*Veronese II Pointe Shoes*
Veronese II pointe shoes are made in Japan, and are one of our most popular. They have very little gap between toe and vamp for better support and molding to the foot. Veronese II pointe shoes are available in two shanks, Med or Hard.
These are my favorite pointe shoes. I have worn them for a few years now, and I find them very comfortable. Although some people have told me that they don't last a long time, mine last me forever. I also don't have a strong arch, either. But, I just like these shoes overall.
Moderate strength box with #2 leatherboard shank. Dual nail construction provides a supportive shank and flexible heel. A broad, square box and platform make the Contempora the choice of dancers at all levels of training.
I wore these shoes a long time ago, they were my third and fourth pair. They seemed to be very flexible, and I remember really liking them. I would suggest these shoes for any beginner.
A good match for dancers with a square forefoot and medium length toes. The lightweight shank and toe box is easy to break-in and allows for beautiful, smooth transitions from flat to pointe. The smooth and stable forefoot minimizes any side to side roll over flet in demi pointe.
This shoe is for normal toe configuration. It features a light shank and a moderate toe box. Elastic drawstring and flattering diagonal side seam. This shoe is perfect for advanced students and professionals.
I think that these are a good performing shoe. They broke in easily, and they weren't loud. Unfortunately for me, they were too small, so they hurt my feet. I did like how they looked on my feet. After they had died completely, and they were left aside, the box had rehardened up, so if my feet were a little smaller, I wouldn't mind using them again.
Bloch's new Aspiration is built for students. This pointe shoe features a harder, more supportive box that assists the beginner. Its full shank is designed to flex at the "three-quarter" position.
The Aspiration is a shoe built for the student and has a similar shape to the Synergy. It has, however the same paste and pasting method as the Serenade, Sonata and Suprima.
Therefore this box is harder than the Synergy.
The shank is a new construction combining 3 iron board full, 3 iron board cut 3/4, and 3 iron board centerpiece. This will encourage the shoe to bend at "three quarter" while still providing support.
I actually didn't like these shoes. I found them very hard and not easy to break in. They were also very loud. It was also unfortunate because they were a little small for me. I do agree that these are perfect for a beginner because the shank and box is hard. I do like how this shoe is shaped. This shoe may also be good for a dancer with strong feet, but not so strong that the arch may buldge out of the shoe.
Beginners through advanced students will feel comfortable in this shoe. Suprima provides good flexibility through releve, yet retains good arch support. This shoe has a very flattering appearance because of its excellent fit and tapered platform.
The Suprima Pointe shoe has a streamline shape and is suited to a dancer with a narrow foot. The last itself is narrow and tapered which also allows for a snug fit on the heel. The Suprima has the smallest platform and the most tapered box of all the Bloch Pointe shoes. These two features give an aesthetically pleasing finish to the leg line.
The shank is made with a 5-iron board body, and a 3-iron board centerpiece.
When I first wore these shoes, I liked them a lot. I thought they were the best thing that I had ever put on my feet! When I got these shoes last year, they hurt a lot, and the vamp was way too low, I just didn't like them. They actually hurt after I have worn them for about a month. Also, the shank is very flexible, and the tapered box is appealing.
Serenade's square, wide toe platform is excellent for balance on pointe. It also provides superior lateral balance for the supporting foot when standing flat. Now available in two shanks, Reg. and Hard.
The Serenade Pointe shoe has a similar shape to the Suprima and Sonata in that the heel is narrow and fits snugly. The platform is wider so is better suited to a dancer with square shaped toes. This also helps lateral balance and assists dancers who are inclined to "sickle" or fall off pointe sideways.
Often a dancer with flexible feet and/or swayed back legs find that they fall forward of their pointe shoes. The Serenade compensates this with a longer vamp and stronger shank. The shank is made with a 6-iron body, and a 3-iron centerpiece.
At first, I liked these shoes, too. But after a while, they start to hurt my feet, and I didn't like them anymore. These, along with the other Bloch shoes I have worn, seem to be loud, and I haven't had good luck with Bloch shoes in a while. When I first wore these shoes, I loved them though. These are also pretty flexible though.
These are just my opinions of these shoes. Each person may encounter something different. For reference, I have very small feet, have been on pointe for about 8 years, and I don't have gorgeous arches.
The pictures shown have come from Discount Dance Catalog (for Veronese II), Bloch World (all Bloch shoes) and Capezio (all Capezio shoes). Please visit these links if you have any more questions regarding these shoes.
