POINTE SHOE FITTING
Sewing, Tying Pointe Shoe Ribbons and More
Sewing the ribbons in this way will help stop the heel from swivelling, it will also allow a greater amount of tension to be placed on the ribbon, you then are able to really push against them.
1. Cut a 2.5m piece of pointe shoe ribbon into two equal lengths, one for each shoe,
2. Fold the heel piece of the shoe down towards the heel....
3 Using a pencil draw a line along the inside of the fold.
4. Fold one piece of the ribbon in half and Position it at the centre of the heel seam of the Pointe Shoe....... then place the ribbon along the pencil line
on the shoe side.....if placed on the heel side the ribbons will be placed too far back.
5 The ribbon must be Stitched all the way along both sides.
Some dancers like to add elastic if this is needed, you should use a specially designed Pointe shoe wide elastic, It should be stitched further back than your ribbon... Never sew elastic at the back of the pointe shoe as this may cause damage to the Achilles tendon.
If you like to use a drawstring, then sew it down on both sides of the heel piece of the pointe shoe, to prevent it being pulled across the achilles tendon when tied.
TYING RIBBONS
Make sure that you tie the ribbons correctly when you put the shoes on. The ribbon on the inside of the ankle goes over first then the other one goes on top. The first one is to support the ankle while the other one holds the first ribbon in place, then both ribbons go around the back of the ankle and, in opposite directions, right round again, being careful to knot them on the inside of the ankle not at the very back on the Achilles tendon as this can damage it.
once you have trimmed your ribbon, melt the ends very gently with a either a match or lighter.......this will prevent fraying.......PLEASE DO NOT USE A NAKED FLAME WITHOUT PARENTAL SUPERVISION if you are a young dancer.....
CARE OF POINTE SHOES
Pointe shoes should be hung up and dried somewhere warm i.e.. a radiator or airing cupboard to dry after they have been used. Feet can really sweat, maybe losing up to 1/2 pint in an hour, this will lessen the life of a pointe shoe making the box soft and weak. if you do long Pointe classes, change your shoes often. Drying out your shoes will strengthen them once again. Before you hang them up to dry, place the shoes back on your feet to reshape them. A pointe shoe can take up to 24 hours to thoroughly dry out. If you dance Pointe everyday you should have more than one pair and alternate wearing them. This will lengthen the life of your shoes. Working in broken shoes can sometimes cause a hairline fractures of the foot.
Never keep your shoes in the plastic bag they came in once danced in. This can cause the shoes to sweat and they will be unable to breathe, causing the shoes to rot and smell. If possible try and carry them in a cotton breathable bag.....These can be purchased or made very easily...Look after your shoes and they will serve you well.
Are you ready for Pointe Shoes
Sewing ,Tying & care of Pointe Shoes
Is it time to renew those Pointe Shoes?
Grishko 2007 Pro Flex Pointe Shoe
Grishko NEW Triumph Pointe Shoe
Grishko Demi Pointes/Soft blocks
Grishko Maya-1 & Maya-2 Pointe Shoes
Grishko NEW Miracle Pointe Shoe
Bunheads Pointe Shoe Accessories
Grishko Pointe Shoe Information
Grishko Pointe Shoes Special order/Customising Information
Grishko Arch Enhancers and Inlays
I was doing a solo and I heard my foot crack'
Some cover their feet in glue, others slice at them with razor blades ... Emma John discovers what performing night after night does to a dancer's feet
I am not in favour of using ouch pouches, they do lift the foot out of the protective area of the box of the pointe shoe, and I find that I have to fit a larger shoe to accommodate them.
I start by strapping the dancer’s toes and metatarsal heads with a hypo allergenic tape, this also encourages the dancer to keep her toes long, straight and extended.
The metatarsal support provided by the tape allows the foot to grow out of the shoe instead of slipping down into the bottom of the box. The foot sitting in the pointe shoe box can cause cramping of the Achilles tendon.
I will though use silicone toe socks, toe spacers or tiny pointe shoe inlays to cushion any part of the toes that may be a problem. See the Bunheads/inlays page.
Breaking in Pointe Shoes
Each Grishko pointe shoe is beautifully hand crafted. Please do not hammer, shut them in doors or anything else that will damage them. Pointe shoes should be prepared correctly before dancing in them. Treat them with respect and they will serve you well.
Face the barre, with two hands on the barre for support.
1) Rise onto pointe, then roll down, very slowly, on both feet.
2) Pony trots, alternating feet.
3) Rise onto pointe, bend both knees forwards and push over on to, and right over the box.
4) Repeat, but on alternate feet.
5) repeat steps 1 to 4 in turnout position.
(Repeat until you find the shoes softening at the demi- pointe break)
You can also wear your new shoes around the house with a pair of socks over them but never go up and down stairs.
Pointe shoes with and without padding
CONTACT DETAILS for Appointments or Shoes
.....E-mail: pointeshoefitting@me.com
Telephone 07810803996