sitting in pointe shoes?

[eryn]

I've seen people who's ankles don't really looked 'stretched' when they are en pointe, but they're just like pointing their toes, and their metetarsals are like erm in front of their ankles (the two are supposed to be aligned right?) Sorry, i'm not really quite sure how to explain it.

 

I was wondering if this is what is meant by 'sitting in pointe shoes' And when this happens is it because the shanks has become too soft? Or simply because the dancer is not pulling up enough? Or maybe is it just the shape of the foot?

 

And i have another question: when i pointe my feet in my pointe shoes (not go en pointe), are my feet supposed to be fully arched? Because although my instep and arch look fine, it seems as if i'm not pointing my TOES becuase the shoe is not arched under the metetarsal.

 

Thanks!

Sorry if my post is kind of confusing.

[Mel Johnson]

That's more like a description of "knuckling" rather than sitting in the shoe. But they can both happen in the same dancer! And the reason for both is, as you've stated, not pointing the entire foot, but clenching so only the toes point, rather than have a straight line that goes through the foot from the knee to the floor. In your case, it sounds as though you aren't pointing through the forefoot, so that the toes complete that line. You may need a softer shank, as long as you keep pulled up out of the shoe.

[eryn]

Ok. Thanks.

Sorry. I'm not really sure what you mean by "pointing through the forefoot. "

But anyway will the point and flex exercises with the theraband help solve this problem?

[Victoria Leigh]

eryn, pointing through the forefoot simply means having the strength in your foot to point all the way through the toes in pointe shoes. If your foot is not strong enough yet to do that, Mr. Johnson was suggesting perhaps a softer shank. However, it does take time to develop that strength and yes, keep working with your theraband and of course lots of tendus, dégagés, pas de chevals, elevés and relevés!

[cecchettiballetgirl]

If it's okay, I have a similar question about this, and don't want to clutter up the boards with a new topic.

 

Because I have very stiff ankles I find it really difficult to stay over my box while I'm on pointe. I can get there, but it takes so much more work for me than it does for my flexible ankle friends. Is there anything I can do that will make it possible for me to make my ankles more flexible? Sometimes even when I'm pointing my feet it looks like I'm just pointing my toes and gets really frustrating.

[Victoria Leigh]

The best thing you can do is just keep on working those feet, with the theraband, and with tendus, dégagés, pas de chevals, frappés, elevés and relevés! (This is a recording! ) And maybe try a softer shank in your shoe.

[cecchettiballetgirl]

Thank you so much, Miss Leigh!

 

I wasn't sure if having stiff ankles was like having low arches in that there isn't much you can do to change them but I'll keep working with my theraband and pay extra attention during tendus, dégagés, pas de chevals, frappés, elevés and relevés! I think my shoe already has a relatively soft shank (Suffolk Solo Light) but I'll check with my teacher. Thank you!

[puppies_fly]

I used to have suffolk solo light also, I just switched to Grishko 2007 Pro with "super soft" shank. My ankles are not the most flexible, but are very strong. I was born with very nearly flat feet, but years of work have done a lot to change that. Stretches, as well as strengthening, were of great help to me. The most recent thing that helped me was this: the suffolks broke in with an arch that was closer to my toes then Iwould have liked. The Grishkoes broke in much higher in the shoe, which has greatly improved the line of my foot. You may want to put in a pointe shoe request to Ms. DeVor, she was very helpful when I did!

[cecchettiballetgirl]

Thank you, puppies_fly!

 

I'll definitely look into the Grishko 2007's. I've heard a lot of good things about them but will have to search around because everybody from our studio has always gone to the Shoe Room at the National Ballet for pointe shoes which only fits Suffolks and Freeds (which don't work for my feet that well). I know my teacher is not opposed to other brands, we just usually have gone to the Shoe Room because she dances at the National and can get a discount.

 

Thanks for you suggestion, I'm off to the pointe shoe board right now.