Whether watching the Nutcracker as an audience member or participating in the performance as part of the cast, just about every young ballet dancer looks in awe at the Sugar Plum Fairy. From the sparkling tiara on her head to those pink satin pointe shoes she is spinning around on, it’s easy to be mesmerized by her. I still remember being one of those young dancers captivated by her grace, and I couldn’t wait to be old enough to wear my own pair of pointe shoes.

It’s been thirty years since I’ve danced en pointe and some of the memories of the shoes are not so pleasant. In fact, having twelve blisters on your toes at the same time was just plain painful! Those memories are what have kept me out of pointe shoes for the last couple of decades.

So, why, then,  did I go for a pointe shoe fitting last week? Well, I do remember the pain, but I also remember the joy and excitement of dancing on the tip of my toes. There is nothing like it! Yes, it’s challenging, but it is also strengthening. Besides, I teach pointe classes, and I wanted to experience it again to better relate to my students. Many of them are older adults (though not as old as me), and I figured that if they were doing it, I could, too.

Like most sports equipment, pointe shoes have come a long way from their once simple design. Some brands are now made with new materials and produced in a variety of ways—way beyond the original paste-and-cardboard creation.  Now there are a variety of shoes to choose from and, with a proper pointe shoe fitting, it’s possible to find shoes that match your feet.

I decided to go to Saratoga Dance Etc. because they are experts when it comes to fitting pointe shoes. During the drive to Saratoga, I was both excited and nervous! Was I crazy for trying this again? What if I put the shoes on and these ol’ feet weren’t up to the task? Or what if the shoes still hurt my feet despite the design advances?

Fortunately, I was quickly reassured when I got there. Leslie Roy-Heck, Saratoga Dance, Etc. founder and former New York City Ballet soloist, took one look at my feet and brought out a pair of shoes that she thought would fit properly. Believe it or not, I went right up en pointe and it was surprisingly comfortable! One of my feet did cramp a little, but Leslie quickly remedied it: after looking at the shoe while I rose up, she decided a more tapered pair of shoes in the same brand might be better. She was right. However, just to make certain those were the best shoes for my feet, Leslie had me try one more pair, but the second (more tapered) pair definitely felt the best.

Forty minutes after walking in the door I had my own pair of Gaynor Minden pointe shoes—surprising since the first pointe shoe fitting for a young dancer usually takes an hour to an hour and a half! All I have left to do is sew the elastics and ribbons on (one painful aspect of pointe shoes that hasn’t changed, unfortunately), and then I can dance in the shoes!