This Season
 
  • The ballet slipper is an integral component of a ballet student's wardrobe. It is used by dancers of all skill levels to practice and craft their art form. For women, it is used in preparation for…

  • Ballet shoes are an extension of your leg line, and you want to do whatever you can to keep the look of that line clean, lean and long. The ribbons you sew to pointe shoes prevent them from flying off…

  • Children all over the world dream of dancing ballet, but the cost of equipment and uniforms are often more than their families can afford. A donated pair of new ballet shoes can be the missing piece…

  • The traction on the bottom of your ballet or pointe shoes is what keeps you stationary on the dance floor. When the traction wears off you can easily slip and fall, which becomes a safety hazard for…

  • A dancer’s feet are her life and livelihood. Ballet shoes that fit correctly are not only crucial to a dancer’s performance, but they can make all the difference when it comes to…

  • Just as athletes must take care to ensure that their shoes are tied correctly in order to avoid a serious fall, it is vitally important for dancers to tie their ballet shoes properly so that they may…

  • Ribbons add not only a beautiful element to ballet shoes, they also serve to reinforce the ankle of the dancer. This is especially true of pointe shoes, while you rarely see ribbons on soft slippers.…

  • With your doctor’s approval and your dance instructor’s permission, you can begin dancing on pointe. Dancing on pointe, or on toe, requires special shoes. Buying your first pair of toe…

  • Finding the right pointe shoes may be nearly as much of an art as ballet. It is often a painstaking process, in which the dancer tries on multiple shoes and styles. Just some of the factors the fitter…

  • After purchasing ballet pointe shoes, you need to sew the ribbons that provide support for the foot and ankle of the dancer to the inside of the shoe. Position the ribbons that will tie around the…

  • Ballet point shoes are handmade shoes with pink satin tops and a leather bottom designed to provide support and assistance with standing in the "en Pointe" stance for ballet dancing. Dancing…

  • When fitting your feet for ballet shoes, it is important to take accurate measurements in order to find the right size. Improperly sized shoes can lead to injuries. Measuring the width of your foot…

  • Leather ballet flats are a hot fashion accessory that work with almost any look, from jeans to a maxi dress. Unfortunately, shoes that look fabulous on the website or store shelves don’t feel so…

  • Ballet shoes can be used for dancing, worn as flats or used at home as slippers. They are attractive and simple to make, and are frequently in fashion. You can make your ballet shoes plain or let your…

  • Just like dance is an art, tying up dance shoes is also a bit of an art and absolutely an acquired skill. Through practice, your ability to lace up your shoes without assistance will improve, but…

  • The measuring and fitting of pointe ballet shoes is an exact science. The way pointe shoes fit affects the physical comfort and performance of the ballerina wearing them. If your pointe shoes are too…

  • Properly fitted ballet shoes are a crucial part of any aspiring ballerina's wardrobe. Shoes that fit well offer the proper amount of flexibility, support and balance so that you can focus on…

  • After training for years and building the necessary strength for pointe work, ballet dancers often experience frustration when they finally don their first pair of pointe shoes. The stiff pointe shoe…

  • For young ballerinas who have always dreamt of going on pointe, these special shoes carry an aura of mystery. One of the popular misconceptions about these shoes is that they are attached by straps.…

  • When leather gets dingy looking, it is possible to renew it by painting it with specially made leather paint and dye -- paint that will not chip or crack on the leather. Leather paint and dye is…

  • Pointe shoes should be carefully broken in. According to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, pointe shoes should be prepared differently for class and performances. A pivotal aspect of the…

  • The graceful, elegant moves that advanced ballet dancers perform seem complicated, but they are based on a basic set of principles. You can work your way up to move complicated moves by mastering the…

  • Ballet originated in Europe in the 15th century; its long history has created many different schools of thought regarding the most effective style. Though the untrained eye may not be able to…

  • Ballet is one of the strictest forms of dance with moves developed from hundreds of years of dance history. Ballet was descended from court dancing in Renaissance Italy, according to Northeastern…

  • The pirouette, or a turn on one leg with the other leg bent so the toe touches the knee, is a cornerstone of dancing classical ballet. However, as students progress, they will find that more advanced…

  • Ballet shoes in the 1600s were high-heeled with large buckles, made of a fine fabric with a leather sole. As leaps and jumps were introduced to ballet dancing in the 1700s, ballet shoes began to…

  • Ballet dancers train for years to learn how to dance on their toes. The term for this is pointe work or en pointe and the dancers wear toe shoes or pointe shoes to help them dance on their toes.…

  • Point shoes developed in order to allow ballet dancers to create an ethereal illusion; ballet dancers can appear to be floating when dancing on point. By using point shoes, ballet dancers perform…

  • A thin cord runs around the opening of pointe shoes and ballet slippers. Its purpose is to hold the shoe snug to the dancer's foot, ensuring that it cannot slide out of place and cause her any harm.…

  • Ballerinas consider the pointe shoe an essential tool. At all times, the dancer's shoe must be flexible, molding precisely to the shape of her foot, as if it is a natural extension of her leg. On the…

  • A ballet dancer's pointe shoe is considerably more than footwear. When a dancer has a properly fitting shoe and uses her shoe correctly, the shoe itself is an extension of her body, completing the…

  • For over a century, Capezio has been outfitting dancers and other theatrical artists with high-quality footwear. The company produces everything from soft ballet slippers and pointe shoes to tap,…

  • Theatrical, graceful and elegant, a ballet dancer tells a story through every movement. But while natural talent will get you a long way, ballet must be learned and it is a long process. Colleges such…

  • Ballet shoes usually come with a piece of elastic in the box that a dancer or her mother must sew in herself. While it may be daunting at first to permanently alter a new pair of dance shoes, the…

  • Pro oil dye is a new version of traditional leather dye and is alcohol-based. It is made for natural strap leather and vegetable tanned leather. It is used in dying leather for bags, saddles or even…

  • According to Chiao Bin Studios, the Chinese ribbon dance began during the Han dynasty and has become an intricate part of rich Chinese culture. The Chinese ribbons are made of long silk that are…

  • Ballet slippers, worn by ballet, lyrical and modern students and professional dancers, are slip-on shoes that cover the soles and sides of the feet. Ballet slippers are typically made from leather or…

  • Finding the right ballet shoe -- one that properly fits your foot -- is the key to a successful class or performance. The term "ballet shoe" is broad. In general, there are two types of ballet shoes:…

  • Classical ballerinas perform and practice in specially constructed shoes tied on with elegant ribbons. Ribbons enhance the aesthetics of the ballerina's costume, as well as help the shoe stay secure…

  • Ballet tap shoes are a type of dance shoe that resembles ballet pointe shoes, but with taps on the soles and heels. Ballet tap shoes enable the dancer to dance on the toes and also on flat feet.

  • Pointe shoes that allow dancers to balance gracefully on the tips of the toes are the shoes most associated with classical ballet. However, aspiring dancers must practice for years with soft slippers…

  • Classical ballet roles such as princesses, fairies, swans and nymphs require an airy, graceful aesthetic that is achieved as a result of years of intense study. The dancer's graceful stature is also a…

  • The fit of ballet pointe shoes is extremely important to a dancer. To prevent injury, dancers sew elastics and ribbons into the pointe shoes precisely to secure the shoes to the feet. Then, ribbons…

  • A pirouette, a ballet term taken from the French, is a full turn on the ball or toe of one foot; in classical ballet, the other leg will be held in a passé position, with the foot pointed to the…

  • Ballet shoes need to fit properly to avoid tripping over excess fabric or constricting circulation to the foot. Find a well-fitting pair of ballet shoes, and adjust them for the proper fit with help…

  • To keep your pointe shoe ribbons tucked in, you can either sew them together loosely or use hairspray to keep them in place. Tie your pointe shoe ribbons securely with help from a ballet instructor in…

  • When tying ballet pointe shoes, it is important to have a secure fit while allowing proper circulation. Strategically hide the knotted pointe shoe ribbon on the inner ankle with helpful information…

  • Ballet shoes usually come in two different styles. Some ballet shoes are made with canvas material, while other ballet shoes are leather. Canvas is soft, but it becomes dirty extremely easily. The…

  • When drawing ballet shoes, remember they are going to be slightly thinner than regular shoes and without the long neck. Discover how to draw ballet shoes with guidance from a professional artist in…

  • The soles of new ballet shoes are made of a soft, malleable leather that is naturally slippery when new. Ballerinas use rosin to help rough up the bottoms of their shoes and provide some grip for wood…

  • Demi-pointe shoes are a specialized training shoe for classical ballet, a step in between soft slippers, or flat ballet shoes, and going on full pointe. Pointe shoes allow the dancer to balance on the…

  • When you purchase professional ballet shoes, the manufacturer intentionally leaves the elastic straps unstitched to allow you to create the ideal fit with your ballet shoes. This is because ballet…

  • Ballet shoes suffer gladly the wear and tear of dancing and can quickly become fatigued and covered with blemishes and scuffs. Use proper care and cleaning methods, and only use ballet shoes for their…

  • Ballet shoes will feel uncomfortable if you're not used to dancing in them. If you are accustomed to dancing barefoot, or if you are dancing for the first time, you'll probably want to break in your…

  • Ballet slippers are the most important piece of equipment to a ballet dancer. The shoes should always be worn with tights to ensure comfort. The ballet shoe comes in satin, leather or canvas, and…

  • Learning to dance on pointe is a big step in a dancer's training, and it's very important to have pointe shoes that support your feet and fit correctly so that you can make progress without injuring…

  • There are different ways to attach elastic to your ballet shoes, depending on whether the shoes are canvas or leather. Attach elastic properly to your ballet shoes with advice from a professional…

  • Tying the ribbon on ballet shoes is something that, once learned, is almost never forgotten. Find out how to tie your ribbon properly with tips from a professional dancer in this free video on ballet.

  • Some of ballet's beauty and mystique comes from the elegant satin slippers worn by ballerinas. However, although ballet dates back as the 15th century, the use of ballet slippers and pointe shoes is…

  • Every dancer must learn to sew ribbons and elastic on her ballet shoes, which ensures that the shoe stays on the foot securely. Learn a few tips on sewing in the elastic and satin ribbons with help…

  • Canvas ballet shoes can be cleaned using a calamine lotion that is dabbed onto the surface until stains are removed. Keep ballet shoes looking clean and tidy for the stage with help from a ballet…

  • Different types of ballet shoes can be made from leather, canvas or satin, they can be slippers or pointe shoes, and they can have a full leather sole or a split sole. Discover the many different…

  • Still hand-cut, stitched and assembled, the manufacture of ballet shoes is an almost quaint throwback to another age. Two basic types of shoes--ballet slippers and pointe shoes--are both carefully put…

  • Ballet began in Italy in the 15th century. Some believe that the movements of the early dance were based on the movements of fencing, the popular sport of the day. In 17th-century France, ballet…

  • Pointe shoes are worn by professional ballet dancers and students who have mastered basic ballet technique. As an extension of a dancer's foot, toe shoes, as they are more commonly known, enable…

  • With the price of pointe shoes, many parents are surprised when they first open the box to find there is "some assembly required." However, all dancers have personal preferences when attaching ribbons…

  • Ballet shoes, either the traditional slipper or the pointe shoe, allow ballet dancers freedom of movement within their performances and dances. Made to give the illusion of dancing nearly barefoot and…

  • When people think of ballerinas, they instantly think of fluffy tu-tu's and satin ribbons gracefully wrapped up the dancers' ankles. In all actuality, ballet shoes do not have ribbons. Only pointe…

  • Since every dancers' feet are different, ballet shoes come with the elastics unattached to the shoes. By sewing the elastic on your own ballet shoes, you will ensure they are both supportive and…

  • Flat ballet shoes are popular footwear for both girls and women. These are comfortable and fashionable shoes that are great additions to any shoe wardrobe. If you have moderate sewing skills it is…

  • There are three types of ballet shoes: soft ballet slippers; pointe shoes with hard toe boxes and strong shanks; and demi-pointe shoes with toe boxes and softer material elsewhere. Pointe shoes, also…

  • It always seems that just when we manage to buy everything our children need, they grow and we must start over. With ballet shoes, though, we have a chance to extend their use a few more months by…

  • Learning how to tie your ballet shoes is an essential part of every ballerina's regimen. While the process is somewhat traditional, it is also very helpful to the dancer when practicing and during…

  • Find the perfect ballet shoes for your feet by trying the shoes on, making sure there is no space on the side or the back, tucking in the ties and finding shoes that fit wide or narrow feet. Get…

  • Ballet Pointe Shoes are unequivocally known as some of the most uncomfortable shoes in the world. If you are starting as a new Pointe Dancer or you're in need of new shoes, wear out your Pointe Shoes…

  • People have always been fascinated by ballerinas' abilities to stand on their toes. Little girls try to be like them and stand on their tip toes, others look on in amazement. The truth is it's not a…

  • Learn techniques on how to put on ballet shoes when ballet dancing in this free dance lesson video.

  • Whether you're shopping for ballet shoes for your child or yourself, you may find that it's not as easy as walking into a store and grabbing a pair of ballet shoes in your typical shoe size. Ballet…

  • Dance wear and dance shoes can be expensive, especially when you are shopping regularly for dance classes and performances. Popular dance store chains that populate cities don't often skim their…

  • The plie is one of the foundational movements in ballet and the word comes from old French for "bend or fold." Although it may seem easy, proper posture, foot position and control are needed to…

  • When you purchase ballet shoes they often are not equipped with the ribbons that tie up the ankle and leg of the dancer. The ribbon that forms these ties are generally attached after the purchase by…

  • The transition from flat ballet slippers to pointe or "toe" shoes is an enviable rite of passage for dancers. It generally signifies that a dancer has trained her body to the point where she is now…

  • Whether you are a ballet mom or an advanced ballet student, at some point in time you may need to dye a pair of ballet shoes. Since most dancers don't have access to wardrobe professionals, mastering…

  • Soft ballet shoes, more commonly known as slippers, are the soft shoes you wear during practice and for floor work. These shoes keep your foot aligned for proper muscle control and for learning steps…