Ballet Shoes-Tips For A Proper Fit

Ballet Shoes-Tips For A Proper Fit

A ballet dancers best friend are her ballet shoes. The wrong shoes can result in disater.

Ballet shoes that are not well fitted can cause a dancer to improperly execute ballet techniques. Injury and improper balance can also occur when ballet shoes are not properly fitted.

Any ballet dancer with a little experience knows that properly fitted ballet shoes are critical to good performance.

Ballet shoes have five components: The binding, quarters, drawstrings, side seams, and pleats. Each of these parts must be adjusted to fit the dancer’s foot exactly.

Properly fitted ballet shoes will ensure the dancer can feel the floor beneath them. In other words, ballet shoes should fit like a glove.

Grace, poise, and technique is the essence of ballet. To accomplish this a ballet dancer must have excellent fitting ballet shoes.

For the best fitting ballet shoes, there are necessary steps that must be taken. Here are four tips to help a ballet dancer achieve this.

Number One – Realize your feet can be different sizes, meaning your ballet shoes may not be exactly the same. It is sometimes necessary for ballet dancers to have two different sized ballet shoes.

Try on various ballet shoes to see what fits best.

Number Two – Make sure to wear tights when fitting your ballet shoes, just as you would when wearing your ballet shoes to dance. This will ensure a better fit. Never try on ballet shoes without wearing tights.

Number Three – When you first put on your ballet shoes, pay close attention to your toes. Stand flat on the floor. If your toes curl, you need to change your size, as your ballet shoes are not fitting correctly.

If your toes curl you cannot achieve proper technique while dancing and you will have a poor performance. Injury may also occur if you cannot perform the proper dance techniques because of your toes curling.

If your ballet shoes are too large you will curl your toes in an effort to keep the ballet shoes on. This can also result in a poor performance, bad technique, and possible injury.

Number Four – The last step is to criss-cross your drawstrings, then “pointe” your foot. There should be no gap in the width of your ballet shoes.

Simply put, this means there should be no extra space at any part of your ballet shoes. There should also be absolutely no toe room.

If there is toe room you will not be able to properly “pointe” your foot. You will also not be able to feel the floor beneath you. Hence you cannot perform any dance techniques properly.

Properly fitted ballet shoes are crucial for a ballet dancer. With these tips in mind you will be able to properly fit your ballet shoes, and be on your way to a beautiful dance performance.

What You Should Know About Ballet Shoe

If you have a daughter, there is undoubtedly some point in your life where you will need to purchase ballet shoes.

That being said, many boys are choosing to take ballet as well. When it comes to buying ballet shoes you may be completely clueless on what to look for. If you danced yourself, you will have a better idea of what you need.

You child’s teacher may also tell you exactly what to get. Some teachers even let you order the shoes right through them, which is very easy on parents.

If you are on your own however, you should think about these three qualities to look for when shopping for ballet shoes.

Great Fit

The first thing you should always do is to make your child come along with you. It will be very important that they try the shoes on to ensure that each shoe has a great fit.

You will want to use tights when trying on shoes, for socks will provide a completely different fit in the shoe.

Check to see if the shoe is snug and secure on your child’s feet. It is important that the shoe offers a snug fit. You won’t want it coming off in the middle of a dance. Many ballet slippers will have a small elastic strap on the shoe that will help keep the shoe in the proper place.

When it comes to children, the strap is essential. Be sure that your child dances around in the shoe to be sure it is comfortable for them. Listen to what they are saying and take in their opinion.

Quality Materials

When it comes to shoes, you will need to think about quality. You can pay $5 for the most inexpensive pair you can find, however you will likely be replacing them several times throughout the year if you do so.

Pay a little more to get shoes that are made from great materials. You can find leather or suede combination ballet shoes that will last the entire season.

Many will have a leather sole, which will be helpful for the wearer to feel the floor properly. Expert ballerinas will tell you that the manner in which your shoe allows you to feel the floor is an important part of dancing well.

Some shoes will be hand stitched while others will be factory made. It really doesn’t matter when it comes to a beginning dancer on which to choose. As long as they seem durable and well put together, they should be fine.

Flexible Design

Ballet shoes should be several things, and one of them is flexible. Your ballet shoes should be rather flexible in order to get the best results from your dancing. While some dancers prefer a little more support, most children will need very flexible styles.

You should be able to bend the shoe without damaging it in most cases. The more flexible the design, the more comfortable and natural the shoes will feel.

In turn, the more natural they feel, the better dancing results. Beginning dancers should not purchase Pointe ballet shoes.

Some people get a little confused if they have never danced. Trained ballerinas should only use pointe shoes. So, be sure that you are looking at the right design before you purchase. You can ask your teacher to be sure.

Sizing

Keep in mind when you are shopping that certain types of shoes will fit differently. Even the smallest thing can cause you to need a size smaller or larger. That is why the best thing to do is have the dancer present when shoe shopping.

You can also order your shoes online, but be sure to look around at the sizing charts to be sure you are getting the proper size. Many will tell you how to estimate size based on your street shoe size. Some will be the same size as your street shoe size, while others will tell you to order a half size smaller and such.

Also be aware of any refund or exchange policies when you purchase, whether you purchase online or locally. You will want to have the opportunity to bring them back if they are incorrect in any way.

Considerations When Buying Ballet Shoes

Ballet shoes are specially designed light footwear that can be made out of leather for durability or canvas.

They are intentionally soft worn by the dancers until their bones are ossified and their muscles become strong enough that will allow them to stand on the tips of their toes.

Here are the things to consider when buying ballet shoes:-

* Fitting

A common mistake that many people, majority the girls, make when purchasing ballet shoes is that they are so small.

Be very careful with this because there are stores that will send home customers with ballet shoes that does nor perfectly fit them.

They use the excuse that “leather stretches.” The truth is that while leather does stretch, it doesn’t stretch that much.

You need room in the shoe to let the toes spread out on the floor. When you are in the store try few steps to make sure the shoe will work.

* Canvas vs Leather
Leather is warmer than canvas in cold studios and is usually thought of as more durable than the latter. It actually depends on the types of floors, condition of feet, and even the weight,

that can out last canvas shoes by quite a bit. Some dancers believe that leather makes the pointed foot look better than canvas but this is often more of a function of the sole of a ballet shoes.

Canvas are often less expensive. On vinyl flooring they can hold up well, for 3 months or more of daily classes, but rough wood floors can eat holes in canvas in a few days. If canvas gets dirty you can throw it into the washing machine.

Canvas dries faster between classes, and dry shoes are much better for your feet. You can dye canvas shoes easily. If you want your canvas shoes to last, look for shoes that use the heaviest canvas.

This can vary between manufacturers and even between production runs of the same model of shoe. Canvas tends to be more popular with guys, but you can get canvas ballet shoes in pink and just about every color.

* Split Sole vs Full Sole
Students prefer the full sole, not just they are more cheaper, it is also good due to its hardness that resembles that of a pointe shoe. The split sole is also nice because it allows one to tiptoe easier tending to hug the arch much better.

Another form of ballet shoes is using the de- shanked pointe shoes. The dancers will remove the shank out of their old pointe shoes by just pulling it out of the inside of the shoe.

These de- shanked ones are closest to wearing a pointe shoes. It helps prepare students by teaching them how to sew on ribbons and work in a boxed shoe.

The next time you head to the store and buy a pair of ballet shoes, just remember the three important things to add success to your next dance performance.

Ballet shoes

My daughter just began ballet lessons. She told me, on her fourth birthday, that she wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up.

Nothing thrilled me more than knowing that I had a true little girl. She wanted nothing to do with being a tomboy. I put her into some creative dance classes that they recommended before actually going into ballet.

Her instructors told me after the first year, that they thought she would be perfect for beginner ballet lessons. I was even happier than she was.

We rushed out to buy the outfits that she would need for classes. She looked absolutely darling in her tights and tiny tutu. I was taking pictures every few seconds.

Then, came the moment when we had to find ballet shoes. The salesperson was very helpful but my daughter didn’t like the way that the ballet shoes felt on her feet.

I explained to her that ballet shoes were supposed to feel like that and if she wanted to take the class, she needed to get them. She pouted for a few moments and then agreed. We left the store, ballet shoes in tow.

Her first class was a week later. She was all decked out elegantly in her new outfit but refused to put the ballet shoes on.

After pleading with her for 15 minutes, I told her she could wear sandals and put her ballet shoes on when we arrived.

She packed them in her bag but told me that she would be dancing in her sandals. I sighed and thought that I’d leave the drama to her teacher.

We arrived and all of the other girls in her class were running around happily in their outfits with their ballet shoes on. My daughter removed her sandals but was content to walk around barefoot.

I whispered the issue to the teacher, who agreed to deal with it. She approached my daughter, whispered something, and before I knew it, the ballet shoes were on her feet. Amazed, I left the room.

She’s now in high school and we’ve gone through many pairs of ballet shoes. She has definitely continued to chase her dream of wanting to be a ballerina and she’s off to a tremendous start. My heart soars proudly whenever I see her carrying those pink ballet shoes to class.

I can’t even tell you how many of my paychecks have been spent on buying outfits and ballet shoes. I can tell you that I have never once complained about a single moment of it. It has been worth every penny.

I still have that first pair of tiny ballet shoes that were purchased and almost not worn. They are sitting on my dresser, next to her first picture in a ballet recital. How I love those ballet shoes.

Discount Ballet Shoes

Looking for discount ballet shoes? Wondering where on the planet you can find the best ballet shoes possible at a discounted price?

Well, if that’s what bothering you now, then don’t worry too much. This article, after all, comes to the rescue.

Well, this article is written for one primary purpose – to help people like you find the best in quality discount ballet shoes. Note that there are a lot of one-stop shops out there offering discount ballet shoes.

However, because of their number, finding the right store and the best product then can be a bit difficult.

It’s not nice to surf through the internet and spending hours of trying to figure out which is the best, only to find out in the end that you are not satisfied with the decision you’ve made.

So to make things easy for you, I have mentioned below some of the most visited and well-acclaimed stores on the net where you can find the best, yet discounted ballet shoes. Check out the following:

AllAboutDance.com

All About Dance is out there online to give you a wide selection of ballet shoes, dancewear, accessories, and everything you’ll need for a dance, all at discount prices.

It is here where you can find the best brands of discount ballet shoes and clothing, and it is also here where you can meet the best in style dancewear.

Also, it is nice to know that All About Dance currently offers gifts for their customers, and in terms of shipping, their service is one of the fastest.

Today, this ballet store carries about more than a hundred products in line. The newest discount ballet shoes they offer even feature the latest fashion, no wonder that they are picked mostly by the dance professionals.

DiscountDance.com

Discount Dance Supply at DiscountDance.com is also out there to give you some of the best in quality discount ballet shoes.

This online store is actually a dance supply company that seeks to bring the best selection of discount ballet shoes, dance accessories, and clothes to the dance community all at the best prices available anywhere.

So today, knowing that more and more consumers are looking for the best in style and quality dance wear and shoes at discount prices,

the Discount Dance Supply is highly honored and happy to give you the wide selection of discount ballet shoes for you to choose from.

Dancewear.com

Dancewear.com is but another worth visiting site online for discount ballet shoes. This company has been offering ballet shoes,

dancewear and accessories for years and throughout these years of service, Dancewear.com was able to obtain and maintain a reputation of being one of the best dancewear stores online.

Today, Dancewear.com is offering a wide selection of discount ballet shoes and dancewear, plus accessories from brand name dancewear clothes and apparel designers.

So, whatever your needs are, be it discount ballet shoes or discount ballet clothes, this site has it all.

There are other sites out there on the web to give you a selection of ballet shoes at discount prices, but if you don’t want to spend much time searching for them online, then the above mentioned sites are great enough for you to get started.

Ballet Shoes: Canvas Or Leather?

Ballet shoes are an important purchase for the beginning ballet student and many elements will affect your purchase decision.

To make the correct choice, you will need to listen carefully to your instructor and follow their advice about which shoes to buy.

If you are not taking ballet lessons, and cannot seek advice from an instructor or a more advanced ballet dancer, then you will benefit from reading up on the types of ballet shoes available and appropriate for a beginning ballet dancer.

Your ballet class instructor may have requested you purchase a certain type of ballet shoe. Many instructors will provide very clear instructions on which shoe to buy – including the brand, color and style.

Fortunately, instructors will often also advise where the best locations are for finding and purchasing your ballet shoes.

If your instructor makes specific requests about the type of ballet shoes they prefer you buy, then by all means, follow their directions.

Your choices of ballet shoes is virtually unlimited, if your instructor has made no particular requests, and you will need to take your status as a beginning ballet dancer into consideration.

This means you should only consider purchasing basic ballet shoes, not pointe shoes. Your instructor will advise students when they can advance to pointe ballet shoes.

You need to be mindful of two things as you make your ballet shoe choice: the shoe’s sole and how the shoe is held on the foot.

Genuine leather soles are preferable for ballet shoes. Imitation leather will not hold up well to dancing and will cause you to need replacement shoes sooner.

One thing to be aware of with leather soles is that they can stick to the floor, especially when used by heavier dancers.

Sticking to the floor means your shoes can wear out more quickly, and can mean the chance for injury. If you encounter this problem, consider purchasing canvas shoes, which do not stick to the floor.

Ballet shoes are kept on the foot either by an elastic strap sewn to the top opposite sides of the shoe, or by ribbons wound around the ankle and lower leg and tied in place. Check with your instructor to see if they have a preference of elastic straps or ribbons.

Normally, practice shoes, and shoes for children, have elastic straps. Shoes with ribbons are usually reserved for recitals.

Finally, when you have chosen your ballet shoes — try them on! They should be comfortable to walk in, of course, but to be certain they are best for you and dancing, try several ballet steps in them as well.

If you feel any discomfort at all, try another pair of shoes in a different size or brand. Ballet shoes are essentially slippers, they should be completely comfortable when you are walking or dancing.

The idea of ‘breaking in’ does not apply with ballet shoes, so do not purchase shoes thinking this will happen. You need ballet shoes that fit correctly without abrading your feet anywhere.

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