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Top 8 Tips To Break In Your Pointe Shoes

05/16/2018

As a dancer, your pointe shoes are an important tool. But preparing them takes some work. After all, you want them molded perfectly to the shape of your foot, so they can provide more function and comfort. Not only that, but breaking in ballet shoes can actually prolong their life. That's because when a pointe shoe is new, the hard cardboard that runs along the sole, called the shank, is rigid. But by softening it, or breaking it in, the shoe will bend more naturally with your foot.

To help you get your pointe ballet shoes broken in, here are a few simply techniques to try:

Tip #1: Mark your shoes

Make sure you mark your shoes "left" and "right" to ensure you break each one in the proper way. When it comes to new pointe shoes, they're not shaped to a right or left foot. This shape happens naturally as you wear the shoes. That's why it's helpful to label your ballet shoes so you wear them on the correct feet each time. After a few pointe classes, you'll even be able to tell right away which shoe is left and which is right.

Tip #2: Wear them

It sounds like a no brainer. But truly one of the best ways to break in pointe shoes is to wear them, particularly in pointe class. As your body heats up and you begin to sweat, you'll start noticing that your shoes will mold to the shape of your feet.

Tip #3: Step on the boxes

Whether you're wearing medium, tapered or square box pointe shoes, use your heel to gently flatten the top. This will help to reduce some of the stiffness. Besides using your heel, you can also use a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol and dap it onto the sides of the big toe and the pinky toe. This will serve to soften up the box, as well. Just don't dip the shoe directly into any kind of liquid unless you want them to get ruined. Also, don't stomp on them, or smash them. A slow and gentle approach is best when breaking in pointe shoes.

Tip #4: Loosen the insole

The shank, or the insole that supports the arch of the foot, has varying degrees of flexibility. Most are made from leather and will wear down with use over time. Some shoes, however, are made from high-tech synthetic materials so that they last longer than traditional pointe shoes.

Regardless of what kind of shoe you have, by bending it, you can increase that level of flexibility. To do so, hold your pointe shoes with both of your hands and bend the insole back and forth. Just be careful that you don't bend too much. Otherwise, the shank can snap in half.

Tip #5: Walk on demi-pointe

Walk around on demi-pointe, bare foot, so you sweat a little bit into your pointe shoes. Keep your knees straight and adhere to proper technique. This might be difficult and a bit painful at first. But increased flexibility will make your pointe shoes more comfortable to work in. You can also perform a grand plie so that the box becomes more pliable. The more pliable your pointe shoes, the easier it will be to manipulate the dance floor in them.

Tip #6: Do some barre work

By simply standing at the bar and doing some work, you can go a long way in breaking in your pointe shoes. Try some plies. Also do some roll throughs, rolling through to demi-pointe and then up to full pointe and back down again.

Tip #7: Don't go overboard

It's important to note that you shouldn't go overboard when you break in shoes. This can lead to shoes that are too soft, which won't give your feet enough support while you're dancing. You could even get injured as a result. Professional dancers who go to extreme measures -- such as slamming them in doors or against walls -- oftentimes only need to wear pointe shoes for one performance. So if you copy them, you're not only shortening the lifespan of your shoe, but also putting yourself at risk for an injury.

Also, keep in mind that each shoe has been carefully constructed in order to support the dancer. So you don't want to alter its functionality so much that it doesn't fit you properly or meet your needs any longer.

Tip #8: Talk to your teacher

If this is your first pair of pointe shoes, talk with your teacher before attempting to break them in. In fact, many teachers prefer students make only minor alterations to their shoes since these tricks can shorten the lifespan of the shoes. So touch base with your teacher about which break in techniques are best for your shoes.

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