How to Keep Ballet Slippers From Sticking to the Floor

Sometimes ballet slipers can stick to the floor.

A ballet dancer is nothing without her shoes. She wears them at all times while dancing: both during performances and practice hours. Some instructors are very specific and detailed when it comes to shoes and require a specific brand or even a certain color of shoe. Even the best-made ballet slippers can sometimes cause to the floor, which can interrupt and even damage your performance.

Instructions

1. Clean the floor. One of the simplest ways to prevent ballet slippers from sticking to the floor is to ensure that the flooring in your dance studio is clean and free from dirt, sweat or any spills. Sweep after each practice and mop on a regular basis to prevent grime build-up.

2. Use less rosin. You likely have applied rosin at some point to prevent your slippers from sliding at all the wrong moments, but too much rosin can actually cause your slippers to stick to the floor more than you'd like. Cut back on your rosin and use it for performances, rather than during a practice. Instead of rosin, dampen your slippers with water before practice for less sticking.

3. Switch to canvas shoes. Leather ballet slippers are more likely to stick to the floor, so consider making the leap to canvas slippers. Note that canvas shoes are much less sticky than leather slippers, so it's easiest to dance on a vinyl floor if you use canvas slippers.

References

• Wish Upon a Ballet: Canvas Ballet Shoes
• Education Guidebook: Ballet Shoes: Canvas or Leather?
• "The Ballet Companion: A Dancer's Guide to the Technique, Traditions, and Joys of Ballet"; Eliza Gaynor Minden; 2005.