Choosing ballet shoes involves considering comfort, size, material, and sole type. Beginners need soft shoes, while advanced dancers require pointe shoes. Satin shoes wear quickly, while canvas and leather have their own advantages. Full or split sole is a personal preference. A trusted store or ballet teacher can help determine the proper fit.
To choose the right ballet shoes, also known as ballet flats, a dancer must consider comfort, size, material, and sole type. A beginner who is not yet a pointe dancer needs soft ballet shoes, while a professional dancer or student advanced enough to pointe will want pointe shoes to support her feet. Both soft and pointed shoes are available in satin, canvas, and leather. Once the dancer has decided on the type of shoe and the material, she needs to determine if she wants a full or split sole.
Comfort and size go hand in hand when choosing ballet shoes. A ballerina should try on shoes and make sure that she can move her toes in them, but that the material on her feet does not hang loose and rub against her skin. New ballerinas often assume that the shoes should feel tight on her feet, but shoes that are too tight will not allow the ballerina to spread her toes for balance. After a ballerina moves from the soft beginner shoe to a pointe shoe, she will want to have her shoes custom made to ensure the proper fit. The wrong size shoes will throw her off balance and put unnecessary stress on her feet.
While ballet shoes are available in satin, canvas, and leather, it’s generally recommended to avoid satin shoes, except on special occasions. The material wears quickly with daily use and does not stretch or mold to the foot. Canvas and leather have their own advantages and disadvantages. Men often prefer canvas ballet shoes. Since a male ballet dancer generally weighs more than a female ballerina, the added weight of a man can cause leather shoes to stick to the floor, while canvas shoes do not have this problem.
Dancers may want to consider canvas shoes because they are machine washable and allow the dancer to better feel the floor surface through the shoe. Other dancers prefer leather ballet shoes because leather is warmer and generally lasts longer when dancing on a hardwood floor. Dancers who choose canvas ballet shoes can extend the life of the shoe by following proper washing instructions and choosing a pair made from a heavier canvas material.
The last option a ballerina should decide when choosing ballet shoes is whether she wants full sole or split sole. Usually this factor has more to do with personal preference and both can work well. Split-sole shoes are often higher in price, but many dancers find that split soles make it easier to point their foot and the shoe forms well. Full-soled shoes aren’t as flexible, but they do provide more support for your feet and are often the best choice for beginners.
When a ballerina buys her shoes, she should visit a trusted store or take her ballet teacher for help. The teacher can help determine the proper fit for the dancer and order a custom pair if the dancer wishes. She may also want to buy more than one pair to try different materials or different soles to see which one feels and works best for her feet.
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