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In the UK, and certainly at local (as opposed to vocational) schools, pointe work is taken very slowly. There may be a separate class or pointe work may be done as part of another class, perhaps for a few minutes at the end. At the start it is mainly exercises at the barre. You don't say whether you are at a local or a vocational school. If you are in full time training then you are likely to progress more quickly than someone who is only doing a few hours a week. I should mention that in the UK teachers take a very cautious approach to pointe work because of the risk of injury. Girls do not usually start pointe work until they are at least 12 (although there are exceptions) and some may not start until they are much older. In some countries girls routinely go on pointe much younger, perhaps at eight or nine. Different countries take different approaches to how pointe is taught.

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Just with the thought of girls being smaller and lighter, my Dd is not small at all, 5ft 9 and 9st with size 7.5 feet. She's also still on her first pair of pointe shoes after over 2 years (only 1 pointe class a week)! Not sure how she's managed it but my bank account is glad ☺

 

I was (am) also 5' 9", a little under 9st (not any more sadly!) and have size 6 feet.

 

I also was not hard on pointe shoes as I have not got strong arches. My feet were not the best for ballet, but for pointe shoe preservation, they were good! :P

There are obviously other factors involved in how long pointe shoes last, the amount of use the shoes get and the shape/ strength of the foot being the most obvious, but weight IS a factor.

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I am at a local school here in the United States. I wouldn't say it's full time but I am in class 3-4 times a week and have been trying to go more to prepare for pointe. When I start the prep pointe class I'm sure I'll be training even more than I am now. That's good to know that it progresses slowly. Im sure it takes alot to adjust to progress from the barre to center. I hear pointe shoes don't last very long but I'm hoping my first pair last awhile. I want to make sure I get the right shoes that have the best chance of lasting. I wear a 6 1/2 ballet shoes so I'm sure it's the same for pointe.

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If at all possible I would try and get a fitting for your first pair of pointe shoes. Neither of my DDs are the same size in a pointe shoe as they are in ballet slippers or street shoes either for that matter.  My elder DD wears Bloch or Freed normally and she is different sizes in each brand.

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I was planning on getting fitted for my first pair of pointe shoes. I know my ballet slipper size is different from my street shoe size. I was just thinking ballet slippers and pointe shoes were probably the same. I know this probably seems like a stupid question but what is DD? Everyone keeps saying that.

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I was planning on getting fitted for my first pair of pointe shoes. I know my ballet slipper size is different from my street shoe size. I was just thinking ballet slippers and pointe shoes were probably the same. I know this probably seems like a stupid question but what is DD? Everyone keeps saying that.

Hello Nick, welcome to the forum. To answer some of your questions:

 

Yes, you need ribbons on pointe shoes, especially as a beginner. They help keep the shoe on and they give support to the ankles.

Demi pointe means on tiptoe.

 

Demi pointe shoes, or soft blocks, are pointe shoes without the shank. They work the feet harder when dancing and are often worn in pre-pointe class. They are not suitable for going en pointe.

 

You should get a professional fitting for all your pointe shoes, until such time as your feet stop growing and/or you are fully experienced en pointe and are able to fit yourself.

 

To start off with, you only need one pair of pointe shoes. No need to have more than one unless you are doing a lot of pointework and dancing every day. Do make sure you air your pointe shoes when you're not wearing them, or at least put kitchen paper/tissue into the boxes to stop them softening too much with sweat.

 

If offered Gaynor Mindens as your first pair, I would not recommend them for beginners en pointe as they can have a tendency to do some of the work instead of your feet.

 

To start off with your pointe classes should only involve 15 minutes of gentle rises and relevés at the barre. You will stay at the barre for several months before doing any pointe in centre. Hops on pointe and pirouettes on pointe in the centre are advanced work so you will not need to worry about that yet.

 

If you want to know more about pointe, you can click on the tags I have added under the thread title. I'd also recommend "The Ballet Companion" by Eliza Gaynor Minden - not only is it a great all-round book about ballet, it also has a comprehensive section on pointe shoes.

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I've done a bit of pointe and I didn't find it all that difficult. The main problem was convincing my teacher to let me do it.

 

AFAIK, pointe shoes are only made in pink unless it's a special order. I used shoe dye to turn mine black.

 

Getting shoes in a large enough size could be a problem. I'm blessed (or cursed depending on how you look at it) with small feet so it wasn't a problem for me. I was fitted in the Freed shop in London and they were very helpful.

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Certainly at one time the Northern Ballet CAT boys did pointe work to strengthen their ankles.  There was a clamour for it amongst the Elmhurst boys when they got back to school, but the principal held firm!

 

There are a few roles which call for male pointe work (La Fille.. ?) Also one of the male EYB teachers had done some as it apparently more common on the continent.

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I only wear 6 1/2 so the size shouldn't be an issue. I am going to watch the pre pointe class that I'll be joining and also watch a pointe class next week. My teacher did say I should get fitted for my first pair of pointe shoes so my mom said I could get that done. I'm actually excited and nervous at the same time. Maybe watching the girls in pre pointe and pointe will make me less nervous.

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I was planning on getting fitted for my first pair of pointe shoes. I know my ballet slipper size is different from my street shoe size. I was just thinking ballet slippers and pointe shoes were probably the same. I know this probably seems like a stupid question but what is DD? Everyone keeps saying that.

 

I wore pointe shoes the same size as my street shoes. My flat shoes were a size up.

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I wore pointe shoes the same size as my street shoes. My flat shoes were a size up.

I think different makes and styles vary. Hence students should always have a professional pointe shoe fitting.

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I know my teacher takes people to the shop to be fitted so she can double check the fit. 

 

I'm doing some early pre-pointe classes: mostly about articulation and improving foot/ankle/leg/core strength. 

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If you're lucky, you'll find a Grishko shoe that works for you, they can be ordered direct from Grishko in a range of colours, including black and white, so you wouldn't need to dye them to match your tights. Obviously get fitted first to make sure the shoes are suitable.

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