscles and ankles.
Lightly bang the shoes against a hard surface. This makes the shoes’ sound quieter. Focus on the sides and bottom, but don’t flatten the toe box completely.
Use rubbing alcohol to wet the shoes slightly. Focus on areas that are giving you the uncomfortable feeling, such as the top of the toes and the heel. While still wet, put them on your toes, then walk around for an hour or so. Go up on pointe, then slowly go down again.
Stuff the parts of the shoes that are bothering you with lambswool. This is soft, and forms well to your feet. Put it especially in areas that cause pain or rubbing. If you don’t have lambswool, you can just use gel packets, or even sew in a small cushion.
Tape some sports tape or medical tape to the tips of the shoes to make them longer. A square of moleskin is also a good alternative. Not only does this give you extra grip on the dance floor, but it also prevents the shoes from wearing out too quickly.
Dance in your shoes. Make sure you’re wearing your ballet tights while you do this, so your feet won’t be too sensitive to them.

Dancing ballet doesn’t have to hurt. With these easy steps, your uncomfortable shoes will trouble you no more, and you’ll soon be gliding around the dance floor gracefully!