Childrens' ballet shoes

Childrens' ballet shoes




There are two main types of ballet shoes: soft ballet shoes (also known as ballet slippers) and pointe shoes. Beginners start out exclusively in ballet slippers, which are suitable for everyday practice and performance. Intermediate dancers will wear pointe shoes only after developing good basic technique (not usually before they have been dancing for at least five years). Because of the additional strain put on the feet and ankles by dancing en pointe, this will not be before about the age of 12 (when the child's bones have hardened). Pointe shoes are worn almost exclusively by female dancers.

Ballet slippers

Ballet slippers are made of soft material (leather, canvas or satin) and mold themselves to the shape of the feet. Canvas shoes are the most common as they are affordable and widely available, while leather is more durable but also a more expensive option. Considering how quickly kids' feet grow, it's probably not worth investing in leather shoes for very young children as they will almost certainly grow out of them before you get any benefit from the extra durability. Satin shoes are the least durable but look lovely and have the advantage of being easily dyable which can be useful if your child is asked to be a bumble-bee at his or her next performance!

These shoes come with either a full or split sole. Split soles allow greater flexibility, but at the cost of reduced support. For this reason beginners will usually wear full sole shoes.

Pointe shoes

Pointe shoes have a reinforced toe box with a flat end that allows a dancer to balance on their toes, and have a stiff suede sole which supports the arch of the foot. It's vital that pointe shoes fit properly to provide the necessary support and prevent injury.