If I were teaching beginning pointe - I would definately allow padding, but only under supervision. For some people, padding is necessary. For example, if a student has a second toe longer than the first, she may need her first toe padded so it becomes equal length the the second, reducing discomfort. Too many students at my studio now are dismayed that pointe "hurts so much" and are searching for the "perfect" padding and end up buying shoes too big to accomodate the excess padding - this I don't think is correct!<P>Was my initial pain worth the effort? Well, I don't have blisters now, and the discomfort is minimal. Would I do it all over again, the same way? Probably...I feel I can feel the floor much better without the padding.<P>Our teacher (back when I was beginning pointe) told us that if we couldn't stand the pain of beginning pointe - we shouldn't dance, since women are "made to dance in pointe shoes." (He was trained by Balanchine - go figure.) We lost 6 girls the first week - they were in too much pain, probably from strange toe configurations such as the 2nd toe longer than the first, etc. I think that such strict rules should NOT be enforced - if a teacher wants to LIMIT the kind of padding (to lambswool, for example) fine...but don't cut off a young woman's dream of dance because she simply can't handle it without a little help!

Bree - that is really a terrific answer - you have obviously given this a lot of thought. <P>And, yes, I agree - too much padding is certainly not right either. And using padding under the teacher's supervision is surely part of the solution.<P>And you are right again - the point of being a teacher is to help further dreams - not cut them off.<P>Do you want to teach Bree?<P>

I'm doing okay for now without padding, but I think I'll want some big toe relief when we start doing more - and I have good news...Here in Canberra is a man who makes custom pointe shoe inserts. It's a craft that has been passsed from grandfather to father and now to son. This man is reputedly so good that great ballerinas such as Margot Fonteyn have sought him out in the past while on tour. I can't believe he lives in Canberra! Katharine - if you're reading - did you know about this guy?<P>Danni

Basheva, I would love to teach. I run into this problem: I have a lot of knowledge (don't want to sound conceited, but it's true). Definately not as much as you or Cabriole or any of the other mature people on this site(!), but I do know a lot. The problem is that I have been away from dance for too long, and the execution of that knowledge is difficult for me. I have taught, back when I was younger, and LOVED it. Oh well, maybe some day, when I get back into the swing of things!

Dear Bree,<P>I don't mean to be intrusive, but I was wondering about you. Are you trying to get back in the swing of things? I'm just curious, because I wonder if we are in similar places. I had been away from ballet for awhile, but have been asked to teach younger children. I'm trying to get in the swing of things, re-learn some of the basic skills, improve my knowledge, learn how to apply it to an actual class, etc. <P>I guess I was just curious what perspective you bring to this board. I always enjoy reading what you have to say. --Katheryn

Bree and Katheryn I think you both have started a stimulating discussion and I would like to make a new thread for it - so please follow me.........you will find your above posts already there......<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000387.html><B>WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN AWAY FOR AWHILE - GETTING BACK</B></A><BR>

AthenaCait posted this in another thread and I thought it would be helpful to have it here:<BR> <BR>AthenaCait posted:<P>I think it was very helpful for someone who had no experiance with Pointe shoe termenology (i.e. me ) <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/5503/pointeshoes.html#anatomy" TARGET=_blank>http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/5503/pointeshoes.html#anatomy</A> <BR>

Er, this sounds odd, but what about breaking in your _feet_ and slippers? I've heard some dancers ue the rubbing alcohol on their feet, but that sounds painful. And my slippers fit well, but is there anyway to make them last? They're split sole canvas, btw- next time I'm going for full sole canvas.

I go to the ballet boutique and stay there for about 1 hour trying to find the shoe that 'feels right'. Then I wear my pointe shoes all the time with a sock over them( I don't want them to look dirty) and just walk around the house, maybe doing rises on demi-pointe. I don't usually use my hands to break them but sometimes I steam them. <BR>I have never used ouch patches or toe cups or anything like that. I only use plasters around every finger.

Magadelena - I would not recommend putting alcohol on your feet. Don't do anything to affect the texture of the skin. Your feet will, in time, develop firmness in places they need to.<P>As for making them last longer - some people use floor wax, but I never found this worthwhile. I did find that if the fit of the shoe was really correct, and if I used them correctly (good placement) then the shoe would last a bit longer.<P>Did you know that sometimes in a full length ballet, like Swan Lake the ballerina "Odette/Odile" could sometimes go through three pairs of shoes? They are not made to last.<P>Annie - when you steam them - how do you do that without hurting your hands?<P><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited May 31, 2001).]

Hi!<BR>I was wondering, since I don't ever use anything in my shoes at all is that bad. Because I have been doing pointe for 2 years now. And not once have I ever put anything in my shoes or had to tape a blister once, because I have never gotten one. But is that bad. Because most people I tell think that is wierd and unnormal. And I was curious as to whether that is or not!<BR>Thanks.

Crazie4Dance....if it works for you, if you like to and are able to dance that way, and your feet are doing fine, and your teacher approves, then don't worry about what other people say.

To help with new pointe/demi pointes, one of my teachers suggested filling the shoe (just the vamp) with boiling water, tipping it out after 30seconds and putting them straight on your feet. The idea is that they will mould to your foot shape while cooling down. <BR>Apparently, this way you can avoid the "toe-sticking-up -look" (hope you know what I mean!)and help to soften the shoe.<P>I haven't been game enough to try it yet (well, they did cost me alot!); just wanted to ask your opinion on this one- has anyone tried it? Any negative results?<BR>Thanks alot

Dancelite - I have to admit that in over 31 yrs of dancing - I have never heard of this method. I, too, would hesitate. Wouldn't want to put my feet in there either so soon after boiling water. And I think handling a shoe while pouring in boiling water would be dangerous too.<P>Actually the more I think about it the less inclined I would be to try this. How would you hold the shoe while pouring the water? <B>NO</B> - this is not something I would try at all.<P>I have heard of wiping the outside of the shoe - vamps/wings - with alcohol and then putting your foot in to let it mold to the shape of your foot. I haven't done this either. I guess, I just never saw the need. Working it in my hands, and then wearing them - just seemed to do the trick for me.

I steam them by holding the shoe by its end above a teapot which has boiling water in it. As soon as the shoe is quite steamed, I hold it with my two hands and just try to brake it gently.