Split sole or full sole shoes?

[ballerinomom]

My 11 year old DS just switched to a RAD class. I have been told that RAD prefers full sole shoes but does permit split soles to be worn in an exam. He has only ever worn split sole shoes. Should I switch to full sole? What do I need to consider?

[jamied]

My son likes the full sole better. He used to wear the canvas, split sole, once he got a pair of full sole, leather because the store was out of stock in his size of the canvas. He has never gone back.

[ballerinomom]

Thanks for the input Jamied - my DS is wearing canvas, as required by his former school, but I think he would be happier in leather and I will see about switching. Regarding the split vs. full sole issue, somebody told me that is it easier to make the foot look good using a split sole shoe, but I am not sure if that is a good thing.

[Hans]

Does his current school have a preference? If not, it's fine to wear whatever he likes. It is easier to articulate the foot in canvas split-sole shoes, so if he has not mastered that yet, I would not change to leather or full-sole yet. Of course, if the school prefers one way or the other, that overrides anything else.

[ballerinomom]

Thank you Hans. This school does not have a preference in sole. Based on what you said about articulation, and the fact that his former highly reputable school had a clear preference for split sole shoes (for both boys and girls), I think I am going to leave him in canvas split soles for the time being.

[J66B11J06]

My son only wore full-sole leather for the 1st two years because his foot was too small for the canvas ones. Since wearing his 1st pair of split-sole canvas ballet shoes, he doesn't want any other full-sole shoes. He saids he can point his toe much better in them.