ABSOLUTELY BALLET -= POINTE TIPS=-

POINTE STUFF

Breaking In The Shoe First Experience on Pointe - How it Should Feel
Sewing the Ribbons
Two and one half yards of 7/8" wide pink satin/grosgrain ribbon is needed for each pair of pointe
shoes. This type ribbon is shiny satin on one side & rough grosgrain on the other. The grosgrain
side will be placed toward the leg to help grip the tights and hold the shoe in place.
1. Place the two ends of the ribbon together. Fold the ribbon in half. Cut into two equal length pieces.
2. Fold each piece in half and cut again.You should now have four 22½" lengths of ribbon.
3. Next, take the pointe shoe and fold the heel forward from the end of the shank. Place the ribbon inside the shoe next to the edge of the heel and lightly mark the shoe on each side of the ribbon with a pen or pencil.
4. Take one section of ribbon.Fold under one end about 5/8" shiny sides together. Fold under again.
5. Place the folded end between marks on the shoe.The fold should be even with the bias tape edging of the shoe. The shiny side of the ribbon should face outward, toward the outside of the shoe. The grosgrain side faces inward.
6. With a double strand of thread, sew small whipstitches around the two sides and bottom of the ribbon. Go through all thicknesses of ribbon, but only through the white canvas shoe lining. Stitches should not go through the satin to the outside. When sewing across the top, use a running stitch catching only a little of the bias tape casing. Be careful not to sew through the drawstring, as this will prevent proper adjustment. You'll know that you've stuck your needle into the drawstring if it becomes difficult to pull the needle through the casing.
7. Repeat Steps 3 through 6 with the other 3 lengths of ribbon.
8. To prevent raveling, run the ribbon ends very quickly through a match flame which will melt the nylon fibers.
Caution: This should be done only by an adult.

                            Sewing the Elastic
Use 3/8" - 5/8" wide elastic. Sew to the outside of the shoe, where it will not rub the heel and cause blisters. Measure a length of elastic to fit snugly from the back of the heel, around the ankle and back to the heel again. This elastic will hold the shoe level on the foot. It should be fairly tight (but not tight enough to stop circulation). Sew the elastic with the same type whipstitch used to secure the ribbons, starting at the top edge of the shoe, down the right side, across the bottom, taking long stitches at least 1/4" into the elastic, and then up the left side of the elastic. It is not necessary to secure the elastic to the casing of the shoe. The elastic should be sewn at a slight angle at the back of the shoe. After each wearing, the dancer should check her ribbons and elastic for any needed repairs and make them before the next wearing.
                                Tying the Ribbons
The ribbons must be tied correctly so that the shoe will remain correctly positioned on the foot.
Slip the foot through the elastic and into the shoe. Cross the ribbons over the instep, continue wrapping them around the Achilles tendon and again across the instep. Now take the ribbon which is going around the outside of the foot and bring it across the Achilles tendon to meet the inside ribbon.   Tie a square knot at the soft part of the foot between the inside ankle bone and the Achilles tendon. Neatly fold up the excess ribbon and tuck it, from the top, under all the ribbons wrapped around the ankle. The ribbons which wrap the ankle should lay on top of
each other rather than wind up the lower leg.

BREAKING IN THE SHOE

Pointe shoes should not be worn at home without the teacher's permission.

Brand new pointe shoes are unsuitable for wearing. Some "breaking in" must be done
before the shoes can be worn comfortably. For new students, the "breaking in" should be done by or under the supervision of the teacher.
1. The box of the shoe needs to be "smashed" or flattened to help it conform to the shape of the foot. The shoe can be placed in the hinge side of a sturdy door -- between the door and
its frame. The door is then gently pulled shut so as to flatten and widen the box. Another
method is to lay the shoes on the floor and step on top of the box with the heel of your foot.
2. Bend the stiff, flat shank at the place where it will conform to the shape of your arch. This
should be done at the very back of the shank -- NOT IN THE MIDDLE! To make it flexible,
it is sometimes necessary to bend the shank back and forth several times until it bends
easily.
3. Try on each shoe. If it gaps around the side of the foot, adjust the drawstring for a snug
fit. Be careful not to pull too tightly. Tie the strings in a square knot, cut off ends to about 1 inch, and tuck them inside.
4. Put the shoes on, tying the ribbons correctly. Walk around on as high a demi-pointe as
possible. This will be difficult and painful at first. But increased flexibility in that area of the
shoe will make it much more comfortable to work in.
CAUTION: This last step in breaking in the shoes is very important but should not
be attempted at home without the teacher's permission.
FIRST EXPERIENCE ON POINTE -- How It Should Feel
Pointe shoes will feel very different from ballet slippers or street shoes. The snug fit allows little, if any, room to wiggle the toes. They will feel very constricted at first, less so as the shoes break in. A little numbness in the toes is also normal. Dancers soon become accustomed to these discomforts, which are experienced to some degree with each new pair of shoes they wear. At first, there is the uncomfortable sensation of feeling the end of the shank which stops in the middle of the heel of the foot. Balance is also somewhat difficult at first because the shank is narrower than the sole of the foot. Strong ankles are needed to keep the feet from rolling side to side. Another different feeling is a lessening of depth in demi-plié. This happens because the ribbons constrict the ankle joint and the snug shoe prevents the foot from spreading out as it does in ballet slippers or barefoot. When standing on pointe, the foot should be placed so that the instep is fully stretched and the toes form a perpendicular angle with the floor.A straight line can be drawn through the center of the hip, knee, ankle and big toe joints (when viewed from the side). From the front, a straight line can be drawn through the hip, knee, and ankle joints through the box of the shoe, on or between the second and third toes. The entire flat surface of the tip of the box should touch the floor. The dancer's weight should be lifted out of the shoes and evenly distributed throughout the body. At no time should the dancer be allowed to "sink down" into the shoe. This inhibits her dancing, creates undue stress and pain in the joints of the foot, and causes shoes to wear out faster. For proper placement on pointe, a dancer with a high instep and/or very flexible metatarsal joints may be required to actually flex her toes a bit while still fully stretching her insteps.

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