Dancers' Preferred Pointe Shoes

[DanaD]

I got a pair of Paloma's shoes for a present!!!!!! :D They are special made Blochs, by the bell maker & they look a bit like Bloch Synergies. They also have a 3/4 shank. Her feet are SOOO tiny! They're a size 4 1/2!!

[dreamofdancing]

I have a pair of NYCB principal Maria Kowroski's shoes. They are custom Freeds, size 7 XX, maker club, 2.5 insole cut to 3/4, with eastic drawstring. They're white, but I don't know what performance they were from. It looks like she took something sharp and roughed up the sole (for traction?), and she cut the satin off of the tip. Also, right under the knot in the elastic on the vamps of both shoes, it looks like she cut a slit, then sewed it back up. I have also seen this on other professional dancers' shoes. Why do they do this? I've always wondered the purpose...does anyone know?

[proudofpeanut]

My DD has a shoe for most of the Miami City principals--Katia Carranza, Jennifer Kronenberg, Patricia and Jeanette Delgado, and Deanna Seay. All of the ones we have are Freed's--although I know Deanna Seay now wears Mindens. Jennifer Kronenberg's shoes are the most interesting to look at. She cuts the satin off the platform and neatly darns the satin back using the cutest little blanket stitch going around. I don't know how she sews it so perfectly. It is strangely interesting to me too to know what everyone wears!!

[Hans]

Thought I might as well add re: POB, that when I was at Vail we had two teachers from the POB School, and during a question and answer session they mentioned that the POB dancers wear all different kinds of shoes, but frequently they are Freed. They probably also mentioned Repetto, but I don't remember.

[Clara 76]

Thank you, Hans!!!!!!

[ELove428]

I'm joining the GeekSquad- Last week I was at the Kennedy Center seeing Alvin Ailey with my dance school. I was in the gift shop looking around at the ballet stuff, and found some shoes from Suzanne Farrell Ballet's performance there. They had a signature on the toe, but I unfortunatley couldn't make out whose it was. They were on the small side, 3/4 shanked, and jet glued. Wish I had been able to buy one, but alas, I am a broke teenager and don't carry much cash with me

[Clara 76]

Welcome to the GeekSquad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zebradancing13]

Here are a few pictures of the fabulous Ms. Kent:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/lyr...tcorella1ms.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/lyra98/julie_kent.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v605/lyr...tcarreno1gs.jpg

 

They're not the best, but it's pretty difficult to find quality close-ups of her pointe shoes.

 

These links don't work by the way. It said the pictures have been removed.

[Clara 76]

Yes. When dredging up older threads, one can come across broken links or material that has been removed.

[Je Suis Aimee]

I hereby proclaim myself the latest addition to the GeekSquad!

[Clara 76]

Aha! I shall challenge you to decipher what brands of pointe shoes are in this picture: Joy Womack's closet

[swantobe]

Well, the pair with the shank upwards (the shank you can clearly see) are Grishkos, I think.

[ballet4life737]

I am also a part of the geek squad here!!! I was doing a tour of the Royal Ballet Opera House and we were at the dye shop; they had dyed pointe shoes to show us... Needless to say I was there looking at and figuring out the brands of shoes! The ones I saw were Grishkos.. I'm so sad it didn't say who's . I also agree the above are Grishkos from the shank facing upwards but I can't remember the type of them right now... On the tip of my tounge.

[Clara 76]

Yes, there are Grishkos, definitely. But there is also at least one other brand of shoe in the pile....

[Je Suis Aimee]

Well, the pair with the shank upwards (the shank you can clearly see) are Grishkos, I think.

 

You beat me to it! As for the others, I don't know... it won't stop me from obsessing though!