How to Lace Ballet Shoes

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 capable of taking on the most advanced ballet postures and positions "en pointe." Before you can begin this next stage of your dancing career, you must learn the proper way to tie your pointe shoes.

Things You'll Need

• Pointe shoes
• Thread
• Needle
• Ribbon
• Scissors
• Elastic

Instructions

Sew on Ribbons and Elastic

1. Find the correct placement for the ribbon laces by folding the heel of your pointe shoe forward. The place where the ballet shoe creases will mark the correct position for each lace on either side of your foot.

2. Pin the ribbons in place and put your shoes on for a practice run to be sure that they are correctly placed. Depending on your ankle, you may want to slant the ribbons slightly towards the back before stitching, though many dancers prefer their ribbons stitched on straight, up and down.

3. Stitch the ribbons in place using a doubled thread for added stability. You may also wish to fold down the edges of the ribbon before stitching them to the insides of the your shoes to ensure the material does not fray.

4. Create a loop of elastic to encircle your ankle by stitching the appropriate length at the center back of the pointe shoe. Many dancers also choose to space the ends of the elastic band about 1 inch to the left and right of the center back for a more secure fit.

5. Pin the elastic in and test the placement. Correct any positioning problems before stitching it on using a zigzag reinforcing stitch.

Lace Your Pointe Shoes

1. Place your pointe shoe on your foot. You may wish to lace your shoes while your foot is slightly flexed or while you are "en pointe."

2. Wrap the ribbon lace around your ankle in a zigzag fashion. The ribbons should serve to support your ankle, so they must be laced closely together.

3. Tie the knot of the lace to the side of your ankle to avoid putting any undo pressure on your tendon.

Tips & Warnings

• It is absolutely essential that pointe shoes are fitted to suit your feet. The height of your arch, the length of your foot, your weight--all these factors must be taken into consideration. The advice of a dance footwear professional is highly recommended when selecting your first pair of pointe shoes.

• Very young girls do not have sufficient ankle strength to dance en pointe.