Hi 1SHOPBOX friends!

We hope everyone is staying well and safe during these ever-changing, socially distant times. Since we can’t welcome groups of you into our boutique in downtown Toronto, we sat down with our Lead Pointe Shoe Fitter, NBS Alumni and former National Ballet of Canada Company Member, Krista Dowson, to talk all things pointe shoes, what to expect at your pointe shoe fitting at The Shoe Room and answer some of our most frequently asked questions.

Pointe Shoe Myths and Misconceptions

Myths and mysteries are definitely fun, but we’re here to debunk a few related to your favourite shoe! “Despite what you may have been told, pointe shoes are not made of wood and steel. The shank is typically made out of leather, card stock or plastic – we promise the only metal in your shoes are the small nails some styles use to attach the shank to the outer sole and they are teeny tiny” says Dowson. As for wood? Not now and not ever! “Contrary to popular belief, pointe shoes have never been made of wood but instead are made using layers of fabric and paste, or depending on the brand, plastic.”

When asked about the notion that a strong foot needs a strong shoe, Dowson says this can be true and false. “It comes down to personal preference. There are many professional dancers with strong feet who prefer a softer shoe. A dancer can also use a harder shoe as a work horse while they train to help keep the cost of replacing shoes down.” When talking about strong vs. soft shoes or falling into the dreaded “brand bias”, it is important to note that all dancers have different feet “Every foot is different, with their own shape and size and expecting the same style of pointe shoe to work for every foot is not just unreasonable, but can also be unhealthy.”

While it is more common to see women en pointe, pointe is for the boys too! “Some men are en pointe to build strength, to become a better pointe teacher and others to perform!” There are some roles in classical ballet that showcase men on pointe, like The Stepsisters in some versions of Cinderella, Bottom in a Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Baroness in James Kudelka’s An Italian Straw Hat.” We would also be remiss to not mention the all-male comic ballet company Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

Ask Our Experts

Pointe shoes can be confusing. From how their made to how you look after them and everything in between, a dancer is bound to have a few questions about their favourite tool. We asked our lovely Instagram followers to ask us anything about their pointe shoes and have Krista answer your most burning questions!

“I’m almost ready to go on pointe! How should my pointe shoes feel?”

First things first, pointe shoes are not going to feel like your favourite sneakers! Your new shoes should feel snug, and there will be some pressure at the end of the shoe but you should definitely be able to wiggle your toes. When standing flat or in a demi plié (in this position your feet are their widest and longest!), you should feel your big toe against the end of the shoe – but not curled or pushed back. While you should feel the shoe hugging your foot, you don’t want the fit to be so narrow that it turns your foot into a taco shell. When you’re en pointe, it is normal for the material at the heel to “bag” slightly. A pointe shoe that fits you properly will provide support but not do the work for you.

“Why can’t I buy pointe shoes a little big so I can grow into them?”

Simply put, pointe shoes that are too big don’t fit! Pointe shoes are designed to hug the shape of your foot, which means shoes that are too big don’t support you properly. Other problems like calluses, bruised joints or damaging injury to your ankles and toes make it dangerous to purchase and wear shoes that you can “grow into”.

“How do I know it’s time for a new pair? And do pointe shoes REALLY only last 15 hours?!”

We know it sounds crazy, but yes! The lifespan of pointe shoes is generally between 10 and 20 hours! Like all averages, there is some wiggle room and different factors at play that contribute to your pointe shoes lifespan. Most beginners end up replacing their shoes because they’ve grown, not because they have died (this means your first pair will look almost perfect, making them a great keepsake!), while professional dancers who are spending hours a day en pointe will burn through their shoes much faster. There are a few different ways to tell if you need new pointe shoes:

You’ve outgrown your shoes if:

• The heels are popping off
• The shoe is starting to hook, making you look sickled Your toes are crunching
• The shoes are very hard to put on your feet
  

You may have killed your shoes if:

• The box feels mushy
• If you feel your toes pushing into the floor more than normal
• The shank is too soft, you may not feel supported and could be knuckling or crunching Water has spilled on them
• Jet glue is no longer helping

“What is the best way to look after my pointe shoes?

When it comes to looking after your pointe shoes, there are a few things you can do that will keep them looking their best and also help to extend their life! Most importantly, moisture is the enemy of pointe shoes, so make sure to let your shoes and all of your accessories (think toe pads, spacers and lamb’s wool) air dry after every class. Show your shoes a little TLC and trim off any fraying satin from the platform and be sure to burn the ends of your ribbons to keep them from fraying – no dancers needs tassels swinging around their ankles! Having two pairs of shoes on the go is a great way to help extend their life and keep them looking their best. One of our most important tips? Keep your pets away from your pointe shoes! We know – this might seem a little strange BUT some dogs find them incredibly tasty and some cats fancy they have found a new litter box.

The Shoe Room Fitting Experience

What makes a pointe shoe fitting at The Shoe Room different? We’d like to think the training our Expert Pointe Shoe Fitters go through, the state-of-the-art fitting rooms and Canada’s largest selection of pointe shoes all work together to help us provide you with the best fitting experience and allows every dancer to go home with their perfect shoe.

Our Training

“Like a lot of our art form, the training of a pointe shoe fitter is handed down from the people who came before us. We learn from each other and continue to educate ourselves as time passes.” says Dowson about the training process. “All of our fitters have been or are still en pointe – this is important to us as we believe it is an asset to have “walked the walk” when it comes to pointe work.” All fitters at The Shoe Room go through a 3-6 month apprenticeship where they learn about what makes our fitting process different and become familiar with the brands and styles of shoes that we stock. “We work closely with our vendor representatives using any and every opportunity to learn from them about their shoes and how best to fit them.” On the job learning always happens at the boutique, “Anytime a new shoe arrives we are all quite excited to try it on, even if it isn’t the right syle for us, trying every part of our collection allows us to speak to what makes each shoe different.” Dowson says it best, “we love what we do and we hope it shows.”

By Appointment Fittings

Our one-on-one, by appointment pointe shoe fittings are designed to ensure our experts have the time to find you your perfect pointe shoe. Dowson explains, “Each fittings takes approximately 30 minutes and there is a lot that we pack into that half hour, especially if it is your first pair of pointe shoes. It’s a really interesting puzzle matching a dancer’s foot to the shoes and it’s very important to us that a dancer understand what a proper fitting shoe feels like.” A dancer’s pointe experience determines how a fitting starts “for dancers new to pointe, there is a lot of information that needs to be shared – from us and them! We gather information from them about their teacher’s preferences, the amount of time they will be on pointe and then begin to assess their feet, looking at shape, mobility and compressibility.” Then the fun begins! “Our fitters start picking shoes based on this information and adjust length, width and strength as the fitting progresses and try different styles to find the best fit.” For returning dancers, the process starts a little differently, “We address and hopefully solve any areas of discomfort or concern with their previous shoes – sometimes it’s as simple as trying the next size up.” says Dowson. But the goal at the end of each fitting is the same, “We hope each dancer leaves with a shoe they (and their teacher!) love and we work really hard to achieve this goal.”

In order for us to give every dancer the time they deserve, it’s important to book your fitting, especially now during COVID-19. The boutique is currently running at limited capacity with additional time needed for us to clean our fitting space, leaving no wiggle room in the schedule to accommodate dancers who have not booked an appointment.

Who We Fit

As we all know, going en pointe is hard work! To ensure the health and safety of our dancers, you must be enrolled in a pointe class and we don’t fit anyone under the age of 10 at the boutique. “Fitting dancers 10 and older is a matter of health” says Dowson, “around the age of 10 the growth plates in your feet begin to mature and while they don’t fully mature in girls until they are 13-15 and in boys around 15-17, it becomes less of a health risk to begin training en pointe at this time.” The beauty of ballet is that it can be enjoyed by everyone, and we have shoes for dancers at all levels at the boutique “Whether a dancer is getting their first pair of pointe shoes at 10 or 40, we want to take the time to educate them and help find the shoes that are perfect for them.”

Our 8,000+ Pointe Shoe Collection

With Canada’s largest collection of pointe shoes on hand, we have something for every dancer. “We are very proud of our pointe shoe collection. We believe that there is no “right” size or colour for ballet and want our collection of shoes to reflect this core belief.” says Dowson. In order to serve every dancer, having 8,000+ shoes in close to 100 styles from different brands was a must, “We’re able to offer many different shapes, lengths, widths, strengths and colours that fully serve and reflect the ballet community today.”