How to break in your pointe shoes
Pointe shoes are every dancers dream, but when it comes to new pointe shoes they can be a HUGE burden. Hard shanks, tight boxes, and difficult to dance in, new pointe shoes are sadly something every dancer will have to deal with. But fear not! Because properly breaking in your pointe shoes can make them easier to dance in and help mould the shoe to your foot. Follow these three tips to help break in your pointe shoes, so you’ll have one less thing to worry about while dancing.
1. Use your hands to mould the shoe
As weird as this might sound, working through your pointe shoes with your hands will help make the shoe less stiff and much easier to dance in. One suggestion is to prop one foot onto pointe and fold over the heel of the pointe shoe. Next, place your thumbs under where your heel and arch meet in your pointe shoe (there should be a little gap there). Then, push down and bend the shank to a desired shape. Do not fully break the shank! Yes, many dancers do break their shanks, or even cut them. But this is very advanced and if done incorrectly can cut down your pointe shoe's life dramatically! Play around for what works for you.
2. Prance around
Prancing does WONDERS for breaking in your pointe shoes, and it is my personal favourite. It’s super simple too! All you have to do is stand in sixth position (feet parallel) while holding on to the barre (or a wall), and roll your feet from one foot on pointe to the next. Make sure to go through every part of your shoe every time you transition from foot to foot; demi-pointe, ¾ pointe, and full pointe. I would recommend doing this at least for 16 counts, but if you want to go all out, 32 counts would be really helpful. Also, you have the choice on whether to plié (bend) your legs or not while doing this. When you plié your leg, you can push your pointe farther, but over all its what works for you.
3. Sit on your feet!
I know it might not make sense at first, but sitting on your feet while in pointe shoes is a game changer. But what I mean by sitting on your feet might not be what you’re imagining. To clarify, grab a barre (again or just a wall), go up on pointe in sixth position, and grande plié (bend your knees as much as you can). Then, push all your weight onto the front of your foot and box. Make sure not to SICILE your foot though! Overall, I love this stretch because it fully moulds your shoe to your arch’s full flexibility.
These three tips are sure to help your pointe shoes to break in, but still have the support yourfeet need. But don’t forget, the biggest thing that will help mould your shoes to your feet is simply to dance in them!