How To Break In Pointe Shoes
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BREAK IN POINTE SHOES
First, find where your arch breaks. You have to figure out where your natural arch breaks before bending the shank. The break is where the heel becomes the arch. Bend your foot to see where your arch naturally breaks.
Try to avoid bending the shank of your pointe shoe, since you might end up breaking the wrong part. If you were to break the wrong part of your shank, it would be very hard to go up on pointe.
Bend the shank at the natural break in your arch. After you’ve identified your natural break and marked it in your shoe, pry up the shank and bend it back and forth gently at the marked position. This will make the shank more pliable when you rise up on pointe. Remove the small nail that fastens the shank to your shoe.
Wear the shoe to mold the break. Put on the shoe and extend your foot from flat to demi pointe to begin molding the break. This will help you know the exact shape of your foot in your shoe.
Mold the shoe with your hands. Remove the shoe and gently mold the area of the shank where your natural arch breaks. Work the area with your hands, following your mark and the shape your foot has made. Molding the shoe where your arch naturally breaks will make rising in your shoes more comfortable and increase the life of your shoes.
Since you previously wore your shoe to begin molding the break, the heat from your foot will have been enough to shape your shank well. There’s no designated left or right ballet shoe - your own feet will determine this as they break in the shoe. Label each shoe to make sure you’re consistently putting on your shoes until they are broken in enough to identify by sight.
Photo by David Hofmann
To soften the platform at the front of the shoe, you should step on it with the heel of your foot. Softening the box will make wearing pointe shoes much more comfortable. While some professionals slam the box in a doorway, avoid this method. Softening it this way could break the box (or your fingers!) if not done correctly.
Then, push on the box gently. Using your hands, move around the sides of the box to soften it. This will make the box more supple, allowing for a much less painful experience.
Photo by HighTechDad
Walk on demi pointe. After you have sewn the elastic and ribbons on your shoes, you can start exercises to further break in your new pointe shoes. Go onto demi pointe and walk around.
You should use your pointe shoes on a proper studio floor so the shoes will last longer. Take a break from walking around on demi pointe and occasionally arch your foot.
Photo by Hudson Hintze
Do some roll-throughs. Standing in first position bend one knee and rise to full pointe on your foot. Repeat this with both feet, rolling slowly back down. Then, work at the barre. Heat and perspiration from your foot will continue to aid molding your shoe to your foot as you work at the barre. You can do plies or relevé, making sure to work both feet equally.
Photo by quinn.anya
If you continue to do exercises like these, your shoes and feet will be ready to dance!
Photo by David Hofmann
