How Do You Prepare Pointe Shoes For Dancing?
• Before your first class, bend your pointe shoe a bit at the arch. Don’t bend the area between the arch and demi-pointe area; this will weaken the shoe’s support. Do some relevees from demi pointe to pointe. If you feel uncertain about this, ask a teacher to do it the first time. However, if you use only a little pressure, it will not hurt the shoe. • Break in the box (front part) of the shoes by gently pressing the top until it gives a little. This makes it wider and more comfortable for your toes. Do not use harsh pressure, or extreme methods such as hammering them, unless you are very experienced! This will likely cause the shoe to crack or break, and be weak in areas. For your first class, try to keep this kind of breaking-in minimal, just enough do that the shoes are wearable. If you are not experienced you may end up damaging the shoes! The best way to break in shoes is by dancing in them. As you become more experienced, you will be able to figure out how to break in your shoes
