Pointe Tips

This picture shows most of the pointe shoe terms that will help you!

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First step: Getting Your First Pair. When you are getting your first pair, you should definetly go to a dance store and try on lots of different brands to see which one fits you better, because all pointe shoes are different. Make sure that the sales person knows everything about it. Once you already know which pointe shoes you need to get, it's a lot cheaper to order it from a catalog.

Second step:Sewing on Ribbons. To know the exact spot to sew the ribbon on is to fold the heel of the pointe shoe down. The ribbon should be right on the line. When tying your ribbons, dont tie it up to your knee! It shouldnt go any further than your ankle.

Third step: Breaking in Your Shoes. Your teacher should show you how to do that, but sometimes when you have a big arch you dont have to break your shoes at all!(Thats what my teacher told me) You may want to tear off the bottom part of it, and then burn the ends so that the threads won't be all over the bottom of your shoe!

1.To prevent cramps in your foot, always stretch out before you put on you pointe shoe!
2.To prevent blisters you can: Tape your toes, get a different toe pad (maybe your current one has weakened and you need a new one!), cut your toe nails, Fluff up your toe pad!
Now that you know how to prevent blisters, you are probably wondering
"Well I already have blisters!".
When you get them the most helpful things to do are: put ice on them, put Vaseline on them, stick them in hot water.

3.Something that really helps to prevent blisters and make pointe work much easier is instead of a toe pad, you wrap paper towel around your toes, and then put a regular grocery bag over it. That way your toes can't get blisters, because the grocery bag slides along the sides and it really helps! Try it!
4.If a preformance is coming up, and your pointe shoes look dirty, then I recommentd using CLEAR Calmine (sp?) Lotion!!! It really helps.
5.When you turn on pointe, piruette for example, then when you are in preparation (4th postion) and about to raise up, don't raise your supporting foot first, you have to raise up at the same moment.

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I hope I helped! If you have any comments or you want to add something please e-mail me!


Last updated 08/13/01
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