beckyl

Mods- can I respectfully request this be closed now? My original question was just about shank strength and it's my fault it's turned into this kind of discussion. Many thanks for everyone's help.

Anna- 10 is too big but a 9 was literally crushing my toe! Even stood flat my big toe was absolutely jammed against the platform (even without ouch pouches.) Yes, tried ouch pouches in the Gaynors. Also the full sockliner REALLY helped with the slight bagginess, they fit really well width wise! Kate- I have (but not for the foot pictures because I believe you can only request help from one mod.) They suggested the Grishko Fouette (which I tried but didn't like, without a drawstring they didn't fit at all,) Russian Muse (I have some on order, they should be here soon) and Suffolk Solo/Light.

Well... it depends. (Another slightly difficult factor.) TECHNICALLY on a Brannock device I am a size 3 1/2 (though I have never fitted my foot into this size shoe!) So in somewhere like Clarks I take a 4 size ballet flat style shoe. In other shops sometimes a 4 1/2 but I just bought some ballet flats in Topshop that are a 5. In boots I am always a size. In Ugg Boots I take a size 6. I was fitted in a 5 1/2 in a Grishko. In Bloch though, I'm tending to come up as a 6(?) This is with a thin, junior ouch pouch.

Absolutely, not blunt at all! I agree with you. I have had three visits to the local fitter and came up with nada. Anna, can you call and request a specific fitter at Freed? So I could say 'I would like to come on X, Y or Z date but I absolutely need to see Beth or Sophie?' Can anyone recommend a good fitter at Dancia in London (I have had a bad experience in a non-London Dancia in the past?) BUT... something very unexpected has happened! I had been talking very extensively with the Gaynor fitters for the past few weeks. Initially I'd tried a lot of sizes in Gaynors: originally they suggested a 7.5 N #3 in a sleek. I couldn't get my foot into the shoe and I assumed it was the box! So I tried a 8.0 M #4 in sleek. Heels did not stay on. Same for an 8.5 and a 9.0 and my toes were crushed. #4 box, really bruised toenail... anyway... the fitters persuaded me to give the #3 box one more try because from looking at the box and pictures of my feet that in toe configuration (despite very wide feet!) are actually an Egyptian/tapered foot. So I tried a 10 N #3 box sleek thinking I wouldn't get my foot into it at all- but I did! AND the box was not crushing my toe at all! They were unfortunately a touch too long so I am trying a 9.5 but... wow. The box shape made such a huge difference! (which incidentally, my local fitter doesn't really seem to regard. It's just like 'oh, try every shoe!' including some VERY square models such as the Bloch Aspiration.) So after swearing off Gaynors (OMG, THEY HAVE SUCH A LOW PROFILE, THAT'S WHAT GAVE ME THE BRUISED TOENAIL NEVER AGAIN!) I realized that I MIGHT be being tried in a wrong shaped box and that is what is making this huge difference. So that was kind of like an epiphany too. I think you are all right, I need to try a different more experienced fitter that is more open to a range of brands, and/or really experienced.

celb- I have used all manner of elastics unfortunately, but am considering a super soft shank in Grishko. Russian Pointes sound promising. Unfortunately, I can't get to London until October half term so I am going to keep trying a few things until then. If it's not sorted by then (and then I will have missed a half term of pointe work in my IF class- eek! But I can work on the other stuff right, I want the shoes to be *right* first.) I feel like we might be getting closer though!

Hi Moomin, heel seaming is definitely something I looked at (I toyed with doing it to the Novas but then realized it would make no difference!) I'm waiting for my stockists to get some Russian Pointes in: as a starting point we are trying the Muse and the Brava as a starting pointe (though I'm reading the Encore has a diamond shape and an elastic drawstring but only read this on one site- can anyone confirm?)

She thinks it is a combination of two things: 01. The shank in the Grishko is just too hard for my feet. and 02. My feet are very extreme in shape and because my heels are too narrow they just 'pop out.' So it's finding a balance of these two things (she thinks.) All she said is that I should avoid medium shank Grishkos (and I should go for super soft in this brand if it is the brand for me.) We looked through some styles together and came up with a 'shortlist' of the Bloch Amelie Soft (the vamp was too long,) the Contempora (which I haven't tried but suspect the vamp will be too long,) Plie II (on the capezio website they are over £90!) or the Bella (which was not tapered enough at the heel.) She says Capezio are hard to fit and none of the girls at my studio wear them. We talked about Sansha and she wasn't keen but suggested possibly the Etudes (but it has a long vamp,) the Ovation in the 3/4 shank or the FR Duval Model 01. I'm pretty far through the list now! Originally I was fitted for a 7.5 Gaynor- I couldn't get my foot in it, it was too short! Same all the way up to a size 9- standing flat on the floor in a Gaynor my big toe was pressing hard at the end of the shoe. This was all in the #4 box as I couldn't get my foot into a #3 box. Heels were popping off in every size- even the sleek heels were baggy around that area.

I have. She just says I have the narrowest heels I've ever seen compared to the width of my forefoot! She is very 'old school' (is in her seventies and was a pro dancer) and is kind of of that age where 'pointe shoes hurt' (she has the arthritis and the crippled feet to prove it!) and 'ballet is anything but fun.' Don't get me wrong, I adore her and she is an awesome teacher who is so encouraging to me. But she's kind of at a lost of what to try next... she is only really familiar with very limited styles of Bloch and Grishko.

Shank felt VERY hard in the classic pro (almost as hard as say the Bloch Sonata.) I didn't feel like I would be able to bend the shank in the Freeds at all! In terms of the length, I stand up in them then grand plie in 2nd. Loulabelle- yes, I suspect the wings might be part of the problem. If I go down the custom Freed route I understand I can ask for the without wing blocks? In terms of brands my teacher has suggested Freed (because she believes them to be the best.) But she is VERY open-minded and girls (especially in the adult class) wear all kinds: Bloch, Grishko, Russian Pointe and Gaynors. She very much believes in not being narrow-minded and try lots! I tried on a new brand today: even though the size was wrong it was at least promising. I tried the Bloch European Balance (as suggested) in a 5 XX. They were WAY too small! My toe was crunching against the end just standing! However, I think it's worth persevering with this shoe (oddly, with this shoe the XX felt crazily narrow considering it's supposed to be a 'wide' shoe in comparison with the Amelie?) Anyway, there was lots to like. The elastic drawstring barely needed any tightening. I loved the little cushion heel, they felt secure at the heel. The shank also felt hard, but not as hard as say, the Sonata. The fitter has ordered a 6 XXX to try. There was a lot I liked about it so I want to try again though unfortunately I suspect the vamp may be a bit too long. So even though they didn't fit I feel like with a few tweaks they *might* work?

Thanks, Kate. My feet hardly compress at all! I tried on three new styles today and none were 'the one' either so came home empty handed: I tried on a pair of stock Freed Classic pros. They were size 6 XX, fish maker (I can't find any info online on how he makes his shoes though.) I didn't like them at all. They were too low in the profile, too long and too narrow (there was no 5.5 XXX in stock.) I hated the shank, it was way too hard. The only thing I did like was the elastic drawstring. Next I tried Capezio Bella in 7.5 W. The fitter commented Capezios don't really suit a lot of people(?) Even with the elastic drawstring they were way too big at the heel so I quickly discarded them. I was close to bringing home a pair of Bloch Amelie soft, they were very close to being what I wanted. I tried on a size 5 in XX. They ticked almost all the boxes and I tried them on and I tried them three times before reluctantly leaving them behind (I promised myself unless they were perfect that they weren't coming home and I stuck to it wholeheartedly however much it sucked!) They fitted really well in the length and width. The drawstring was nice. Box was OK but had a few suspicious looking creases that indicated they weren't quite right (maybe a bit narrow?) Heel felt secure, were staying on in an unbroken-in demi plie. No bagging at the heel. Shank ended just before the heel. I struggled a bit to get over the box but nothing major. Unfortunately I had to say 'no' as the vamp was too long, it came up way over my 'bunion' joint and felt a bit ouchy there. The soft shank felt like it would mould well but I promised I would not settle for anything other than perfect. Going to try a few more tomorrow after work (hopefully!) as local dance shop have some new stock. Hopefully every 'no' is closer to a yes!

Moomin, I had a similar experience at my last fitting. It was like 'this the best we can do BUT the shank is too hard for you, there is so minor twisting of the shank on your left foot and the heels are a bit low...' It's really frustrating, I feel like with my feet it has to be perfect to work!

Moomin, your pointe issues sound very similar to mine! Anna, not with the novas I have ordered some big tips from capezio to try. I honestly felt best with freeds fleecy toe pads maybe I could go back to these?

I don't feel like I need padding on other toes at all. I'm still pretty convinced that the nova is just too low a profile and that is squishing my toes! With the right shoe I feel like I can go without padding or minimal padding/taping on the big toe.

I have an involuted or omega shape toenail. I see a podiatrist once a month to have nails cut. The pain isn't on the edge where the toenail would I grow, it's right in the centre of the nail bed. It's distinctly a pressure/bruise like pain and only when articulating or rolling through Demi pointe.

Padding- a small, thin ouch pouch. It doesn't do much for my poor big toenail and that's the only thing that really needs padding. The shoe just presses on my big toenail. There's so much pressure. This is only on demi pointe, on full pointe they're fine! shame I need to roll up from demi to full for the exam! Walks on demi pointe are agony.

Thank you That's really reassuring to know. I feel like stores try to push me towards Grishko which I personally don't think are high profile enough in any model. I really can't afford to make any more mistakes with pointe shoes- at £50 a pop I can't afford to have any more useless relics lying around!

Thank you, I will try to book into them for sometime in half term. I assume the would be OK with me as a beginner student (with no professional aspirations) wanting a custom pointe shoe? And can you specify something like, 'I want the block to be softer so my toes don't get bashed' (I'm not sure if they could even insert extra padding into the box like the Bloch Jetstream or the Grishko Miracle?) or a tapered heel? The customizations page doesn't say anything about modifications like that...

I have heard this about Grishko. I haven't managed to break in a Bloch shoe either yet! Can anyone tell me if I make an appointment with Freed if I say I'm coming in for a custom shoe if that's what it's definitely for? It's hard for me t keep getting up to London so do I need to go back for another fitting? Also I'm not sure if the bigger problem is the heel shape/height being wrong or the shank being too hard- how can I/a fitter tell?

Yes, one fitter said a medium Grishko might be too hard for me (it is!) another suggested perhaps a soft shank might work in a specific Grishko model. The demi-pointe is where I have the most trouble. Jane- nope, barely any compressibility at all!

Freed does sound like a good choice, hopefully I will be able to get to London by October half term. If I have no luck with stock models I will try to talk to some Freed custom makers beforehand and see what they can advise once I have my length/width.

Thank you for the info, Jane. The thing is I've had a few fittings and when I've asked about custom shoes the fitter has just kind of rolled her eyes and said, 'You don't need custom shoes!' (particularly applies to Grishko.) I feel like people think I 'only' do Intermediate Foundation (I'm certainly not going to turn professional in my late 20's!) so I can 'make do' with a shoe. However, getting the perfect pointe shoe is very important to *me* as important as it is for a pre-pro girl but nowhere I have been seems to understand that yet. I feel like all the fitters I've seen have been too quick to put me in a shoe that is 'OK' but ultimately is not going to work. ... it's all very frustrating!

Thank you. I never feel like I've had a good fitting. I've always come out with an shoe that is 'just OK' (that I get home that clearly don't work!) rather than 'YES, this is the one!' I've also felt kind of pressured to buy or 'oh, well I think you should try a Bloch' (I've tried almost every single Bloch model!') or 'sorry, we don't stock Freeds here.' For buying a shoe online (I have ordered a Freed from Move Dancewear to just see what length/width is best) how does that work with the maker? Is it just random? The master list implies shoes are made so differently, how is it possible to tell if a shoe will suit?!!

Thanks for all the info on Freed. If I said something like this would I be able to be matched with a maker? (This is what I think I need) Freed: size 6 Width: XX Lightweight block/box- easy to break in, no pressure on toes, easy demi pointe Higher vamp Elastic drawstring Soft shank Slightly tapered heel (Obviously I am trying a stock shoe for the width and length first!)

I have some on order from Bloch! (I'm trying about 8 pairs, jus to see if I can find 'the one.') It sounds very promising but I'm afraid the shank might be too hard for me (Bloch Aspiration was impossible to mould for me.) It might be 'the one' I hope it might be 'the one' as obviously a stock shoe is 100 times easier than a custom made deal! Thanks for suggesting it, hopeforpointe!

Thanks everyone. Out of interest, how long do custom Freeds take to get after ordering? And do I need to specify a maker? Because I have a feeling that what I want will be a very minor tweak (for instance, a Freed Classic Light but with an elastic rather than cotton drawstring or a Freed Class pro but with a lighter shank?)