Ever wonder what it’s like for ballerina’s to go on pointe? Here are five facts about getting those beautiful satin shoes and what it takes to glide across the stage in them!

#1

Pointe shoes are not like street shoes, you can’t just go in and ask for a size 7! Point shoes come in a variety of brands, widths, vamp heights, and most brands have a completely different sizing chart. Pointe shoe fittings can take up to an hour to find the perfect pair.

#2

Even though the pointe shoes are on, it doesn’t mean you can dance on them right away! A common misunderstanding is that once the pointe shoes are on, you automatically know how to dance on them because of prior training. This is completely false! Beginning pointe is like starting all over again. Students start from the beginning learning the basics just with their pointe shoes on. Classes will consist of lots of relevé and élevés at the barre.

#3

Getting pointe shoes takes a lot of preparation. Dancers going on point have to prepare their dance bags with adhesive tape to prevent blisters, nail clippers, needles, and thread to sew ribbons and elastic, rubbing alcohol, and blister pads.

#4

The shoes aren’t the only thing worn when using pointe shoes. In addition to the shoes, most students use toe pads at least when they are first learning how to maneuver the shoes. After years of practice, some dancers choose to continue to use the pads and some decide to ditch the pads altogether.

#5

Students need to have years of training prior to beginning pointe. Most students begin point around 11 or 12 years old if they began training at age 7 or 8.

Learn to dance on them if you dare!

After learning these facts are you up for the challenge of dancing on pointe? Register for classes today.

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