On Pointe

If your are advanced in ballet there is the option to go on pointe. Point is when the dancer advances from just flat ballet slippers to shoes that have a block at the toe in order for the dancer to balance on the toe of their shoe. I say it is an option because I, personally, did not do ballet much. I tried it when i was younger, but it wasn't for me so i remained on flat shoes throughout my dancing career. If you are a ballerina, per say, you will most likely go on pointe because ballet is what you decided to be the main focus of your dance life. I have many friends who went to a ballet school that are advanced on pointe and have been in shows and have participated in ballet productions on pointe. I love ballet, but my studio was more of a competitive lyrical or jazz studio. We did, however, take ballet twice a week in order to maintain the important aspects of dance that come from ballet.


Image from the American Ballet Theatre gallery
Choosing the right pointe shoes is a process. I have chosen pointe shoes only twice, but I have learned about the important aspects of picking the right shoes. Here are a couple of details put into looking for new pointe shoes.  They must be tight to your foot;although it is important to have wiggle room in the back near the heel to allow your foot the be comfortable. They should fit your toes comfortably and not squeeze them otherwise they will not allow gooddance quality. they must fit to your foot almost perfectly so many dancers spend almost hours in the dance store having someone experienced help them try on shoes because if your going to do a lot of pointe you do not want your feet to be in pain and possibly injure yourself. If you are curious to learn more about ballet shoes her is a video by the New York City Ballet