Have you ever wondered about the history of pointe shoes?
It is interesting to see how they evolved into what we use today. Modern pointe shoes are a very far cry from what they were many years ago. It’s fascinating to think about what they will be like in the future…
When I was actively dancing, I used lamb’s wool to wrap my toes when I first started out on pointe. I found it to be miserable–it shifted around like mad, and wadded up in all the wrong places inside my shoe. As soon as my feet toughened up I switched to paper towel. A rather unorthodox substance, but it worked well for me. Some dancers I know used nothing, or toe pads…
There are so many varieties of pointe shoes today that I can hardly keep track. I began with Capezio shoes and then wound up with Freed shoes for the rest of my career, which I loved for the oddly orange color. (Something other than ballet pink was refreshing!) Freed pointe shoes can be a little hard to order though, as the sizing is different. Feel free to share if you have a favorite pointe shoe…it’s always nice to hear what people choose and why….
