How long do your pointe shoes last?

[Nicola H]

3 hours ago, Ballet4ever said:

my Dd is currently wearing freed but is breaking the shank very easily not so much the block can anyone recommend another alternative shoe that has a harder shank? She has strong feet and arches but not so much the instep tia 

 

 which maker  , which shank  strength ? 

[Legseleven]

DD had one pair of Freeds - which died shank-wise after approximately an hour, even though this was when she was a relatively new pointe student and not doing an awful lot in them. Better luck with Bloch hard shanks (although one pair started to squeak positively agonisingly as they reached the end of their life - amusing but embarrassing) and with Grishko hard shanks and is now using Gaynor Minden hard shanks; even they are more ‘mortal’ then expected but they have lasted for c 8 months of pretty heavy use (RAD Advanced) before the shanks start to feel precarious.

[Ballet4ever]

8 hours ago, Nicola H said:

 

 which maker  , which shank  strength ? 

She has had different makers but currently has butterfly and shank I’m sure they give her the strongest she’s not new to pointe work just thinking about a different brand 

[balletbean]

11 hours ago, hoglett said:

She did have a pair of GM and I completely agree about the nightmare that was the ribbons!  She liked them at first but fell out of love with them. We have a brilliant fitter who spends ages making sure she gets the right ones. Her first ever pair were Bloch and she's had Freed and Grishko as her feet/strength  have changed.  She loves Bloch European and they do look lovely on - it's just she's getting through them quickly.  @balletbean she's currently Grade 6 and Intermediate.  Does roughly between 2 - 6 hours a week - rehearsing for performance at the minute. @Jane she does have 2 pairs but leaves them on longer than an hour so I've told her what you've said and she'll try that. She's also admitted she's not been letting them air so we've discussed that too. Maybe let her continue with these for now with a show coming up and then try one of the others you've recommended.  I've also asked her to discuss them with her teacher. Thanks everyone. 

Letting shoes air and rotating the pairs worn is an intergral part of pointe work. Whilst having two pairs on the go also offers that ‘backup’ should one pair die first so they are never without. It’s also important that the gel pads/ouch pouch etc are removed whilst the shoes hang up to ‘dry’. I would like to think that all dancers know not to store their Pointes in the plastic back that they are sold in but rather a purpose made mesh style pointe shoe bag. So easy to stuff them in a ballet bag between lessons until the next class. 

 

Using the liquid glue (Sunday morning brain forgotten the name) can be poured inside the box and drizzled over the lower shank to stiffen and extend the life of new shoes. 

 

Last thing to remember, as Freed use all natural substances incl glue in the manufacture of their shoes it is imperative that these shoes are Dried and then not stored back near or in damp or even areas that are prone to condensation incl. (sweaty, ballet kit bags). 

 

As so many have mentioned, one pair/manufacture whilst working for one doesn’t mean to say it’s right fit or works for the same age/level dancer as the next. Great to seek advice from others but do rely on the fitter and dancer to know what’s the right shoe for them. 

 

Good luck to everyone seeking the perfect Pointe shoe. 🙆‍♀️

 

[FlexyNexy]

My DD has always 2 pairs on the go (Grishko hard shank)...one is drying and other in her bag ready for class. She is using also shoes hardener like jet glue or similar Johnson wood wax product. It does the job.
 

[shygirlsmum]

DD has always worn freed (i think because MA teacher recommended them) the last pair were fitted in London and DD has just dropped the bombshell that she can’t get up properly on them and they are twisting this is a week before her RAD intermediate exam.  The shoes are in decent condition as DD doesn’t do that much pointe (they are about 5 weeks old) so I’m really disappointed that we were sold the wrong shoes and frustrated that DD didn’t speak up earlier.  

Fortunately dance teacher sourced some Bloch which are apparently much better.  Not ideal to get them dance ready so close to exam but at least she has some shoes.

Has anyone else been disappointed with fitting service at the London stores?

[FlexyNexy]

Dancia in Covent Garden stocks many brands and my DD tried many before she found band/ model she is absolutely happy with. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. We visited many stores including Freed and Bloch but she never been back.

[Pointetoes]

DD had an awful time with Freed. At the fitting she was being told a shoe fitted beautifully and we both looked at each other and asked to try another size/style etc. This carried on with the fitter consistently going back to the original pair. Thankfully DD is experienced enough and brave enough to walk away. The main issue we had was they couldn’t understand or get their heads around the fact that she only has size 2.5/3 feet even though she is 17   They were insistent that her feet were bigger ( they are not ); and therefore the shoes kept twisting. We now stick with Dancia. 

[shygirlsmum]

Thanks for responding will try Dancia next time.

[daughtersdance]

My dd1 can also kill pointe shoes in a few hours! She is 16 and non vocational but has these super bendy feet,  lovely to look at but not for my wallet. She has gone through lots of Grishko's, she tried all the Gm's at Dancique but the fitter said no, not supportive enough.😑  So we came away with Russian pointe which lasted about the same as Grishko. However the shoe that has lasted the longest for my daughter is...Capezio Airess in firm or maxifirm ordered in at our local pointe fitters. Sewing in the ribbons is a challenge though as they have a suede lining. But definitely the longest lasting for her.

Edited April 19, 2018 by daughtersdance
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[RachelC]

On 19/09/2012 at 09:40, BankruptMum said:

I am thinking about letting her try Gaynor Mindens but to be honest I still hear good and bad so dont 

Grishko (especially if you avoid the pro flex) have been the strongest shoe she has had to date but there are limited styles available in the UK none of which she find suitable.

 

If you live even remotely near Essex there is a fantastic Grishko fitter who has a huge range of styles, she is the only stockist in the UK for some of them.

 

I wore Freeds while training and I also found the platform went before the shank, so I would put a little pointe shoe glue on them over the weekend ready for the next week of classes. I now wear Gaynor Mindens and would never go back.

[Anna C]

18 hours ago, shygirlsmum said:

Thanks for responding will try Dancia next time.

 

In my experience, it's the fitters that can make or break a customer's good relationship with the shop.  In the 7 years she's been en pointe, my dd has had one bad (sometimes terrible) fitting in Dancia, Capezio, Bloch and even once in Freed.  

Likewise, over the years she's had excellent fittings in Bloch, Freed, and Dancia recently (although now she "fits" her own Gaynors so to be fair, the fitter didn't have to do as much).

 

There are only two London shops she doesn't bother with at all for shoes, and those are Capezio and Sansha.  

Dancia, Bloch and Freed are all worth trying more than once because unlike Capezio and Sansha, the fitting service is usually good or excellent, with the odd bad fitter being the exception rather than the rule. 

 

In Freed, dd still insists on seeing Beth, Sophie or Jade if she needs to change Maker for any reason.   

 

Fittings get so much easier when the student has several years' experience, knows what works for them and what they should or shouldn't be feeling.  With younger students I think mistakes can be made in almost any shop, to be honest.  I wouldn't recommend ruling out a pointe shoe brand or a shop based on one experience alone.   Had we done that, we'd never have returned to Dancia seven years ago, but fitters change and with them, the whole experience. 

 

 

 

 

[shygirlsmum]

20 hours ago, Anna C said:

 

In my experience, it's the fitters that can make or break a customer's good relationship with the shop.  In the 7 years she's been en pointe, my dd has had one bad (sometimes terrible) fitting in Dancia, Capezio, Bloch and even once in Freed.  

Likewise, over the years she's had excellent fittings in Bloch, Freed, and Dancia recently (although now she "fits" her own Gaynors so to be fair, the fitter didn't have to do as much).

 

There are only two London shops she doesn't bother with at all for shoes, and those are Capezio and Sansha.  

Dancia, Bloch and Freed are all worth trying more than once because unlike Capezio and Sansha, the fitting service is usually good or excellent, with the odd bad fitter being the exception rather than the rule. 

 

In Freed, dd still insists on seeing Beth, Sophie or Jade if she needs to change Maker for any reason.   

 

Fittings get so much easier when the student has several years' experience, knows what works for them and what they should or shouldn't be feeling.  With younger students I think mistakes can be made in almost any shop, to be honest.  I wouldn't recommend ruling out a pointe shoe brand or a shop based on one experience alone.   Had we done that, we'd never have returned to Dancia seven years ago, but fitters change and with them, the whole experience. 

 

 

 

 

We have been fitted in freed London 4 times now, twice she has been sold custom shoes, not custom for DD but someone else (both died pretty quickly) twice with Studios professional, she had been fitted the studios pros by a local fitter and London fitter was initially a bit snippy about that shoe for a young dancer before admitting she had nothing more suitable.  Locally she has always had Studios pros but as we often travel to London we thought that best option to buy shoes there.

We once had a fitting in London Bloch but they couldn’t find a good fit so we didn’t buy any, however, teacher has fitted DD with Bloch and both are happy (dd’s feet have grown and gained strength since Bloch London unsuccessful fitting).

I guess we will keep trying 😕