Wouldn’t you love to have a professional on hand to fit you for the right ballet shoes?

As a dancer, it’s crucial that you have the perfect shoe. Not only will it help you perform to the best of your abilities, but it will also help protect you from the foot, ankle, knee, and tendon injuries that dancers experience when practicing in the wrong shoes.

Some ballet instructors require students to purchase a certain shoe. But if you’re left to choose on your own, the process of selecting the right shoe can be confusing, especially if you have little dance experience or if you are buying shoes for your child.

To help you make the right choices, we’ve written this guide that lists the options available when buying ballet and pointe shoes, as well as tips on how to get the proper fit.

Ballet Shoes

Ballet shoes, or ballet slippers, are the original ballet shoe. During the mid-1700s, dancers began using more jumps and leaping turns during performances, and these steps required a dance shoe different from the traditional heeled shoe of court ballet. Marie Ann Cupis de Camargo, who debuted in Paris in 1726, is noted as one of the first to perform in flat ballet slippers.

Types of Ballet Shoes

Ballet shoes, often referred to as slippers, are available with either a full sole or a split sole. Your instructor’s recommendations, your experience, and your personal preference will determine which shoe you choose.

The simple construction of a full-sole ballet shoe often makes it a little less expensive than most split-sole shoes. Normally, a beginner ballet student will wear a full sole.

As the name indicates, the sole of this ballet slipper is made from a single piece of material. Some dancers believe the full sole offers a bit more support than a split sole. But, this extra support is minimal. Some pointe dancers prefer a full sole, claiming that the full sole is similar to the shank of a pointe shoe, but dancers disagree on this point. Unless you are an advanced dancer, this point shouldn’t be a factor in selecting your ballet shoe.

In contrast to the full sole, the split-sole ballet shoe has two pieces of material in the sole: one piece from the arch to the toes, and one piece from the arch to the heel. The seam created where these two pieces connect at the arch of the foot makes the split sole more form-fitting than the full sole. The split sole is very popular because the split accentuates the natural lines of the foot.

Both the full-sole and split-sole shoes have suede patches on the bottom: one under the toes, and one under the heel. These patches provide the right amount of friction between the shoe and the floor.

Ballet shoes are held on the foot by elastic. In some full-sole beginner shoes, the elastic is pre-sewn across the instep. But because pre-sewn elastic does not provide the best fit, shoe manufacturers also sell both full-sole and split-sole dance shoes with the elastic included but not pre-sewn. When you buy dance shoes, if the description notes that the elastic is “attached at heel,” you must finish sewing the elastic on after purchasing.

Materials in Ballet Shoes

You can buy ballet shoes, both full-sole and split-sole, in either canvas or leather.

Canvas is less expensive than leather, and it is also cooler and more lightweight. One of the greatest benefits of canvas shoes is that they are washable, and they dry quickly.

For several reasons, many dancers prefer leather over canvas ballet shoes. The first reason is that leather more easily conforms to the shape of your foot. And, although neither material will stretch very much, leather sometimes offers a bit more stretch than canvas. Many dancers also choose leather ballet shoes, because they generally last longer than canvas shoes.

Ballet Shoe Sizing and Fit

Sizing is different on nearly every single ballet shoe. For example, your favorite manufacturer’s leather split sole may have different sizing than their canvas split sole.

Each manufacturer will explain how to convert your “street shoe” size to your ballet-shoe size. In most cases, your ballet-shoe size will be 2 to 3 sizes smaller than your street-shoe size. If you’re buying shoes for a child who wears a 3, 4, or 5 in child-sized street shoes, he or she may actually wear a small women’s ballet shoe.

Ballet shoes should have a very snug fit. If you’re buying for a young, growing dancer, you might be tempted to purchase shoes that are too large, expecting that your child will grow into them. But this is not recommended. A ballet shoe that fits improperly can be dangerous, and since regular practice will wear out any pair of ballet shoes within a few months, it’s best to buy shoes that fit properly.

When selecting your ballet-shoe size, the shoe should fit so that that there is no extra room. At the same time, the shoes should not be so tight that your toes curl under. When you point your foot, the heel of the shoe should not slip off, and there should be no gap between your foot and the inside of the shoe.

Pointe Shoes

If you are buying pointe shoes, you should have received instruction from your dance teacher on selecting the shoe that is best for you. And, you should only buy pointe shoes if a dance instructor has said that you’re ready to begin pointe.

If you’re a parent who wants to buy pointe shoes because your young dancer wants to try them out, or because your daughter is dressing as a dancer for Halloween, you should consider a different purchase. Pointe shoes can be dangerous. For information on how important it is to use pointe shoes properly, read our post on why you must begin pointe at the right time.

Parts of a Pointe Shoe

Pointe Shoe

Each pointe shoe has several parts. See our diagram for reference.

The length of the vamp may vary depending on what brand of pointe shoe you buy. If you have longer toes, you will need to look for a shoe with a longer vamp.

The shank of the pointe shoe is usually available in several levels of stiffness. If you need more support, you will need to choose a shoe with a stiffer shank.

Some pointe shoes have a drawstring, which is usually located at the throat of the shoe. The drawstring, if included, can be used to pull the heel of the shoe more tightly to your foot.

The ribbon or elastic of a pointe shoe holds the shoe on your foot. Ribbons are never attached by the manufacturer, and you must sewn them on after purchase. Unlike ballet shoes, a pointe shoe purchase does not usually include the ribbon or elastic. You will need to remember to add ribbon or elastic to your order.

You have several options when buying ribbon or elastic for your pointe shoes. You can purchase regular ribbon, elasticized ribbon, or elastic. Elasticized ribbon is recommended for dancers who need extra support for tendonitis. When buying ribbon or elastic, it’s best to buy the same brand as your shoes so that the colors will match.

Although you have options when choosing your vamp, shank, ribbon, and drawstring, the remaining parts of most pointe shoes are very similar. There is one exception to this rule, however, and we will discuss it in the next section.

Materials in Pointe Shoes

Most pointe shoes are made from cardboard, which is pasted and compressed to form the box and the shank. These traditional materials provide the right support, but they don’t last very long. Body heat and sweat both break down the cardboard, and with use, the shoes provides less support and must be replaced.

Gaynor Minden is the first manufacturer to abandon the use of cardboard in pointe shoes. High-tech polymers replace the pasted cardboard, and the Gaynor Minden company describes its shoe, created by Eliza Minden, as nearly unbreakable. The shank is still available in varying levels of stiffness, and the shoe is lined with several types of foam, tape, and gel inserts that provide cushion and support. If you are purchasing Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, you must be specially fitted for them. You will need to make careful decisions when buying these shoes, because they don’t break in like other pointe shoes. When buying Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, you will need to specify the overall length of the shoe, the box width, the midfoot width, the shank stiffness, the vamp size, and the heel height.

Sizing Pointe Shoes

As with ballet shoes, the sizing for pointe shoes varies by company, and you will need to convert your street-shoe size to find the manufacturer’s sizing.

When sizing your pointe shoes, there should be absolutely no extra room in the shoe. Because getting a perfect fit for pointe shoes is so important, you should not buy your first pair without help from a dance professional. If you get the wrong shoes, not only will you be unable to perform, but you will also put yourself at high risk of injury.

Tips for Fitting Any Dance Shoes

For all dance shoes, when you’re finding the right fit, wear the tights that you’ll use while dancing. Also, make sure that you get the right fit for each foot, not just for one! And, ask your dance instructor for advice when you have questions. You want the best fit possible, so when you’re shopping for dance shoes, remember to take our advice, and take your time!

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