Breaking in pointe shoes?

Question:Do I need to break in new pointe shoes? What is the best way to do that?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Do I need to break in new pointe shoes? What is the best way to do that?

Here is a video that shows you, how to break in your new pointe shoes.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pX-PNqJr9z4

Many dancers will break in their pointes by hand, but since you are new, I don't recomend you do that, because there is always the risk of snapping the shank. Wear them in. Do plies and tendus in them. Talk to your teacher about other ways of breaking them in.

Yes, yes, yes! That is the whole point in being able to dance in Pointe shoes if you get new ones. The number one most important thing is not to break in Pointe shoes manually (if you have seen Center Stage and the scene were all the female dancers are banging their Pointe shoes and trapping them in the door, never ever do that to your shoes, you’ll do much more harm to your shoes!!), try some simple warm up Pointe exercises. The trick is to let your feet mold into your Pointe shoes.

I’d suggest these exercises. They are normally the most common and best for breaking into new Pointe shoes. Be patient, breaking in new Pointe shoes might take a while, depending on how often you use them.

1) Just try some simple rises in first, second, fourth and fifth position at the barre and take sure you go through demi Pointe to get onto full Pointe while going up and down again. With new shoes take it easy and slow and do this five times each day in the sequence. The main purpose with this exercise is to feel the Pointe shoe and don’t cling to the barre, hold onto it only for support, while using your center core to keep your balance.

2) Try some échappés in first, second, forth and fifth position at the barre. Do about 10 changing feet in each position, take this slow and easy too and once you gain more confidence, make your pace a little fast and then a little faster again. But make sure you are always in control of your center and if you feel unstable at any time stop and start again at a slower pace. Do this exercise every day about five times in the sequence.

3) Also try standing at the barre on full demi pointe in turnout in first and second for about 15 seconds in each position and then rest for a few seconds, shake your feet out and then repeat again. This may be painful at first because the block of the shoes is hard and if it gets too hard to stay for 15 seconds cut it down to 10 and then work upwards. If you can stay longer then 15 seconds until it starts to get too difficult that is great! Work at your pace. Do this every day as well about three times.

Remember: always do exercises and Pointe work that are at your ability and push yourself but never to the point of causing an injury, especially when on Pointe shoes. Also speak to your dance/ballet teacher because they will know your ability as a dancer more personally and ask for their advice about what “breaking” exercises for Pointe shoes are best for you, because every dancer is different.

I hope this helps! =) Good Luck and Happy Dancing!

if its your very first time on pointe, you shouldnt break them in too much. beginners need a somewhat hard shoe to support them. when i first started pointe, i broke in my pointe shoes by hand. i took the toe part and the heel part and bended, bended, bended. youll hear a cracking noise. DONT WORRY! its almost impossible to actually snap your pointe shoes in half. even if you try really hard, they dont snap. ive tried before lol. so just bend them till you start to hear cracking. then, you can stop, because as you dance with them more and more, theyll get softer and softer. dont think that you need to break them in in order to get a good arch. many beginnners have striaght-line arches. its something that takes ALOT of practice. it doesnt have much to do with breaking in your shoes. hope this helps!