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Custom pointe shoes


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My DD has had customised Grishkos in the past. We started with a pair that were her favourite style and then changed the things she didn't like. Unfortunately they took six weeks to arrive forcing us to order in advance and we are now stuck with three pairs that she'll never wear as she has switched to Freeds!????

So I would say proceed with caution when ordering. But we have no experience of customised Blochs so maybe they won't take as long.

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I would contact your DD's teachers and ask whether they have any contacts at Bloch regarding custom-made pointe shoes - and also ask whether they will let you have a written list of the exact specifications your DD's shoes will need. You may also find perhaps that there is a Bloch fitter closer to you than London who can take measurements etc and send these on to the Bloch makers, wherever they are? Your DD's teachers may also be able to advise in this regard. 

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Several brands offer the option to customise shoes, but I would suggest if you're not 100% confident in what adjustments you need, that you visit a fitter with your teacher.

 

She knows your feet well and can work with the fitter to discuss any adjustments with you. Beware that just a couple of mm change in vamp, wings, heel height etc can make a big difference to the feel of the shoe.

 

Make sure you try on at least 10 different styles before you rule out an off the shelf pair, there are lots out there!

Sx

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Unfortunately I don't think visiting a fitter with the teacher is an option unless it's the school fitter. The teacher seemed to imply to dd that she'd have to visit bloch itself rather than an ordinary shop to get them custom fitted.

 

It's a new teacher as dd just moved up into her class a few weeks ago after passing her last RAD exam.

 

Of course dd might have relayed the message wrongly.

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My dd's ankles are hypermobile laterally - i.e. she used to roll in when she was younger. Her first pointes were Grishko, and although the box was too tapered for her, the shoes didn't affect her ankles. That's very confusing.

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I am not an expert in any way but it does seem very odd that Grishkos have been vetoed because of your DD's hypermobile ankles, PITF. My DD has found that Grishkos and her current Bloch strong shanks have been the most supportive of her shoes - she has 'banana' feet and very mobile ankles.

 

I know from the 'puberty' thread that you have been able to discuss even delicate matters with your DD's teachers and I suspect you will need to speak to, if not meet, the teacher who has said that custom-made pointe shoes are the only way forward for your DD to discuss exactly what she requires. Once you have a list of required vamp length, wing type, shank strength etc the perhaps you could go to an experienced pointe shoe fitter - even speak to them on the phone for their initial thoughts - and ask whether any stock shoes might possibly fit the bill. I am always amazed at the regular new pointe shoe models available when I see  DD's fitter and who knows, maybe the shoe your DD needs is now available as a stock shoe - and her teacher may not know about them.

 

If the requirements are such that no stock shoe will suit your DD, then I suppose it will be time to ask your fitter whether Bloch will custom-make shoes and if so, whether you have to go to their London store, or whether you could try a different 'brand' of shoe for the custom fitting.

 

Wishing you lots of luck - and I really hope that a stock shoe is lurking somewhere that will suit your DD's feet, or that if not you are not required to take a trip to London for the privilege of paying for custom-made shoes! 

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Custom made pointe shoes will involve at least two trips to the shop - one for working out what she needs, second to have shoes fitted when they arrive. From experience then follow up appointments to see what needs tweaking - it is expensive and time consuming.

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I would definitely talk to the teacher who recommended the custom pointe shoes before you do anything else.  DD was fitted in London at the Freed store a couple of years ago and they suggested custom shoes to her and gave her details she should give when she rang up to order.  It was an amendment to the vamp I think.  As it happened the next time we were at Dancique in Birmingham, buying for younger DD, we mentioned this to the fitter.  She pulled out some of her newer pointe shoe models and DD immediatedly found a Bloch shoe better suited to her foot than the Freed - a model not yet available the last time she had been fitted. It will certainly help both the fitter and your DD if when you take her you have the old pointe shoes with her and the suggestion of why they are not the best shoe for her and how they should be improved.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey Sballerina, not sure if you got the pm? Just wrote you saying that your size is the same as the axioms I have. The serenade strong run a size smaller than axiom and since you are a 2.5c, a 3.5xxx should fit. Let me know if you are interested! I have a big box of them I'm trying to get rid of.

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Custom shoes may not be a good fit for someone other than who they were made for.

 

My dd had some customised by Bloch and they somehow managed to get the order wrong so they were slightly too big and didn't fit her when she tried them on. The assistant in the shop said that they couldn't put them into their stock as they wouldn't be any good for anyone else and chucked them in the bin!

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My daughter also has very difficult feet to fit in every way that you describe apart from hers are super narrow with a heel that shrinks almost to nothing. We were also told to get some custom made shoes by one teacher as we would never get any to fit correctly.

Over the years, with time and a fitter that likes a challenge she has been able to find a suitable shoe from Freed, Suffolk, Bloch, Grishko and Russian Pointe. Her very picky local teacher has been happy with them all, and although we have spent ages in fittings, the vast majority of makers can produce a shoe that suits her.

The generalisation about Grishko is surprising as (like other manufacturers) they make a wide range of very different shoes in an equally wide range of widths. Different vamps, shanks etc.

I would advise you spend a long time with a fitter who does an appointment system and is prepared to dedicate the time to helping you and has plenty of choice, find the best shoe for her and then if it's not perfect they can advise on how it should be customised for her foot.

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Does anyone know if any makes have a reputation for producing a greater number of wider fitting shoes ........such as an E fitting?

 

Also what are hyper mobile ankles exactly! Is this linked to having a highly arched foot or a separate issue?

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Hypermobile ankles - like any hypermobile joint - mean ankles which move too much at the joint. If the ankle joint is too mobile laterally - i.e. side to side - the foot may roll in (which would show as too much wear on the inside bottom of the heel in street shoes) or out (wear would show on the opposite side, the outer edge of the shoe heel). Podiatrists can see and diagnose this by analysing gait.

 

This does not always go with high arches or high insteps, or hypermobile "banana" feet. Rolling in can be corrected by orthotics in street shoes, but it can also be self corrected by the student being aware of correct alignment - and doing prescribed exercises to strengthen the ligaments around the affected joint.

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Thankyou Anna C

 

I used to twist my ankle a lot as a child wasn't sure if this was a symptom.

 

Not sure if Ive got anything hyper mobile anymore! But can see this is especially important when considering doing pointework and buying pointe shoes.

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I have some hypermobile joints but I never over pronated/rolled in at the ankle - but I did frequently sprain one ankle. It would just randomly go under and sprain. Perhaps once it had sprained badly twice it led to a weakness?

 

Yes, ankle strength and enough mobility to get right over on pointe is something a good fitter should check. :-)

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