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Everything about Pointe shoes

Pointe shoes by bloch in India
Pointe shoes aspiration

What are pointe shoes?

Pointe shoes are a type of ballet shoes dancers wear specifically to do pointe work. Normal ballet shoes are soft and flat. Pointe shoes have a hard box (toe part) of the shoe that allows dancers to dance on the tips of their toes.

 

What are pointe shoes made of?

Pointe shoes are made of a mix of fabric and glue, as well as satin, leather or suede, and cotton. The rigid box of the shoe is made purposefully hard in order for dancers to dance on top of it. Layers and layers of fabric and glue traditionally make up the box. The outside of the shoe is satin, while the sole or the outside platform of the shoe is made of either leather or suede and more layers of fabric and glue.

When can dancers start to go on pointe?

A dancer’s toes, feet, and ankles must be very strong in order to do pointe work. If not, then dancers will risk injury and can damage to their feet. Dancers are also encouraged not to go on pointe too early as starting pointe work at too young an age can also stunt the growth of their feet. Usually, dancers age 11 to 13 start pointe work after years of ballet training.

 

Is it painful to dance on pointe?

When first starting to dance on pointe, it can be painful as your toes are not used to the feeling. However, as dancers get stronger and dance on pointe more frequently, the pain subsides and your feet will get more accustomed to the shoes and the feeling of being on pointe.

 

Do male dancers wear pointe shoes?

Normally, only female dancers dance on pointe and wear pointe shoes! However, many professional male dancers also try pointe work in order to strengthen their feet. Modern ballets have male dancers wearing pointe shoes only for comedic effect. The all-male drag ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo all dance on pointe.

Frequently
asked
questions

01

Why Bloch

Since Jacob Bloch made his first pointe shoe in 1932, Bloch has been the innovative leader in pointe shoes, which epitomizes the art of ballet. Our handmade pointe shoes balance superior construction with a dancer’s comfort and are trusted by leading ballet companies worldwide – from the Bolshoi to the Royal Ballet.

03

Why do I need Pointe shoe fitting session?

Pointe shoes or most of the dacne shoes come with a different size chart as compared to your normal or sports shoes. Even in the same brand sometimes you might find going for different sizes between different types of dance shoes. This could be also because these are different companies from different parts of the world. Now to make it easier for all of us every dance shoe on this website The Artist Inside You Store comes with a feet measurement chart. This can be used to buy shoes online anywhere in India.

05

How long does a pair of pointe shoes last?

This is a question with a complicated answer. The longevity of a pair of ballet pointe shoes will depend on how and when you use them. If you do one pointe class per week they will last far longer than if you take three pointe classes per week. “For a student with moderate usage, a pair of pointe shoes will typically last anywhere from ten to twenty hours of wear.[1]” For different dancers, this can mean either weeks or months of use from a single pair of pointe shoes. Similarly, a dancer with very strong feet may wear a shoe out faster than a dancer who is still building strength.

Beginners will often get longer out of their first pair of pointe shoes and will sometimes grow out of the shoes before they “die” or wear-out. How long your pointe shoes will last is not something a fitter or teacher can tell you for sure. They can only make an educated guess based on your strength, technique, growth rate, and frequency of usage.

02

Why Aspiration Pointe shoes?

Aspiration is designed especially for Indian dancers helping them find stability and support with a wide box and medium shank. Intended for beginners to advanced student dancers. Engineered to give the feeling of being elevated up out of the shoe and held away from the floor when en pointe.

04

What is the difference between a pointe shoe and a demi-pointe shoe?

A demi-pointe shoe looks almost identical to a full pointe shoe. The toe box is reinforced but there is no hard shank (reinforced insole) inside the shoe. This means that it is impossible to dance on pointe in a pair of demi-pointe shoes. Dancers who are working towards starting pointe work will use demi-pointe shoes to build up the strength required to dance on pointe. Demi-pointe shoes are harder to work in than soft ballet flats and will encourage you to use your feet and strengthen your legs, feet, and core. A stronger dancer will be more capable of dancing on pointe and less susceptible to injury.

diagram of pointe shoes

Pointe shoes Accessories

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Sheer Stretch Ribbon

By Bloch

Sheer stretch ribbon relieves unnecessary stress on Achilles tendon and allows the dancer to move from plié to pointe with minimal constriction and no bagginess.

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Covert Elastic

By Bloch

Tough wide elastic to help keep the heel of your pointe shoes in the right place. In ballet pink for an invisible look against your tights.

Sheer Stretch Ribbon

By Bloch

Indian manufactured Toe cushions for dancers helping them protect the toe and toe joints while doing Pointe shoe work.

Super comfortable and durable.

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Toe cushion

Fabric pouch protects the toes, toe joints and metatarsals while wearing pointe  shoes. Lightweight silicone pad to be worn with pointe shoes for protection while en pointe. The Pointe Cushion covers across the toes and over the joints of the big toe and little toe. 

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Silicone Toe Pads

Pointe shoe Glue

Elastic-Ribbon combo in one

Pointe Shoe Elastic

By TAIY
By Bloch
ByBloch
By Tendu

As a professional ballet teacher, I recommend all ballet dancers to try this pointe shoe as this shank and quality would definitely make your journey less painful. Thanks to the team for helping me and my students with all the pointe shoe fitting process

Ava - Mumbai

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