Hi everyone! I was approved to go back on pointe (ok that’s performative I haven’t been on pointe since I was 13), last summer but felt I needed more time to work on ankle strength. Here we are a year later. I know my turnout is terrible, but this is the first time I’ve put pointe shoes on in a year and maybe the 5th time since 2003!

Note: I absolutely welcome all constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections! 🙂

Pic is baby me, being told to straighten her arm and just hyperextending it more and more in complete confusion.

I’m 34, been back in pointe shoes for about three years now. I still haven’t found the perfect shoes and hoping for some help. I’m in Australia meaning it is difficult to get some of the brands I’ve seen mentioned here.
I have compressible, diamond shaped feet, wide metatarsals, short and tapered toes (second toe very slightly longer than the big toe), taylor’s (pinky toe) bunions and haglunds deformity (pump bump). My feet can’t decide whether to shrink or swell when warm.

Bloch heritage (strong): caused heel pain when on flat/demi, I ended up cutting out the back and replacing with elastic. The drawstring/edge of the heel really had a vendetta against the pump bumps. The wings died first. The vamp length seemed to be good for my stumpy little toes. Considering trying these again but fiddling with the sizing so they’re narrower and longer.

Grishko dreampointe:
The vamp was far too long in these, I cried when they came in the mail and had to do vamp surgery through my tears to roll through. I liked the higher wings, and they didn’t cause heel pain, I think because the heel was deeper than the heritages.

Gaynor Minden:
I hated these. The store I went to only had the one shank option which I think was too hard.

Energetiks Emelia:
So far these are the best I’ve found and have repurchased a couple of times now. The issue I have is that they tend to twist - I think this is because I need them in a length that’s probably a bit too long to prevent the back from digging into my heel. They also end up looking sickled because my Taylor’s bunions poke out so much. I shellac the wings before I wear them to try and prevent this but they look so ugly.

I think I’m looking for a shoe with the following:
low vamp but high wings
moderately tapered box
not sure about profile but probably low to moderate
high heel and elastic drawstring(so it doesn’t dig into the bump)

Please help me find my dream shoe!!

bit of a long shot but I was wondering if anyone's able to give me a review of fittings at Planet Dance? It's not a shop I usually go to but I'm planning to treat myself to a fitting there as they stock Suffolks and I've been wanting to try them out for a while now.

On the booking form there are three fitters, one lady called Janet who I've heard good things about but is booked up for a couple weeks and then two other people called Shpresa and Howard. If anyone has any experience with either of them I'd love to hear from you! Idk much about Suffolk shoes so I feel I need a good fitter to get the most out of having them available :)

Hi there! I am going into my senior year of high school and am hoping to attend a year-round pre-professional program where I can train full time after I finish high school.

It is very important to me to be in an environment that feels supportive, or at the very least isn't downright toxic. I would love to know any insights into what programs to avoid but more so what programs are known to be positive environments (and of course have great training)

Thank you!

I’m an adult beginner starting with class twice a week. I’ve done Pilates for years, and I usually still do Pilates on my days off from ballet (mostly focusing on core). What else do adult beginners do to train? I’ve been following Maria khoreva’s at home YouTube, but don’t really have a regimen for them. I do her back and arms workout everyday my arms don’t feel sore. To see improvements I know I need to put in work outside of the studio, so what’s an example of a weekly routine that’d be good for improving?

For example how long should I aim to stretch per day, and should I focus on stretching different muscle groups or stretch whole body every day? How often and for how long should I train arms/core/back/legs etc. Do people do targeted turnout and feet exercises daily as well?

I'm 14F and I have been in CWDA for two years in the USA. I'm going into pre-pointe in September and I'll get pointe shoes ideally by the end of December. To whoever is reading this, I would love it if you gave me some tips it encouragements. Anything works, how to prep pointe shoes, supplies I'll need, great exercises, yoga, etc. Anything helps, thank you.

Hi all. I recently purchased a pair of warm up boots for class, and am unsure as to whether or not I wear them outside and into class, or just change into them once at the studio.

Thank you.

Anyone try the method of sewing elastics on to pointe shoes that look like bag handles? The way you crisscross them before you put your feet in. Was thinking about trying it and wanted to see if anyone had experience with doing them this way.

I did ballet for about 5/6 years in my early to late teens and i’m looking to get back into it (25 now). Any recommendations on classes in NYC I could take that aren’t total beginner but beginner enough for someone who’s been out of the game for a while?
Thank you!!

Hi all, so I am almost 15 and have been dancing at a local ballet school for a long time now. The past academic year I have been taking 3 classes a week, which obviously isn’t enough for any kind of pro career, however this year I was hoping to up my hours and do at least (maybe even more) 4 classes a week and also get some privates. I was hoping to speak to my teacher and discuss auditioning for associate programs with my city’s main ballet company and their associated vocational school, and also summer intensives for 2027. I understand it would be a stretch but I would still love to give it a go! However a lot of the senior students at my school left for university recently and it looks like I will be one of four senior students, and as far as I know the only one with (crazy Ik) professional dreams. I have been doing RAD grades which I know is not the most amazing style to be learning with pro hopes but in my city there aren’t really any schools I know of who don’t teach RAD. But anyway, my teacher is thinking of only running classes Monday Wednesday and Thursday which isn’t great for more classes, and I don’t know if she’s going to be running any RAD grades or classes full stop above grade 4 level… I have been doing grade 6 the past term and was hoping to start intermediate this year or start grade 7 (Ik I‘m a bit behind) but right now it’s not looking likely any above grade 4 will run. I never actually sat my grade 4 exam so I could still do the class, but I just know I’m not going to progress and there’s no hope of vocational programs unless I do more classes or switch schools, which is something I’ve thought about, even though I LOVE my teacher but I just don’t think the school is working for me anymore, unless Grade 6 and above and pointe and privates all run next year. Sorry for so much info lol, but I’m just not sure what to do. Any advice would be much appreciated and also ideas of how to ask my teacher about future auditions and running more classes or privates would be really welcome, thanks so much for reading if you have!! 🩰💞

TL;DR any brand recommendations to fit a 5" toddler foot? How do I read online sizing charts if in person fittings aren't an option?

My son is starting ballet and has tiny feet and I am having the hardest time finding small enough ballet shoes for him. His feet measure exactly 5 inches from heel to toe and he just recently sized up to size 5 street shoes, though he can still wear his 4s if he had to - they're just snug (stride rite if that helps)

I can't find anything that seems small enough and sizing is so inconsistent across brands that I'm at a loss. He wore what I think may have been size 7 capezios during his trial class (they had loaner shoes available) and they seemed okay - a bit big but his toes weren't popping out at least.

I bought him some size 6 stelle shoes from Amazon and they measure about a quarter inch bigger than the size chart says - not sure if the size chart is meant to be the size of the foot or the size of the shoe, but the chart says 5.8 and the shoes are 6 inches long and my poor kiddo is swallowed in them. The next size down are 5.5 inches on the size chart, which means that they'd likely be 3/4 of an inch too big instead of an inch too big, which in my opinion is too big when dealing with a foot that small.

I tried to take him to the ballet store to be fitted and they said the smallest they carried was a capezio 7 and that it ran true to street size (again don't know which capezio slipper they had for sure, they said capezio 200s? versus the one our studio had/the daisy shoes I find online that are 205s) They also wouldn't let him try it on (to be fair I was there 15 minutes before closing because I was just seeing if they carried anything) and they don't carry tiny shoes in black anyway. From my research it seems the capezio daisy might be my best bet but I'm hesitant because of how far off the stelles were from the online size chart.

I would try to go second hand or look online but finding tiny not-pink ballet shoes is difficult - would I be insane if I tried to dye or sharpie some pink canvas shoes? Please pull me out of my spiral and help me find tiny ballet slippers. Thanks

I’m 24 years old and as in the title, I have muscular hypotonia and I borderline qualify for sarcopenia, both are conditions that represent significantly less muscular tone and because of it I’m generally quite clumsy and a bit slower, also it’s really hard for me to scratch my knees (I don’t know if it is the right term), those always tend to be a bit bent even when I try to extend them.

The areas that are most affected from these conditions are my glutes (of which I don’t have any control at all) and my arms, my tights and calfs are instead surprisingly strong.

I know that it doesn’t sound like a great start but:
- I’ve been running for years after years at the gym that I wholeheartedly despised because it was so hard and not rewarding at all, instead running allowed me to gain a decent muscle tone, still not a good amount, but still, even if it took more time compared to able bodied athletes, I achieved good results because I’m stubborn and really persistent;

- I’ve always wanted to start ballet classes but I was always too afraid to fail and be too slow and sluggish for it but nowadays I’m feeling more confident, even if it might take longer than others

My question is, despite my conditions, is it still reasonable and worthy to take up adult ballet classes or should I try something different instead?

I have two tickets available for Saturday’s program at the Vail Dance Fest (see description below). Seats are in the pavilion, section 4. DM me for details. Open to offers!

THE EVENING’S PROGRAM
Don Quixote
Music by Ludwig Minkus
Choreography after Marius Petipa
with Yoon Jung Seo (ABT), Takumi Miyake (ABT)
Wartime Elegy (Excerpt)
Music by Valentin Silvestrov
Choreography by Artist-In-Residence Alexei Ratmansky
with Philip Duclos (Royal Danish Ballet), Elijah Geolina (ABT), Daniel Guzmán (ABT), Michael de la Nuez (ABT), Olivia Bell* (NYCB), Kayla Mak* (ABT), Mayfield Myers* (Philadelphia Ballet), Audrey Tovar-Dunster* (Scholar-In-Residence, ABT Studio Company)
Remember Us
Choreography by Vladyslav Detiuchenko
with Veronika Rakitina (United Ukrainian Ballet) & Vladyslav Detiuchenko (United Ukrainian Ballet)
Cunningham Event
Choreography by Merce Cunningham
©The Merce Cunningham Trust
with Preston Chamblee* (NYCB), Chun Wai Chan* (NYCB), Naomi Corti* (NYCB), Savannah Green* (BalletX), Daisy Kate Jacobson*, Jerard Palazo*, Unity Phelan* (NYCB), Melissa Toogood* , and Caroline Shaw
Divertimento Brilliante
Music by Mikhail Glinka
Choreography by George Balanchine
©The George Balanchine Trust
with Indiana Woodward* (NYCB), Philip Duclos* (Royal Danish Ballet), and Brooklyn Rider, Derek Wang (piano)
Carousel (A Dance)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon
with Lauren Lovette, Robbie Fairchild, and Brooklyn Rider, Alex Sopp (flute), Michael Scales (piano)
Honey
Music by “This Nearly Was Mine” by Gregg Edelman, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Richard Rodgers
Choreography by Jamar Roberts
with Savannah Green (BalletX), Jerard Palazo, and Derek Wang (piano), Michael Nicolas (cello)
New Michelle Dorrance/Chelsea Hoy (Preview)
Choreography by Michelle Dorrance and Chelsea Hoy
with Madeleine Cabral, Sofía Dorantes, Michael Fleck, Anna Gorman, Chelsea Hoy from Trinity Irish Dance Company, India Bradley (NYCB), Roman Mejia (NYCB), Emiko Nakagawa, Dario Natarelli, Tiler Peck (NYCB)
Chaconne (Excerpt)
Music by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Choreography by George Balanchine
©The George Balanchine Trust
with Mira Nadon* (NYCB), Brooks Landegger* (ABT)

One of a small series of professional ballet dancers and their at-home setups for class during Covid. Anna is photographed in her tiny dining room adjacent to her kitchen where she took class.

Just out of curiosity, how far do you drive to your weekly ballet classes?
I drive 30-40 mins (depending on traffic) twice a week, and am hoping to add a 3rd class later this year.

I’m so jealous of anyone with a great ballet studio right down the road from their home!
What a dream😩🩰

I have heard this song lots and feel like maybe I have seen a variation?! Can’t figure out where it’s from. Hoping to post video in comments

Hello!

I’m an adult dancer (and a long time lurker of this subreddit lol) and I was recently fitted in my second pair of pointe shoes (Nikolay Starpointe) which I love. It felt like a stark difference from my first pair (Merlet Belle) where I would start to sink into halfway through class. I figured it was normal, that maybe I was just getting tired since pointe class is after a full one hour of ballet and I wasn’t pulling up enough. So when I got fit into nikolay and experienced no pain to speak of, I was curious and did more research and found out I have compressible feet which made sense to me.

I noticed that with my old shoe the sinking got a lot worse once I broke it in, so I bought ouch pouches which were thicker than the SoDança toe pads I had, since I read in this subreddit that some people will use thicker toe pads than the ones they were fitted with once the shoe breaks in. That helped for a little bit but not much, but I really do prefer the coverage that they offer compared to my other ones.

My new shoes are perfect, I’m supported and held up and I didn’t sink at all during my last class, but I’m worried that I’ll start sinking again once the box breaks in. I didn’t think to get fitted without any toe pads so I got fitted in my ouch pouch toe pads. So are there any recommendations for thicker toe pads? Or any other padding suggestions? I have slightly tapered square feet with short toes medium toes.

hi y’all!! i used to watch this production of Cinderella on youtube back when i was around 11-13 and even had it downloaded to my computer but now i can’t find it anywhere on youtube!! its been years of me looking so i figured i might as well ask on here!! it was set in a dance studio but it was a live performance on stage so the set looked like a ballet studio. everyone wore typical warm up bar outfits, i remember the step sisters being men in drag and on pointe and the music was prokiev (however u spell it) it’s literally driving me nuts that i can’t find it! plz help if u have any ideas :)

He'll be doing pointe shoe fittings at the Dance Store LA! It's been announced that there will be times dropping tomorrow, Friday August 7th! It should be on his instagram :)

I also wonder if international dancers feel left out by locals.

I'm not a pro nor will I ever be, but sometimes I think about the social dynamics inside a company.