I can find the right pointe shoes ANYWHERE! Please Help!?

I can't seem to find pointe shoes that are available where I live (U.S.) That fit my foot shape. I dance for fun, not for competition or to become a proffesional, so my parents are refusing to buy me shoes over and over till I find the perfect one, since this isn't my career. They don't want me to get hurt though (and neither do I), so I really need to know what brand of shoe is right for me.





I have short, uneven length, slightly tapered toes.


I have a long, wide (not narrow) foot (size 9 womens')


I have between a medium and high arch.


I have strong feet that tend to wear shoes out more quickly, but weak ankles, so I'm constantly needing to get new shoes.





I can afford to keep buying new shoes because they wear out or they don't fit me well. I hear Gaynors last quite a while, but I want to know if there are other options for my foot-type.

I can find the right pointe shoes ANYWHERE! Please Help!?
Hi, great question and I'm happy to help.





I agree -- finding the right pointe shoe is hard for some and easy for others. I was one of those people who hit it right off with their pointe shoes and haven't really changed them since. =]





For your foot type, I would recommend a Russian brand. Russian brands are built to support medium to high arches and strong feet, because that's only what they accept in the Vaganova schools over there. Russian shoes, also, tend to run hard in their shanks, so with them, Soft is the new Medium.





I would recommend Griskhos. Griskho, though a Russian brand, has obvious signs of English and American influence. They take the best from the English and American shoes -- the support for the upper arch and ankle -- and blend it perfectly with the famous Russian arch support.





I don't know if you've tried Grishko's before, but I highly recommend them.





English and American brands -- Bloch, Eva, Capezio, Sansha, Freed -- are built for low arches and and therefore unsupported feet. These do not sound like your feet, so I recommend a Russian brand, particularly Griskho.





I would recommend killers and scrunches to strengthen those ankles. Killers are basically relevés, except in great numbers and rather fast. I would recommend for your first time try 60 killers. Then slowly progress up.





Scrunches are where you take a towel and lay it on the ground. Then you lay your toes on top of it and scrunch them, so that you bring the towel toward you slowly. This will not only strengthen your ankles, but also your entire foot which is usually neglected -- upper and inner arches, lower ankle, heel, and tarsals.





Good luck and hope I helped.♥
Reply:Hey lovie, not only have I fit pointe shoes for years, I had very similar issues. Gaynors are nice, but theyre very expensive, and I personally found that they wear out very fast if you have strong feet.


Some brands I'd suggest trying on:


Gamba 93 or 97


Capezzio Contempora


Merlet Empriente


Capezio Glisse








I think the one I'd really like for you would be a Grishko Foutter or 2007


Chacott Veronese (great shoe, but softer than the others Ive mentioned)
Reply:Without a doubt Gaynor Minden is the choice for you. Go to http://dancer.com and take a look at their sizing charts.





Regards,
Reply:Go to discountdance.com





They have types of pointe shoes





Hope this helps



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