Starting ballet?

Question:

Starting ballet?

ive always wanted to learn ballet but i never could afford it and now that im 19 with a job ive decided to go for it. Ive already found a school that will work with me and everything i just wanted to ask: what should i do about the shoes? the lady i spoke to said that any shoes would do for the first few classes because we would be doing more stretching than anything, but im still a bit concerned about after.

i researched some ballet shoes and there are so many different brands and types. there are points and split toe and some other ones.
so i guess what im asking is what is a good shoe for a beginner?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: please listen to me, i work in a dance shop. you dont need pointes because you arent doing pointe. that said, there are several different flat shoe options- leather, canvas, full sole, split sole. no way is anyone paying $60 for child shoes unless theyre getting HOSED by the shop. They dont even retail for that much. Ok. Here's the deal, canvas doesnt stretch as much as leather, nor does it last as long. beyond that, its a matter of prefernce, what feels more comfortable to you. sidenote:all canvas shoes are split sole, ill get to that in a second. if you want to try canvas, the most common brands are bloch and sansha. capezio also makes one, as does grishko and merlet. like any dance shoe, the shape of your foot will help determine which style is the best fit for your foot. grishko canvas is a gorgeous shoes, but many people without tapered narrow feet find them a bit tight, even in a wider width. the merlet is by far the prettiest canvas, i find the sole is really tangible through the bottom fo the shoe, but it may not bother you. personally, im not a huge fan of canvas, but there are people who swear by them. they can run up to about $40 dollars depending on the brand. sanshas we sell for 19. generally, you want pink slippers, but theyre available in black and white as well.

leather shoes come in both full and split sole, same color options as canvas. be aware that ballet pink is almost more of a tan/peachy kinda color, in order to match ballet tights. i prefer split because it shows off the line of the foot better. if you want a full sole, as they are a bit cheaper, i suggest the capezio daisey 205. usually runs about $20 for adult sizes. my personal favorite shoe, period, is the bloch leather split sole. its a leather shoe with a canvas insert where the sole plits. very durable, nice lines, not expensive, about 30. some other nice split soles if you have a different selection available at your local shop are capezio juliette leathers.

please dont go to payless. their ballet shoes are filled with some sort of foam liner that tears, the shoes is vinal and will rip within a few classes, if it makes it through one class, and youll need to get new ones repeatedly. makes the investment for a good pair now. i would suggest discountdance.com AFTER you go through your first pair, because you really need a pro fitting. no style runs the same as another, and most dont run according to street shoe size. when you try on the shoes, remember that the extra space in a ballet shoe si actually in the hell, so your toes should be as close to the front f the shoe as possible while still laying flat when standing. if the knuckles bend, you need a longer shoe. if you sit down and pull the toe, there should appear a small gap, thats the space you have in them for them to stretch.

also, many brands do not come with attached elastic. i will be happy to follow up and give you directions on how to properly attach the elastic, however, canvas and some leather sometimes come with it partially done. in that ase, you can just tie the loose ends. frankly, you dont even really need the leastic, the shoe wont come off if fits correctly! If you are struggling with money, i suggest you just wear any shoes because dance shows can be very expensive particually if you dont know if it is something that you will be doing for a long period of time.

Although if you do want to spend the money, maybe some block shoes? However Im not a ballet dancer but i am a dancer but in other styles...im thinking of starting ballet though.

I suggest you speak to the lady and say that you want to buy dance shows but am not sure which ones.

Or speak to a shop assistant in a dance shop...they will usually know what they are talking about.

Good Luck! And happy dancing, twinkle toes! get your basic ballet shoe. you can find them @ payless shoesource. the point shoes are for more advanced ballerinas. start off w/ your basic ballet shoes (they come in black or pink, and made of leather) pointe shoes are not the one for beginners, when u start learning pointe, only then u'll need to use them...
maybe u can search in amazon.com
ballet flats It depends are you doing point? I doubt it since you are a beginner but I dont' know how much natural skill you lready have. Once you get into it though it is going to get very expensive we pay 60 dollars for my 6 yr olds shoes and she just has regular split soul Leather shoes. Comfort is the key though. Go to: http://www.allaboutdance.com they have all the styles there and they are at a good price as well. Also ask your teacher what you should be buying she will tell you. Hey!
Ive been doing ballet for 12 years and im only 15! So from my expierience i would say that you need a basic ballet shoe, split sole usually feel and perform better. Go for leather as they last a lot longer than satin and a skin like colour. If you are worried about the price then go on ebay. My ballet shoes cost around ￡20 but they do last a log time.
Well done for choosing ballet! Its a great dance, and keeps you really fit. If you are still unsure about the shoes go to a local dance shop- you can usually find in the yellow pages- and just say that you are a complete begginer and need ballet shoes. They'll help you out- just remember what i said about the leather!
Click on the link below- it'l take you to a really good ballet shoe that i recommend! These ones cost ￡5.95! Great bargin! Wear whatever you feel most comfortable with for the first few classes. Go to a dance store and look for ballet flats. A salesperson can really help you decide which of the many choices are right for you.

imo, a part of what makes ballet so fun is dressing the part. Traditional ballet flats are usually leather, although many people prefer the canvas flats. You do not need to spend more than $20 on a pair of ballet flats.

Split-sole conform to the arch of your foot and often look nicer. They are also a bit more expensive than full sole. Either will be fine for you as a beginner. Although it is hard to go wrong with slippers, you do want to make sure that they fit the width of your foot as well as the length, especially since the sizing is often different from your street shoe size. Again, a salesperson at a dance store will be a great help in determining what works best for your foot.

And finally, with time, the slippers will mold to your foot so if they look a *little* off at first, that's ok. Good luck and happy dancing! :) Good job researching first...thats important. If your just starting ballet, you want a ballet shoe, not a pointe shoe. They come in leather and canvas and full sole and split sole. Going for economical, I would try to find a canvas split sole, but make sure it still fits your foot. The Capezio Canvas Juliet II is a great shoe, and tends to fit many kinds of feet very well. I would strongly suggest finding your local dancewear store and trying on shoes, because ordering online is dangerous and you never know what you might get. When trying them on, if its a canvas shoe, make sure the shoe is slightly snug, and fits more like a sock than a shoe. It should not inhibit your foot from moving at all, and should feel very natural and comfortable. In a leather shoe, the shoe should be more snug, because its going to streach. It is normal for your toes to be a little scrunched in the shoe, and they will flatten out once the shoe streaches. I wouldn't bother with a full sole ballet shoe, because even though it will make your foot work harder, it wont show your arch at all. Hope that helps! pink leather soft shoes, normal sole freed dance shop is the best place to get them DO NOT get point shoes or split sole yet. Hope this helps :D ok pointe shoes arent worn till a dancer is more experienced. I'd suggest split soles ones (theyre a bit easier to bend than the well...non split soles) also theyre worn by older ballet students. go to daskin to the dance shoppe (im pretty sure they have websites) capezio is a popular brand name too. Just google soft sole ballet slippers and a bunch of options will come up. There should b little or no room at the end of the shoes. go with ur regular shoe size. I'd get a pair of slippers and take sneakers and the slippers to the class to b on the safe side you will need flat ballet shoes. DO NOT GET POINTE SHOES!!! since you are a beginner you could seriously hurt yourself. you would have to find the closest dance store to you, and go there to try on shoes, to decide what size and width you are, and if you prefer canvas, leather, split sole, or full sole. either is fine it just depends on what you prefer Mmkay. No pointe shoes for you. Just, don't even imagine what it would be like for at least two years. Then, it doesn't really matter what kind. I prefer Sansha canvas ballet slippers with split-sole personally.

But... leather is good because it molds to the shape of you feet. Canvas is cheaper and can be washed. Split sole is easier to work with, but full sole teach you how to point your feet more.

As to the brand, Sansha, Capezio, and so on a so forth, it's not really that important with ballet slippers. Oh, and please don't get your shoes at payless.They will be peices of crap. Really.