CDT Pointe Shoe Resources
Welcome to your journey with pointe. Here you will find all the resources you need to get the right start here at CDT.
To be eligible for pointe work dancers must be enrolled in our conservatory program. The conservatory program was created to require a certain amount of classes a week. Without high level of dedication and taking classes multiple times a week, the appropriate amount of strength and skill will not be achieved. These dancers must pass a pointe readiness test AND be 12 years of age. Please DO NOT purchase pointe shoes for your dancer until you receive instructor permission, it is dangerous to their growth plate.
Dancers begin learning some of the exercises in level 2. Once promoted to level 3, they learn all 7 exercises and take the initial test in the fall. Dancers must pass 3 exercises to receive Demi- shoes. As the year progresses they continue to work until they can pass a minimum of 5 to then receive pointe shoes.
Being promoted to pointe work is a landmark moment for dancers and is often filled with emotions. Please be our partner in your dancers journey, especially if they are not quite ready. We take our dancers physical well being very seriously and do not want to jeopardize their bodies by putting them prematurely en pointe without the sufficient strength and flexibility. However, please remember it is our goal to get all our dancers en pointe and we will work with them until they are successful. This is a highly individual process and requires the dancer to work independently when strength and technique might be lacking. That process will lead to a lot of personal growth and is a life skill that will stay with them. Remember, not ready isn't the same thing as never.
Pointe Shoe Fittings
Did you pass the pointe test? Time to get fitted! Looking for a new pair? Stay on top of your pointe shoe journey by visiting these curated stores. Most stores require a reservation for a fitting, so please call ahead or book online, websites below.
ALL NEW SHOES MUST BE CHECKED BY YOUR POINTE INSTRUCTOR BEFORE YOU SEW ON ELASTIC AND RIBBON.
How to Sew Your Pointe Shoes
First step, sew ribbon on the inside of shoe. Fold the heel into the shoe and where it makes a line, that's where the ribbon is placed inside to sew. Use a whip stitch to attach ribbon to shoe with strong thread or dental floss.
Step Two. Sew two pieces of elastic onto the inside on top of the ribbon. The ribbon should hide where the elastic is placed from the outside of the shoe.
Step 3. Cross the elastic and sew onto the back heel of the pointe shoe leaving a half inch in-between the elastics. This can be altered to best fit your needs. Closer together if the heels slips off, or farther apart if it bothers your achilles tendon.
Keys to a Good Fitting Shoe
- Your foot should lie flat in the shoe with no curling of the toes
- When you plie in second positions your toes should touch the end of the box but not too much pressure
- The elastic should be tight enough to get one finger underneath without too much work
- Sewing your shoes should keep them square on the foot with no twisting
- When you rise onto pointe you should not sink into your toes
- Ribbons can be cut into two pieces, or if you have elastic ribbon it can be left in one piece, please ask your instrucor
- There are multiple kinds of padding, try on different ones at your fitting to ensure the best option, also try with toe spacers.
How to Know if Your Shoes are Dead
- Can you push on the tip of the box and it is squishy?
- Did the shank break or is it to bendy?
- If you feel you no longer are able to trust the shoe?
- When on pointe are you are too far over the box?
Things You Might Encounter
- Buying new shoes depends on the dancer and how much they are dancing on pointe per week. You may buy new shoes every couple months or every month depending on the shoe. Pointe shoes are not a one and done shoe per year it is a financial and physical commitment.
- Satin comes off the tip of the box, just cut it off if it bothers you otherwise just leave alone
- Parts of the box become soft, you can use jet glue available at Discount Dance Supply to lengthen the life of your shoe
- Ribbons or elastic break off. You can use a safety pin to get through the rest of class and then resew for the next wear.
- If your shoe is damp after use, do not put them in a tight bag, let them air out to regarded the glue.
- Use a lighter to burn the ends of your ribbon to keep from freying, parental supervision.
- Getting refit every six months is vital to ensure your shoes are growing with you as you gain more strength.
- Sometimes dancers have different size feet, might be good to try two different sizes on.
- Every dancer is different, what might work for you might not work for the next, try new things, if it doesn't work its ok to change something and try again.
Foot Care
-
Ingrown toenails, if your toenails are cut improperly they might become ingrown. Please make sure your toenails are mostly straight and only slightly curved at the edges
- Cut toenails, it is important to keep them short, only a sliver of white showing, to prevent bruising
- Tape, if you get a blister, tape where the blister is after it has healed to prevent further blisters
- Achilles pain, this could be either a bad fitting shoe on the heal, elastic rubbing on the tendon, improper technique, please consult your instructor
- Arch pain, depending on where the pain is, rolling in on your foot, rolling out on your foot, placement of elastics and ribbon, not fully pulling up in the foot, sinking in the shoe
- Big toe bruising, could be the result of improper fitting pointe shoes, placement of weight on pointe shoe, long toenails, improper technique, please consult your instructor