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Size Chart
Heel to Toe Measurement
Step 1: Trace Foot. Place a piece of paper on the ground.
Step 2: Measure Length. Use a measuring tape, measure the outline from the back/central part of the heel to the end of the longest toe.
Step 3: Measure Width.
Step 4: Find your Perfect Fit.
The Best Ballet You Can Buy
Your complete guide for Indian Ballet Dancers
Considering buying a pair of ballet shoes and being overwhelmed by the available choice online? The Artist Inside You Store have compiled comprehensive ballet shoes buying guide that covers the topic from basics material, fit, and full sole vs. split sole ballet shoes
What are Ballet Shoes made of?
Ballet shoes are light, round-toed shoes that are most commonly made from materials like canvas, leather, or satin. These shoes have no heel and have a flexible sole that is used for ballet dancing specifically. They are often available in pink, white, ivory, nude, and black.
While both male and female dancers wear ballet shoes, mostly female dancers wear pointe shoes, but pointe shoes are normally given to dancers from age 11 or 12 upwards who have been practicing ballet dance for more than a year. The difference between pointe shoes and ballet shoes is the box and the shank at the front part of the ballet shoes.
What are the different parts of ballet shoes called?
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Drawstring: The drawstring surrounds the top part of the ballet shoes. It covers elastics which can be tied at the top-center of your foot.
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Elastics: These are pieces of elastic sewn onto each ballet shoe to ensure the most secure fit.
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Ribbon: The ribbon is usually attached to pointe shoes, but also available on some flat ballet shoes for performances or exams. Ribbons are tied around the ankle to help secure the ballet shoes.
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Sole: Soles are located at he bottom of the ballet shoes often are made from suede. Beginners are usually recommended to wear a full sole and then advance to a split sole ballet shoe.
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Box: It is the front part of a pointe shoe. It is a hard box that covers the toes in a pointe shoe. The box is made of compacted fabrics (usually cardboard and paper) hardened by glue and help to support the dancers' toes and joints.
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Platform: The flat part that's in the pointe shoe which allows you to dance en pointe.
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Vamp: It it the length of the box from the toe to the shoe throat. It encases the box and platform on a pointe shoe.
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Insole/Shank: It is the inner part a sole, material that serves as a stiff sole.
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Throat: The part at which the shoe opens.
A Brief History of Ballet Shoes
The word ‘Ballet’ was established in the 17th century and comes from the Italian ‘Ballere’ meaning ‘to dance.’ Although it originated in Italy, the ballet was soon recognized in the French royal courts in 1559 when Italian Catherine De Medici married the French King Henry II. And it was later popularized by King Louis XIV who was the King of France from 1643 to 1715.
Women began ballet dancing in 1682 when ballet shoes still had heels. Years later, in the mid-18th century, the popular Paris Opera ballet dancer Marie-Annie Camargo paved the way for dancers everywhere by taking the heels off her dance shoes. Camargo was an innovator in other ways, rejecting the restrictive costumed dancers of the time wore.
Marie Taglioni (23 April 1804 – 22 April 1884) was a Swedish ballet dancer of the Romantic ballet era, a central figure in the history of European dance. She was very famous for performing La Sylphide, which was the first performance without wires and was the start of people dancing ‘on their toes’. It was considered a huge step forward in ballet and is what made ballet more like it is today.
The much-loved 20th-century Russian-born Anna Pavlova (famous for The Dying Swan) popularised ballet dancing across the globe. Pavlova had extremely arched steps and slender feet which meant the traditional Ballet slippers put added pressure on her toes and ankles. To solve her problems, this innovator created the modern-day pointe shoe, complete with supportive shank and box.
Which fabric is best for ballet shoes?
FABRIC ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Leather Improves young and inexperienced dancers’ foot
strength.
Extremely durable.
Are easier to clean than leather, as canvas ballet
Canvas shoes can be put into the washing machine.
Less expensive than leather.
Don’t take as long to be broken in.
Leather ballet shoes are usually the most expensive fabric choice
Canvas ballet shoes are less durable than leather ballet shoes.
Split Sole VS. Full Sole
SOLE TYPE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Improves the arch of the foot.
Split Sol Allows greater flexibility and technique.
More aesthetic during performances and auditions
More resistant than a split-Sole shoe, therefore builds
Full Sole foot muscles. Really good for kids ballet dancers
below 9 years training.
Split sole ballet shoes have less arch support
Full sole ballet shoes can make bad technique less obvious to the teacher such as clawed toes
How to sew ribbons to pointe shoes
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Ribbon Bundles (BLOCH) are sold in one long 2 ¼ metre length so the ribbon needs to be cut in half and then in half again so there are four equal pieces, one for each side of the shoe.
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To attach the ribbons at the correct angle, fold the back of the shoe forward and down then mark each side of the shoe on the cotton lining in the angle made by the fold.
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Place the ribbon at the marked position and pin in place. It is recommended to position the ribbon forward at a 45° angle to hold the shoe on more securely when the ribbons are tied. For extra support, the ribbon can be sewn further down the shoe closer to the inner sole at the same position.
Leather ballet shoes are usually the most expensive fabric choice
Canvas ballet shoes are less durable than leather ballet shoes.
4. Fold and tuck in the raw end of the ribbon to prevent it from fraying whilst sewing.
5. Sew the ribbon onto the shoe through the cotton lining but not through the satin.
6. Do not sew the ribbon through the middle of the binding as the drawstring cannot be adjusted and the binding may pull away from the satin. Make sure that you are only sewing through the top fibers of the binding as shown. The drawstring inside the binding of the pointe shoe is to adjust the tension of the width of the upper. It should be adjusted while on the foot and tied in a double knot with the excess drawstring tucked into the shoe and not be visible.
*Do not cut the excess of the drawstring off, as should the knot come undone the ends would be lost inside the binding