How Do Ballerinas Stand on Their Toes?

Video Transcript

"How does a ballerina stand on their toes? Well it is not magic. It is through the aid of a special shoe called the point shoe. Point shoes are satin and contrary to popular belief they are not made of wood. They are made of a very tightly woven material that forms a box which enables the dancer to be able to stand on the tips of their toes. Point shoes are quite uncomfortable and often times require the aid of lamb's wool or even what we call toe pads to help assist the dancer to not have quite so much pain on their feet when wearing them. It is important to note that point work is a very difficult form of dancing and requires many many years of training. A dancer should never go on point at too young of an age as it can develop many feet and leg problems longer into their career. Dancers must be very strong in their core of their body as well as their legs and feet before they begin any kind of point work and it should be done in the safest of environments with only a professional teacher aiding them."