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I had my first pointe shoe fitting today (exciting!) but after leaving I have a few concerns as it didn't really go the way I was expecting and I'm not a huge fan of the shoes themselves... By way of background, I'm 23 years old, started dancing three years ago and am starting IF this year. My teacher has just approved me for pointe and told me to go see a particular fitter at a particular store because my teacher trusts her. My feet are two different sizes (very different) and I have a disappearing heel which I've been told will make my feet hard to fit. I went in prepared with this knowledge but I'm still a little disappointed with how it played out. First of all, the fitter didn't ever actually look at my feet... She told me to take my socks off and pull my tights (convertible) down all with her back to me. So she never got a sense of length of toes, shape of toes, height, width, anything. Never considered toe spacers when I know my big toe points inwards slightly. She gave me some ouch pouches and then just thrust shoes at me. The first ones she tried were Bloch European Balance and she decided they weren't right, so she tried Bloch Heritage (I think they only stocked bloch) which she said she loved. I then asked if there were any others I could try on, if for no other reason than to feel what the wrong shoe feels like. Her and the assistant both looked at me like I was crazy and refused, the main fitter saying 'if you want to feel bad shoes, put the Euro Balance back on'. So I did, and on flat it feels like my feet are being squashed, they're actually painful and I was getting pins and needles in the 5 minutes I was just standing in them. When up en pointe they felt fine as my heel gets smaller and they size is just right. The fitter says 'well you'll be up there all the time so it doesn't matter what it feels like on flat, besides, this is ballet not basketball you just have to deal with it'. And then decides that it's the Euro Balances she previously didn't like which are now the perfect shoe and that's what she sold me... My question is - will they stretch at all through wearing? Will they feel better when they're broken in? Are they really supposed to be that tight? Is it better to fit to a pointed foot than a flat one? I'm so new to this, I really don't know what to be concerned about and what is normal, but it was a pretty unpleasant experience and sort of soured my excitement at finally being ready to progress. My teacher still has to approve them before I sew anything and I'll raise my concerns with her, but I'm a little worried that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill and I don't want to insult a fitter she clearly trusts and sends all her students to. Sorry for the essay, any advise greatly appreciated!

Hi its very likely ny husband will be in the Crewe/manchester/liverpool area next week (we live in New Zealand). What are the danceshops he should be visiting to buy for our aspiring ballerina? Thanks