I was surprised to see over 15 types of pointe shoes explained in an article in the June/July 2010 issue of Pointe magazine. And there are even more types than those mentioned in the article!. I only remember having the choice of three different types of pointe shoes when I was a young dancer.  None of them suited my narrow, low-arched foot, so I had to settle for a pair.

Now that there are all these options, dancers should take the time to try on different shoes.  An experienced fitter will help you find the shoe that is appropriate for your foot type, toe length, and arch. Expect the fitting to take at least an hour. When trying on the shoes, the dancer should see how the foot feels when in full releve. In addition, it’s also helpful to try a demi plie in second position since the foot needs additional room for plie. The fitter will also want to see how the shoe reacts when the dancer performs a releve to demi pointe.

The shoe that is selected at the first fitting may not continue be the “perfect shoe” throughout a dancer’s career. Feet change due to growth, technique, and injuries. And along with that, the shoe manufacturers are continually producing new and improved types of pointe shoes. It’s a good idea to go for a fitting even after the feet have stopped growing.