Types of Soft Shoes

Canvas, leather, split sole, full sole... are you lost trying to decide which one to buy? Well, in this post, I'll explain what the different shoes are, and why you should (or shouldn't) buy them.

It always depends on what your teacher or studio wants, so ask them first before buying anything. Some studios don't care and some do.

Canvas- the canvas shoes are made out of... you guessed it: canvas! I have been using canvas shoes for about 2 years now and I have fallen in love. Some teachers believe that because the leather is tougher, it makes you work your feet harder and develops stronger feet. I actually believe the opposite. When I got canvas shoes was when my feet got stronger and I developed better footwork. I could really feel the floor and I could tell when I was using my feet properly. Canvas shoes also make my feet look nicer and more pointy than leather shoes. They do require washing every once in a while, but it's not too difficult. To wash mine, I put them in the same load as my tights. I just do a regular cycle (my washing machine isn't very sophisticated), and then I put them in a delicate cycle in the dryer for a little while (maybe 10 minutes or so) to start the drying and then airdry them. They do shrink slightly when you wash them, but they do stretch back out a bit after wearing them once. I also make sure to buy shoes that are a tiny bit roomier than I'd normally buy so that they are still very comfortable and fit perfectly after washing. My favorite type of canvas shoe for comfort, price, quality and how they look are Sansha brand shoes. I haven't tried every brand out there, but so far I've stuck with Sansha's because I love them! I have been considering trying some Russian ones just to see how comfortable they are. If I try them, I'll let you know what I think.


Leather- obviously, the outside of these ones are made of leather. They are very durable and stretch to fit your feet. Usually young dancers wear leather (depending on the school) and then the older students switch to canvas.

Full-Sole and Split-Sole- Full-soled shoes are generally used for young dancers. They don't make much difference in your dancing, but split-soled makes a dancers foot look more pointed. I love my split-soles and I won't ever go back, but some teachers prefer their students to have full-soled until they think she's ready. Some teachers believe that full sole shoes make a dancer work her feet more and create stronger feet. I disagree.

Split Shoes- There's a fairly new kind of soft shoe that is split almost completely in two. It has the toe part, then the heel part and they are joined at the bottom by elastics. Bloch calls theirs "Elastosplits" (if you aren't sure what they are, look up those on the Bloch website). There is one big drawback to them, though; they have not yet been approved to wear in exams, so if you're taking exams you may want to think twice about getting them. From what I've heard, they are extremely comfortable and great to dance in.

Others- You can also buy satin ballet shoes, but they are mostly made for exams. They are generally not necessary, and your teacher should let you know if you need them. There are also 'hybrid' shoes but they are fairly new and at this point, I don't know anyone who has some.

There is one more thing you might want to look for when buying them. Most now come with the elastics already sewn on. This is so wonderful, especially if you're buying leather shoes. If the pair you choose doesn't have the elastics sewn on, don't worry. They all used to come that way. The most important thing to know when sewing them onto leather shoes is DON'T SEW ON THE LEATHER!! You want to stitch along the seam of the drawstring that goes all the way around the shoe.
You'll want to angle the elastic slightly towards the front of your foot, but only slightly. You'll want to talk to a teacher about where to sew the elastics on for best support, but you usually bend the heel of the shoe forward and the elastics go where it stops.

Stay tuned for my next post! I hope this helps you when buying your first, or next pair of ballet shoes!

Elizabeth

11-year-old Ballerina Extraodinaire

I really enjoy this video. The girl is an incredible ballerina and has mastered so much at such a young age. She is very talented and I love watching her dance.



Hope you enjoy it!

Elizabeth