With all of the same modifications I've seen ballet dancers doing to their shoes, why haven't the shoes been redesigned so fewer changes need to be made? Surely with the new materials available and production technology the way it is now, can't they be (vastly) improved for comfort and stability while keeping the same appearance?
Precisely because all what she showed in the video. The level of customization of every ballerina is impossible to replicate. Comfort and stability is provided by the shape and the strengthness of the shoe. That' s why there are gazillion different models in the market that may look the same (if you want to see how to chose the right one, Josephine is a gorrrrgeus pro shoe fitter. Her channel is _The Pointe Shop_ ) But all the rest is millimetrically adapted to our personal taste and anatomy. Bear in mind that feet are uneven so the modifications can change drastically from right to left. On the other side, there are ballerinas who love to switch R-L and L-R. It' s a complex universe. And not and static one. It' s constantly changing as we change.
ballet dancers have different feet regardless; what modifications they make are tailored to their needs. beginners are typically advised not to cut the shank or modify the shoes too much besides bending it with their hands or feet because most of the time they really do need all the support that the shoes may give, and it can help to strengthen their feet by rolling through the hard shoes while the shoes mold to their feet. the shoes will get scuffed as time passes, the satin will rip, but it's not super important since it's for practice. as dancers get stronger and move onto professional companies, the same shoes are still available, but dancers are now used to feeling at their best with half-broken in shoes, shoes that give just the right amount of support but are satisfyingly flexible that allows the dancer to spring up on pointe with their own strength. so, depending on what they're used to, they may alter new shoes to that half-broken in state while preserving appearance for performances (and at company level that becomes affordable). even if common changes were applied to pointe shoes overall, it would hurt different levels of ballet dancers because all their needs are different. and some professionals barely do anything to their shoes, while some beginner-intermediate dancers may already be strong enough that they have to start modifying the shoes to allow for more strength from the dancer's side. there's also tradition and conservation to take into consideration. some teachers advise to avoid gaynor mindens (widely known for the technology and other stuff they put in their shoes for comfort) because of their synthetic approach to pointe shoes and removable shanks that may make a dancer too reliant on the strength of the pointe shoe to support them instead of their own. and we really shouldn't be filling landfills with more non-biodegradable material than we have to. until there is technology that is sustainable, practical, durable, and good for the environment, i think pointe shoes overall are going to stay the hard bricks they are.
😂 I had exactly the same question. The type of art has been out there for many years, gazzilion dancers - they would have boycotted already if this wouldn’t work for them, right? It seems like easier way is to daily modify the shoe, rather then redesign the shoe at the manufacturer.
@@shannon4386 Most pointe shoe companies customize shoes especially Freed of London does it to a very high degree with minute specifications. Even with custom made shoes, most dancers will still tweak them to perfection :) Every dancer has their own tricks and very often, due to past injuries, one foot needs different modifications than the stronger , not injured foot. Also, in case of Freeds, they are hand crafted by your favorite maker so sometimes one shoe can be a bit wonky and require more adjustments. Custom made shoes don't cost $800, just slightly more than a stock shoe.
Everybody’s centre of gravity is different and where they land, they spread the weight are also different. It’s not possible for the maker to cater to thousands of ballerinas across the globe with such details. Think horses with their horseshoes. There’s no one size for all.
My ex feet also did this. Feet so flexible they basically just “fall” into that position. We have to push to point, for them there’s no resistance going to that position
Exactly, this is our relaxed comfort position. When I sit on the floor, I "sit" like Maria in the thumbnail or during the video because closing my legs ends being uncomfortable. We are completely rotated. 😅🤣
@@petitluna2571 No, my dear no🥹. Hyperlaxitude is the perfect receipt for future problems. I' m paying my pelvic floor bills and, ouch😣🤕 Ouch my body and ouch my wallet, btw😮💨... I see flexibility like money. A good amount? Yes!! Who doesn' t want a comfortable free life surrounded by your beloved ones? A crrrrrazy amount? Potential problems, bad companies not interested in yourself but in your account and headaches. If you are so kind to accept my advice (for you or yours), keep a healthy range of movement, shake this body😜 doing the kind of exercise that you enjoy (it must not feel like an imposed sacrifice at all) and stay away from extras. The ghost of Christmas future😉. 🧛🏻♀️🖤
As a harpist I love watching the ballet. The rhythm of the dancers helps me play in the correct time with the music especially the Nutcracker which can be a bit tricky in act 1. I have video of both Mikhail Baryshnikov and Vladimir Vasiliev dancing the Nutcracker. It's great to go back and see these amazing! Dancers.
Amazing, would never have imagined it’s such a long and laborious prep! Can’t believe the manufacturers of these shoes can’t make them more easily adjustable!
That’s a good question. It has a complicated answer. The short answer is every dancer is different. Her methods are different. She wants her shoes to be a certain way and there’s no one-size-fits-all way to make it easier. Yes, they HAVE made advancements to make it easier to break them in, and to make them last longer, but there are reasons why they are this way. They have to be broken in by the individual dancer to make them work for the dancers individual needs. For example, for one dancer, breaking-in shoes might mean cutting out half the shoe and breaking the shank. The shank is like the backbone of the shoe. It’s the support. It’s typically supposed to be broken at the exact shape of the arch of your foot. This is different for everyone. Pointe shoes already come in varying strengths, with different flexibility to the shank. There’s no safe way to make that breakaway at different places for different dancers, depending upon exactly how they might break it for their own foot shape and flexibility. However, it can be made easier to mold and more resilient. If they made shoes like that, it could break in the wrong place at the wrong time and they could get hurt or ruin a performance. Different dancers have different flexibility and ankle strength. The shoes are fitted for these considerations by a professional pointe shoe fitter. They’re made to break in and break down gradually, to allow them to support the dancer, while she builds strength. Plus, the shoes are very expensive. This is just one example. Everyone breaks them in differently. Did you ever see Harry Potter? Ollivander’s wand shop is a good example. He says “the wand chooses the wizard, Harry” and that’s exactly like pointe shoes! When Harry picks up the wrong wand, it doesn’t work and it almost results in a dangerous disaster. Pointe shoes are the same way! You should watch videos of Josephine from The Pointe Shop!! 😊
And it's crazy too that these shoes will only last couple of days (sometimes only a day), it feels almost like a jobb to just prepare all the shoes as a professional ballerina.
Knowing how ballet shoes are made and the hard work that goes into them, it kills me to see what dancers need to do to have brand new shoes work for them.
Seamstress and costumer here with a suggestion on darning the shoes. I'm delighted to see that you use a thimble to push. That's great. As further help pushing a thin needle through a lot of layers I use pliers--a gripping tool--to pull the needle through the thick layers. Saves your fingers from getting too tired. ❤
Maybe look into a sailmakers palm. I was watching a reaction video from The Pointe Shop , and the suggestion came up after a dancer’s needle broke while darning and stabbed her.
I don’t think she was talking about her fingers hurting, she was talking about her toes hurting in the shoes. It’s an ESL mistake. In many language, the word for fingers and toes is the same, so when native speakers of those,languages learn English, they sometimes assume that fingers and toes are both fingers. It’s like how finger bones and toe bones are both called “phalanges”.
@@newsviewstoday5689 It's great to push the needle in and through, but to grip it on the other side and pull it out again nothing beats a great pair of small pliers.
I ve been a ballerina when I was young I still own my points and I even have let my first pare bronzed. Grate memories. But now at age 48 is suffer with my feel. Forced my feet on very early age. During my growth. My feet are still very flaxible but I suffer with from tedenitis now. Enjoy your ballet as long as you can. It s magic and I will never forget it.
Wish I had known about most of this many years ago when I was a dancer with SFO ballet. We we were always trying to customize our pointe shoes .. ballerinas now will be grateful for your hard won knowledge. I am a fan. :)
I can’t believe all that you do to your shoes. Your are a ballerina artist and a shoe artist! You are also very delightful. Thank you for sharing with us. ♥️
Hi there Maria, it is very obvious to me that ballet shoe makers have no idea how to make a comfortable ballet shoe for ballerinas, it’s time to get back to the drawing board and get someone to create a ballet shoe that is made for modern dancers.X💕🏴
Yes! I am not a dancer and had no idea dancers had to work so hard for a wearable shoe. Do the lead dancers in a company have shoes custom made for them?
My thoughts exactly! It looks like a LOT of work to make the shoes ready to dance in. From what I hear they go through fittings to get the shoe, why aren’t some of those things built in? She shouldn’t have to pretty much remake them.
Gaynor Minden has done a great job on this. A lot of top dancers wear their shoes. You have to buy the one with the shank which is what you need when in the old type shoe is the "broken in shank". . However there are still some dancers who prefer the old paste shoes and all the preparation.
Do you think they have already been asked about making it comfortable for them? Ballet has been around for a long time,unless they don't have anyone to even try to make the shoe.
This was quite fascinating. I already have a great respect for ballet dancers and the sacrifice they make for their art and the beauty that results from it. This detail just increased my respect for dancers. Thank you Maria, for sharing this info. I very much enjoyed this video.
This was fascinating, thank you! As a former dressmaker, I hated doing alterations, so I can appreciate the work that you put into preparing your ballet shoes. The grater made me nervous but it looked like fun!
Lovely your share from how a more seasoned ballerina becomes a-tuned to her own feet and how your SPECIFIC choice POINT shoe is selected and by your needs from your shoe warrents a whole fit into the base of your technique. Everyone will enjoy how your personal tailoring of your point shoe is individual to you as you need ready to wear that most audiences are not aware. Beginners are of not this level, of course, discovering what merits only and first putting their point shoes on for the first few years into only training their body to feet as an extended instrument through the point shoe. Years of mental and physical training into this shared moment is what no one knew yearsago and the choices were not as available or discovered. Thank you. You're a joy to watch in how generously genuine to the audience. How is your little sister coming along in the ballet world? Best to you both.
I don’t sew or watch ballet, but this was really interesting. Great job at explaining why you needed to edit each part of the shoe & what happens when it’s not done properly.
So here's the thing. I have no idea how I ended up here but I applaud the effort it takes for this pointe shoe to take it's proper shape. Really unbelievable the work you have to put in! Now I'm subscribed and I'm off to watch more videos. 🥰
Endless gratitude, Mashula. Finally, this beyond detailed and brilliantlly explained video done by a star prima ballerina is gonna help people understand why we customize pointe shoes in a gazillion different ways and that this is the reason why we don' t want to buy them already broken and sewed. 🧛🏻♀️🖤
When looking online pointe shoes are from $30-$100 for one pair, but I read they only last 20 hours... this can't be right. The average ballerina makes $35,000/year, how are they affording the shoes alone?
@@kleineoOoStern it's horrifying to see how feet get wounded if a ballerina exaggerates the sport or doesn't care for good and sane shoes. Nice video for these sportives. 🧘♀️💝👠
😳I'm not a dancer, but it seems to me that shoes are probably the most important equipment. I get that some of these hacks are good for customizing the shoes to the dancer's foot. But in other sports, athletes aren't responsible for making their own equipment work properly.
@@ellencox8415Usually balletdancers in a company are given a certain amount of pointe shoes a year. But they wear out quickly so the prepping she does is important.
I have no idea why your videos have suddenly started appearing in my recommended feed, but they're fascinating. Ballet is a world that I know absolutely nothing about but have always respected. It seems like a completely alien and exotic world.
Thank you so much for this video. My granddaughter will start on pointe within this year. For the past year…and continuing, she has been preparing physically so that her feet will be ready. I never knew how much was involved for dancing on pointe. I’m sharing this video with my granddaughter now…although, she is probably much more aware of the various things than I was.
I read a book by a ballerina who described, step by step, her method of preparing her shoes. I was stunned at the amount of time it takes to prepare the shoes, but it done is another thing entirely, so I really appreciate this video. I would guess every ballerina does her shoes differently according to the shape of her foot and balance considerations. I suppose, given personal preferences, it seems there is nothing that can be done in the way the shoes are produced to make your intensive job easier or it already would have been suggested and implemented. Your process was fascinating to watch, and thank you for so carefully explaining every tiny adjustment you make and the reason for it.
Wow! This was so interesting to watch, I'll never look at ballerina shoes the same way again! What a commitment to your craft, thank you for sharing with us ❤️
This was very interesting, thank you! What I struggle with, if ever you were interested in talking about that in another video, is to learn to identify what is normal discomfort for a foot that is still building up strength VS what is abnormal pain from shoes that might not be well fitted. I've started ballet training a few years ago at home and your youtube barre and center classes have helped me immensely. I am still working with my first pair of pointe shoes and am still figuring out what helps my feet get through a full pointe class. You discussing this would help me a lot. Thank you again!!
In the end I Wonder why point shoes are made so tough from manufacturing.They should start to improve new materials . For me it was always like punishment when they were brandnew shoes .
I am hardly an expert (I am also an adult beginner dancer who's been at it a few years), but if you've only ever danced at home I think most teachers would say you should not be en pointe until you've been evaluated for readiness. Maybe watch some of Josephine the pointe shoe fitter's RUclips videos, because she makes this very clear if you watch enough of them.
@@ronatibu Yes, i know. I did ask a teachera few years ago and she told me I was good to go. I actually started a while after she did to gain more stability. My issue is with being on my own right now, which is why I ask for advice on the developments of pointe work during the first year or so
Very helpful and informative video! I just wanted to hop on and say that beginners en pointe are strongly advised against cutting the shanks of their shoes or doing too much to them in general. Beginners shouldn’t modify their shoes without their teachers‘ assistance!
That’s true. When I first went en pointe we were permitted to sew ribbons and elastic. There were a couple of other things we did to the toe box. As we progressed we learned what to do to make the she more comfortable. Mariah is a charming young lady.
I had some idea of what ballerinas do to get their shoes ready just from watching a pointe shoe fitter, but not all the steps that they go through. Thank you for showing it!
How interesting! I had no idea how much customization has to be done for them for your foot and added safety. I know you only get a few performances out of a pair of already expensive shoes, so I imagine when you aren’t working, you must have a basket of shoes you are constantly working on. It must never end, lol. I can’t imagine a carpenter having to rebuild every tool for half an hour before he can use it. That is definitely a labor of love.
Oh my goodness! So much work to prepare the shoes and they only last for how long? Amazing. You have my utmost respect for the respect YOU have for your craft1
I was just a dancer at a local dance school, and my teacher had never danced professionally but majored in ballet in college. I wish she had taken the time to help us get our basic pointe shoes to fit better. All she told us to do was sew the ribbons on. If I had worn down the tip to make it more block-like and less curved and broken the sole it would’ve made a world of difference because I have high arches too! I thought I just sucked :(
You are never 'just' a dancer. You have a talent that few people possess. I, for one, certainly don't have that talent, yet have always been fascinated by ballerinas and dancing en pointe
Selizaz, I can totally relate. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope you can start anew and dance again and do your toe shies right this time. I know your feet are going to look beautiful.
This was a fascinating video! I had no idea you had to go through all this. I took ballet when I was about 25, just for fun, and the school had us buy and use 'toe' shoes, never telling us anything about breaking them in or fixing them to fit our feet. They were so uncomfortable. Needless to say, I didn't continue in these classes. I imagine people can get hurt taking classes at an older age, not having proper training. But I love this video and am glad I found it. Ballet is so beautiful!!
I remember all the training leading up to my first pointe shoes and barre lesson with pointe shoes, and I thought I was going to die! I never got used to that pain, especially those exercises in the beginning to go from the heel to the box and back down. My teacher was a successful ballerina working with a company at the time, and she could definitely feel my pain because she said after dancing she soaks her feet in an ice bucket.
Not at all a regular experience. Pointe shoes are uncomfortable due to stiffness and fighting the resistance of the shank but a properly chosen shoe does not hurt as in pain causing. These days there is a vast choice out there and many brands have support incorporated in the shoes. And a broken in shoe is easy to wear all day.
I have never had any dance lessons, nor have I ever had any desire to. One of the great benefits of retirement for me is that I have so much time to learn about whatever I wish to 😊 Somehow, I stumbled into a bunch of ballet-related content on RUclips during the past month and it is great! When I find videos like yours, it just helps me to understand another part of the life of the ballerina. Thank you so much for helping me to learn something new and meaningful❤ Aside from 23 years in Army Combat boots, the many miles that I've spent in running shoes, and my love affair with my Berkinstocks...I can see one very simple commonality between us. That commonality is how very important our footwear is! If our feet don't work, we are pretty much useless! Good luck in your future endeavors ❤
You can get by with nonworking feet. But lose your hands...that's far worse. Wheelchairs and braces get you mobile and there is great tech around, but hand substitutes are very uncommon.
@imho2278 You are very right, unfortunately, when you choose a career that requires you to use your feet in order to succeed, you learn quickly to take care of them!💕
That glue is called "Superglue" or CA glue or cyanoacrylate glue. "Hot glue" is VERY different - it is basically molten plastic that is dispensed by an applicator gun (which heats and melts that plastic). Hot glue does not work well with natural fabrics and tends to melt synthetic fabrics.
Don't know why this was recommended to me, but it was fascinating. I've been sewing, and customizing , my clothes since I was 5 years old. I am 58 now. Didn't know dancers needed to do that with their point shoes. Great channel.
Maria, well done for posting this without actually complaining. So I'll complain for you! I used to dance en pointe until an accident stopped me. I remember the hours I spent doing my shoes just like you do. Obviously, if the existing makers changed how they fit and make shoes, they would make less money. But there would also be less environmental waste and damage in their manufacturing, which we must address in the arts. Which is why someone needs to challenge this wasteful industry by creating a custom fitting pointe shoe that accommodates each dancer's feet without having to buy endless pairs in order to be able to just dance to pay for more pairs of shoes! I can see technology that would enable this; scanning tech and 3d printing, combined with cutting edge textiles and materials being developed by biotechnology scientists. I know that sometimes, old school is still best school, but seriously: there MUST be a better way than this - even though the ritual of preparing shoes is sometimes a welcome space to be off your feet and enjoying the smell of shellac, the leather and the meditation of stitching your pointe. It's a kind of odd way of taking care of yourself as a dancer and I think I missed it very much when I stopped dancing - I'm sure you would miss it too, even though it is so annoying at times!
Really happy to see a great ballerina dance with Bloch serenade. When I was studying, I was the only one using them! Everyone else was using grishko. I couldn't dance with any grishko model.
You are brilliant! I damaged my feet for years at Kirov over 40 years ago and can only wear high arch orthotic shoes now. I hope more ballerinas watch this video if they haven’t figured out how to make it more comfortable.
Wow! What those shoes go thru to be the best for the dancer. I imagine that a pair is not cheap. This was really interesting. Thank you for taking the time to show us that as a dancer you just don’t put on a pair of new ballet shoes and dance around for a bit to break them in.
You have received many great suggestions to assist your sewing work, the best are the Sailor's palm and the small pliers, both of which I use for stitching thick layers. For less thick material, I use thick leather and suede gardening gloves----I cut off the best fitting finger of the glove and that becomes my thimble, flexible and quite handy. A curved needle---also mentioned, has been a great friend and may be a better fit for you for the sewing done around the tips of the shoes, curved needles come in dozens of thicknesses and there are varieties for the amount of the curve
Crazy. When dancers pretty well have to break and destroy the shoes then rebuild them, there is something wrong with pointe shoe design and manufacturing, especially today with so many new materials.
Not really. It would be totally impossible for a pointe shoe to "work" for every ballerina because they are All DIFFERENT. Unless the dancer is purchasing custom shoes that are made to their personal specifications, there are far too many variables to try to take into account, and besides, some dancers will even customise their custom shoes!!! Dancers, particularly professional dancers, have a lot riding on their shoes so many prefer to be in control over a part of the fitting and "breaking" of their shoes. Just for an example of a few of the variables in pointe shoes, block shape, shank strength, shoe curvature, shank length, vamp length, width, shoe height, box width and more. Better to have shapes that fit a wide(ish) proportion of dancers that they can then customise to their own particular needs.
It seems the shoes are made as they were made for many years, just to look dainty and pretty, and perhaps traditions stand in the way of a design that doesn't destroy the dancers' feet, and doesn't require reconstruction to be usable. Thank you for sharing this process.
Great informative video! Always interesting to see the different tweaks the a professional ballerina makes to her shoes - it's so personal to each dancer.
My families motto was “Make the shoe to fit the dancer” not the dancer to fit the shoe. 🩰 Freed of London My Father Rodney Freed, son of Dora & Frederick ‘ invented’ the 3/4 back for high arches & the elasticated drawstring amongst other things 🩰 Turning Pointe. There’s no business like shoe business 😂😂😂😂
@@pushkincastle No, I used to buy the shoes in a little shop in Lancashire, I was 14 at the time, it seems like only yesterday! I loooved my ballet shoes!
I hope this doesn't sound insulting, but as a teacher of English to non-native speakers, I just want to say I love your use of English! Giving a presentation like this of something you're good at is a great way for people to build up their English skills. Great job!!!
I love seeing how different pros customize their shoes. As a recreational dancer, thankfully I don't have to sew shoes too often, but it's such a chore. I think I might have to start experimenting with vamp elastics to better hold the shoe to my arch, however, I worry about it also pulling my foot back, and dislike that it's an additional step in the prep routine... Trial and error I guess. I do wish Bloch shoes in general had flatter platforms - I started darning mine similarly last year (but no cheese grater!) and feel much more confident finding my balance. I wish I'd started darning years earlier. But I also wish I didn't have to take the time for that extra step.
If you're worried that a vamp elastic is going to hold your foot back and keep you from going over the box and en pointe, either Blochs aren't the right shoe for you, or you aren't strong enough for pointe work yet. There isn't a whole lot of resistance with the over the arch elastics. They are merely there for light support. You should always be able to balance yourself en pointe using your muscles despite having elastics and ribbons. If Blochs aren't giving you the support you need, try another brand. There are plenty of other shoe companies out there. Look for one that suits your particular foot type. Have your teacher do a shoe fitting with you at a store. If you don't have a teacher and you're self taught, you're putting yourself at risk for severe injuries.
I am absolutely fascinated with ballet and yes when I was a child like many little girls I wanted to do ballet. There wasn’t any ballet classes where my family lived and we lived on a small island. I also have “dyscalculia”which is a learning disability with math which for me has been very debilitating, so I couldn’t understand or follow dance timing in PE lessons at school. I also had some problems with movement and my feet especially my left foot don’t have arches as such. I’m now unable to walk and use an electric wheelchair to get around. I still admire and love ballet and anything to do with ballet. Before I became disabled I did exercise everyday and was very passionate about keeping myself fit and active. I have M.E I’ve only just come across your post and have subscribed and look forward to watching more videos of you on RUclips❤
I’m not a ballerina, or even a dancer. I’m just a girl who wanted to me a prima ballerina, but my body said no 😂 also, never apologize for being fluent in multiple languages. I can ONLY speak English, and at times, I can barely speak it 😂 you are a super human because of what you can do on stage, and because you can speak multiple languages 💜 and everything made perfect sense, I can assure you!!!
Her feet are permanently disfigured like all dancers on pointe. Consider yourself lucky. I might not have the body type or certain grace to dance on pointe, but my feet look nice, and people have told me this. No one compliments pointe dancers bare feet. You're missing out on nothing.
@@melyssagarguilo4570 exactly this, I know a few ex dancers in their 60's who have so many foot/leg issues now. They have to have customized shoes just to walk without pain.
So fascinating to watch because I used to prepare my shoes in similar ways but with subtle differences!! We all are unique in what we do, I'm long retired but fun to watch ❤
My daughter had specially designed pointe shoes made just for her. She wore nothing inside her shoes at the insistence of her ballet teacher. She had a lot of thick callouses on her toes (especially underneath, and some bleeding at times but her feet were not that bad. looking. My daughter took ballet since she was three and was on pointe from age 8 until age 24.
ALL OF THAT detail an no trying on to illustrate every point (pun intended) you made!! we want to see the fit we want to see you try it on we want to see you stand on point and show us all your hard work AT WORK!
The whole process makes me wonder why the manufacturer doesn't produce shoes that are closer to what the dancer needs. Considering the cost it seems like a lot of work for each pair which only last a short time. Very interesting video, thank you.
Every dancer's foot is a bit different. They tend to customize their own shoes to work with their feet. Manufacturers must make them to a standard, and then the rest is up to the dancer. It would be impossible to cover all the preferences and not cost-effective for them at all.
I’m curious, are there many women who were actually born men in the ballet profession? I’ve always been genuinely curious about this; as I can see (what I call) soul colors, which tell me man/woman and when I go to ballets (since a child), I often see women who have male soul colors. Thank you for asking a genuine question. And I loved your video! It’s amazing to see how you prepare shoes! I went to one of the top factories in Russia when I was a child & saw how they were made & always love to see how each ballerina breaks her shoes. ❤
Such a lot of work to put in before you use your shoes. It is a very good video explaining what needs to happen to a dancer’s shoes before they perform. Thank you for your video ❤
That was really interesting, Maria. It must take up a great deal of your time doing that to every pair of shoes. Were you taught how to do it when you were younger? And approximately how long will a pair of shoes last? The metal object you were using to help you push the needle through is called a thimble. Keep going with your beautiful dancing.
I used to burn the top instead of sewing it, and also the ribbons at their end because otherwise they would dissolve there. And I always used a big amount of colophony on all of the outside of my point shoes to make them less slippery, that was the most important thing actually... Interesting to see how you prepare them.
My mother was a dancer. Not a ballet dancer. I remember her toes crooked and always causing her pain. They were the shape of her shoe going to a point. She told me that the pain was nothing when she’s dancing. She doesn’t feel it. I remember seeing blood. As an old woman of 90+ her feet still shivers through me with sympathetic pain. It was not until her 70s that she worked her feet down from high high heels to flats. It took her sometime because her calves were so shortened.
Just got Bloch Hannah pointe shoes. I want to modify mine just as you do yours! Looks like perfect modifications! Thank you so much for sharing how you prepare yours!💓💯💕🥰
I noticed Maria Khoreva made the same silly mistake when she said something about her toes as I did when I was still learning English! 😅 when I was learning English, and I was taking ballet classes with my English speaking friends, I never realized that fingers on the hands are called fingers, but the “fingers” on our feet are called toes! Because I’m Spanish, fingers and toes are both called fingers 😂 so I was putting my pointe shoes on and was complaining about how my “fingers” hurt so bad 😅 my friends were so confused and it was not until a few weeks later when I had said it many times that my friends finally asked me why my fingers hurt. And then they explained to me that fingers on my feet are called toes 🤣🤣 it was really funny Anyways I really hope I can be like Maria Khoreva when I grow up!! 🤍🫶✨🩰 Edit: thank you for all the replies, I find it so funny how all of us whose first language is not English can all relate to what I commented! It is so funny what different languages call different parts of the body 😆
Nooooo 🤣🤣🤣🤣!!! Fantasía, qué grande. En ruso es igual que nosotros. Un palets es un dedo. Y un palets na nogue, pues un dedo "en" el nogue🦶🏼. Team #fingerfeet 🧛🏻♀️🩰🖤
@@JohnSmith-ji7xt Excellent? Super excellent!! ✨✨✨ It has improved since she started her channel and it keeps on improving. I' m ukra-spanish so try to figure out how my brain is on fire when she speaksI wish I sounded like Mashula and I had her fluidity. 🧛🏻♀️🩰🖤
I’m sure someone has mentioned it, but the glue that you’re using (that I think you’re calling “hot glue” - or am I mishearing “hard glue”?) looks like what we’d call “crazy glue” - a pretty much identical glue is used for some artificial fingernails, so it is also called “nail glue”. “Hot glue” though is a rubbery/soft-plastic-feeling stick of solid glue that is heated in a glue gun to become liquid and then dries solid again! I hope this helps! I always love seeing how folks break in their pointe shoes! I’ve never done ballet and always love learning more about things that are outside of my realm of understanding 😅 - as an off-topic side note, I think this is why a lot of people are interested in watching videos about true crime!
Very interesting how you prepare your shoes. I actually like mine very soft and flexible and I have high arches like you do. I like long wings in my shoes and generally if the tips are not even, I also have to make them even. I like the elastic ribbon so it doesn't come loose. I soee mine with dental floss, so they are nice and tight. I don't break the soul the way you do but I do break it in half to fit my arch, but not so much that I wrecked the shoe. I also step on it of course, and widen it out. I wonder sometimes why they can't make a pointe shoe that could actually conform to a foot without all this work. Anyway, great video.
Have you tried Gaynor Minden? They have several shank strengths, various vamp styles, box widths, etc. I'm not a dancer but worked in a dance wear store pre pandemic and we carried Gaynor pointe shoes
@@pamfink4052 yes, I used to always wear Gaynor Minden, but I'm not fond of the new ones made in Europe. They are smaller and tighter for the same size, and don't seem to have the same flexibility as the ones made in the United States.
So fab having some insight into how you prepare your shoes! Two questions for you - are your shoes custom or do you just wear the standard model? Does the shellac on the sole not make the shoe really slippery to wear? Always love your content Maria! 💕
Thank you, very helpful !! Please can you do a series of videos where we send you a video of our performance and you select a few that you correct on video? it could be very helpful and beneficial, if you have the time to do that, obviously ❤ You’re a beautiful ballerina
I was always told to tie the draw elastics in a plie for best fit. Edit- That is not what I was expecting when you started talking about "hot glue." I was picturing the sticks that get melted by a glue "gun," as loved by 5 Minute Crafts.
I am amazed at everything you need to do to this shoe to make it both more stable and comfortable to wear! Doesn't it just prove that dancers who do not know these tricks will massacre their feet in just a few years? The grating is particulatly intriguing. How often can you do this without ripping the fabric? You say that you have danced in these shoes for many years? It looks brandnew to me! You probably meant "this kind or thisbrand of shoe"?
Awesome! I have a question: did you think about designing your own shoes? Obviously these are not completely fit for ballet 🤔 you would save so much time and effort. Things must evolve. That’s my opinion. You’re so kind and courageous. ❤
The shoes are perfectly fit for ballet. A general recreational dancer could dance in them (assuming the shank strength, vamp length, block shape and all the other variables suit them) Every professional ballet dancer, however, customises their shoes. Her shoes work for HER . They wouldn't for another dancer, because they'd have different requirements and would "break" their shoes to their preferences.
Why aren’t the pointe shoes already made like that? Many dancers prepare their ones almost the same! And, as you wear a lot of them, they can even be custom made.
@@shannon4386 Yes, perhaps you are right, but don't you agree with me that it is a nonsense to carefully create a little piece of art and then to carefully destroy it later in order to use it a few hours, because of the damage caused to it? It seems to me that 1) the materials and technique of fabrication of pointe shoes are stuck on the XIX century and 2) it is no worth it for shoemakers to improve it, because of money. Would you imagine a runner buying an expensive pair of sneakers, semi-destroy them before running and then throwing them away after every race?
I sew thick suff at work (rubber, neoprene, plastics, nylon etc), I use a thimble to push and newish rubber cleaning gloves (cleaning lady gloves) to pull. Works especially good with curved needles.
With all of the same modifications I've seen ballet dancers doing to their shoes, why haven't the shoes been redesigned so fewer changes need to be made? Surely with the new materials available and production technology the way it is now, can't they be (vastly) improved for comfort and stability while keeping the same appearance?
Precisely because all what she showed in the video. The level of customization of every ballerina is impossible to replicate. Comfort and stability is provided by the shape and the strengthness of the shoe. That' s why there are gazillion different models in the market that may look the same (if you want to see how to chose the right one, Josephine is a gorrrrgeus pro shoe fitter. Her channel is _The Pointe Shop_ ) But all the rest is millimetrically adapted to our personal taste and anatomy. Bear in mind that feet are uneven so the modifications can change drastically from right to left. On the other side, there are ballerinas who love to switch R-L and L-R. It' s a complex universe. And not and static one. It' s constantly changing as we change.
ballet dancers have different feet regardless; what modifications they make are tailored to their needs.
beginners are typically advised not to cut the shank or modify the shoes too much besides bending it with their hands or feet because most of the time they really do need all the support that the shoes may give, and it can help to strengthen their feet by rolling through the hard shoes while the shoes mold to their feet. the shoes will get scuffed as time passes, the satin will rip, but it's not super important since it's for practice.
as dancers get stronger and move onto professional companies, the same shoes are still available, but dancers are now used to feeling at their best with half-broken in shoes, shoes that give just the right amount of support but are satisfyingly flexible that allows the dancer to spring up on pointe with their own strength. so, depending on what they're used to, they may alter new shoes to that half-broken in state while preserving appearance for performances (and at company level that becomes affordable).
even if common changes were applied to pointe shoes overall, it would hurt different levels of ballet dancers because all their needs are different. and some professionals barely do anything to their shoes, while some beginner-intermediate dancers may already be strong enough that they have to start modifying the shoes to allow for more strength from the dancer's side.
there's also tradition and conservation to take into consideration. some teachers advise to avoid gaynor mindens (widely known for the technology and other stuff they put in their shoes for comfort) because of their synthetic approach to pointe shoes and removable shanks that may make a dancer too reliant on the strength of the pointe shoe to support them instead of their own. and we really shouldn't be filling landfills with more non-biodegradable material than we have to.
until there is technology that is sustainable, practical, durable, and good for the environment, i think pointe shoes overall are going to stay the hard bricks they are.
😂 I had exactly the same question. The type of art has been out there for many years, gazzilion dancers - they would have boycotted already if this wouldn’t work for them, right? It seems like easier way is to daily modify the shoe, rather then redesign the shoe at the manufacturer.
@@shannon4386 Most pointe shoe companies customize shoes especially Freed of London does it to a very high degree with minute specifications. Even with custom made shoes, most dancers will still tweak them to perfection :) Every dancer has their own tricks and very often, due to past injuries, one foot needs different modifications than the stronger , not injured foot. Also, in case of Freeds, they are hand crafted by your favorite maker so sometimes one shoe can be a bit wonky and require more adjustments. Custom made shoes don't cost $800, just slightly more than a stock shoe.
Everybody’s centre of gravity is different and where they land, they spread the weight are also different. It’s not possible for the maker to cater to thousands of ballerinas across the globe with such details. Think horses with their horseshoes. There’s no one size for all.
I love how she keeps her foot pointed even when relaxed hahaha ❤❤ Maria is adorable! Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷 🩰
My ex feet also did this. Feet so flexible they basically just “fall” into that position. We have to push to point, for them there’s no resistance going to that position
Exactly, this is our relaxed comfort position. When I sit on the floor, I "sit" like Maria in the thumbnail or during the video because closing my legs ends being uncomfortable. We are completely rotated. 😅🤣
@@sebumpostmortem woah! Wish I had that ““problem””😂🥰
Whenever I do that my toes cramped up. I have to grab my foot and bend all the toes back to release the cramp. Ballet is brutal on women's feet.
@@petitluna2571 No, my dear no🥹. Hyperlaxitude is the perfect receipt for future problems. I' m paying my pelvic floor bills and, ouch😣🤕 Ouch my body and ouch my wallet, btw😮💨... I see flexibility like money. A good amount? Yes!! Who doesn' t want a comfortable free life surrounded by your beloved ones? A crrrrrazy amount? Potential problems, bad companies not interested in yourself but in your account and headaches. If you are so kind to accept my advice (for you or yours), keep a healthy range of movement, shake this body😜 doing the kind of exercise that you enjoy (it must not feel like an imposed sacrifice at all) and stay away from extras. The ghost of Christmas future😉. 🧛🏻♀️🖤
As a harpist I love watching the ballet. The rhythm of the dancers helps me play in the correct time with the music especially the Nutcracker which can be a bit tricky in act 1. I have video of both Mikhail Baryshnikov and Vladimir Vasiliev dancing the Nutcracker. It's great to go back and see these amazing! Dancers.
Amazing, would never have imagined it’s such a long and laborious prep! Can’t believe the manufacturers of these shoes can’t make them more easily adjustable!
That’s a good question. It has a complicated answer. The short answer is every dancer is different. Her methods are different. She wants her shoes to be a certain way and there’s no one-size-fits-all way to make it easier.
Yes, they HAVE made advancements to make it easier to break them in, and to make them last longer, but there are reasons why they are this way.
They have to be broken in by the individual dancer to make them work for the dancers individual needs.
For example, for one dancer, breaking-in shoes might mean cutting out half the shoe and breaking the shank. The shank is like the backbone of the shoe. It’s the support. It’s typically supposed to be broken at the exact shape of the arch of your foot. This is different for everyone. Pointe shoes already come in varying strengths, with different flexibility to the shank. There’s no safe way to make that breakaway at different places for different dancers, depending upon exactly how they might break it for their own foot shape and flexibility. However, it can be made easier to mold and more resilient. If they made shoes like that, it could break in the wrong place at the wrong time and they could get hurt or ruin a performance. Different dancers have different flexibility and ankle strength. The shoes are fitted for these considerations by a professional pointe shoe fitter. They’re made to break in and break down gradually, to allow them to support the dancer, while she builds strength. Plus, the shoes are very expensive.
This is just one example. Everyone breaks them in differently.
Did you ever see Harry Potter? Ollivander’s wand shop is a good example. He says “the wand chooses the wizard, Harry” and that’s exactly like pointe shoes! When Harry picks up the wrong wand, it doesn’t work and it almost results in a dangerous disaster. Pointe shoes are the same way!
You should watch videos of Josephine from The Pointe Shop!! 😊
And it's crazy too that these shoes will only last couple of days (sometimes only a day), it feels almost like a jobb to just prepare all the shoes as a professional ballerina.
@@-Reagan thank you so much for explaining This! I’d just asked the same question in a separate comment.
@@-Reagan thank you for this explanation ... i had the same question in mind.
@@-Reagan I’m
Knowing how ballet shoes are made and the hard work that goes into them, it kills me to see what dancers need to do to have brand new shoes work for them.
Ikr, they can just use Gaynor Minden or any other brand that offers customization.
Seamstress and costumer here with a suggestion on darning the shoes. I'm delighted to see that you use a thimble to push. That's great. As further help pushing a thin needle through a lot of layers I use pliers--a gripping tool--to pull the needle through the thick layers. Saves your fingers from getting too tired. ❤
Maybe look into a sailmakers palm. I was watching a reaction video from The Pointe Shop , and the suggestion came up after a dancer’s needle broke while darning and stabbed her.
That's some good darn advice.
I don’t think she was talking about her fingers hurting, she was talking about her toes hurting in the shoes. It’s an ESL mistake. In many language, the word for fingers and toes is the same, so when native speakers of those,languages learn English, they sometimes assume that fingers and toes are both fingers. It’s like how finger bones and toe bones are both called “phalanges”.
For pushing have you ever checked out a Sailor's Palm? Amazing tool to PUSH the needle through.
@@newsviewstoday5689 It's great to push the needle in and through, but to grip it on the other side and pull it out again nothing beats a great pair of small pliers.
I ve been a ballerina when I was young
I still own my points and I even have let my first pare bronzed.
Grate memories.
But now at age 48 is suffer with my feel. Forced my feet on very early age.
During my growth.
My feet are still very flaxible but I suffer with from tedenitis now.
Enjoy your ballet as long as you can.
It s magic and I will never forget it.
Wish I had known about most of this many years ago when I was a dancer with SFO ballet. We we were always trying to customize our pointe shoes .. ballerinas now will be grateful for your hard won knowledge. I am a fan. :)
I can’t believe all that you do to your shoes. Your are a ballerina artist and a shoe artist! You are also very delightful. Thank you for sharing with us. ♥️
I'm not a dancer or ballerina, I am just genuinely interested seeing how this works! :)
Same here!
@@suew7630 и мне!
Customizing your tools is the act of a true artist. This was great to watch
Hi there Maria, it is very obvious to me that ballet shoe makers have no idea how to make a comfortable ballet shoe for ballerinas, it’s time to get back to the drawing board and get someone to create a ballet shoe that is made for modern dancers.X💕🏴
Yes! I am not a dancer and had no idea dancers had to work so hard for a wearable shoe. Do the lead dancers in a company have shoes custom made for them?
@mimiwills8610 a lot of companies provide a custom shoe for their dancers but they still have to prep them in the same way!
My thoughts exactly! It looks like a LOT of work to make the shoes ready to dance in. From what I hear they go through fittings to get the shoe, why aren’t some of those things built in? She shouldn’t have to pretty much remake them.
Gaynor Minden has done a great job on this. A lot of top dancers wear their shoes. You have to buy the one with the shank which is what you need when in the old type shoe is the "broken in shank". . However there are still some dancers who prefer the old paste shoes and all the preparation.
Do you think they have already been asked about making it comfortable for them? Ballet has been around for a long time,unless they don't have anyone to even try to make the shoe.
Maria your video was SO informative. Thank you for taking the time to film it…sending love from Boston, MA!
So fascinating how you have to customise your shoes. Love how you sit without even noticing your toes are pointing! Such a ballerina. Xxx
This was quite fascinating. I already have a great respect for ballet dancers and the sacrifice they make for their art and the beauty that results from it. This detail just increased my respect for dancers. Thank you Maria, for sharing this info. I very much enjoyed this video.
I'm just sitting here fascinated by your video and the fact that ballerinas actually stand on their tippy toes! Much respect...
Fascinating! Many thanks from a non-dancing ballet enthusiast for this highly informative post!💗🫶💗
This was fascinating, thank you! As a former dressmaker, I hated doing alterations, so I can appreciate the work that you put into preparing your ballet shoes. The grater made me nervous but it looked like fun!
Why did you hate doing alterations?
I always look foward to your videos masha! thank you for representing ballet dancers here on youtube!
Dude, your neck is amazing. I have never seen someone with that good of a posture.
Lovely your share from how a more seasoned ballerina becomes a-tuned to her own feet and how your SPECIFIC choice POINT shoe is selected and by your needs from your shoe warrents a whole fit into the base of your technique. Everyone will enjoy how your personal tailoring of your point shoe is individual to you as you need ready to wear that most audiences are not aware. Beginners are of not this level, of course, discovering what merits only and first putting their point shoes on for the first few years into only training their body to feet as an extended instrument through the point shoe. Years of mental and physical training into this shared moment is what no one knew yearsago and the choices were not as available or discovered. Thank you. You're a joy to watch in how generously genuine to the audience. How is your little sister coming along in the ballet world? Best to you both.
I don’t sew or watch ballet, but this was really interesting. Great job at explaining why you needed to edit each part of the shoe & what happens when it’s not done properly.
I came here to see ugly feet🙈
So here's the thing. I have no idea how I ended up here but I applaud the effort it takes for this pointe shoe to take it's proper shape. Really unbelievable the work you have to put in! Now I'm subscribed and I'm off to watch more videos. 🥰
Loved this video did not know modifications needed to be made. That’s why the ballet foot looks so beautiful in action!
Endless gratitude, Mashula. Finally, this beyond detailed and brilliantlly explained video done by a star prima ballerina is gonna help people understand why we customize pointe shoes in a gazillion different ways and that this is the reason why we don' t want to buy them already broken and sewed. 🧛🏻♀️🖤
When looking online pointe shoes are from $30-$100 for one pair, but I read they only last 20 hours... this can't be right. The average ballerina makes $35,000/year, how are they affording the shoes alone?
@Ellen Cox the companies employing them pay for their shoes 😉
@@kleineoOoStern it's horrifying to see how feet get wounded if a ballerina exaggerates the sport or doesn't care for good and sane shoes. Nice video for these sportives. 🧘♀️💝👠
😳I'm not a dancer, but it seems to me that shoes are probably the most important equipment. I get that some of these hacks are good for customizing the shoes to the dancer's foot. But in other sports, athletes aren't responsible for making their own equipment work properly.
@@ellencox8415Usually balletdancers in a company are given a certain amount of pointe shoes a year. But they wear out quickly so the prepping she does is important.
I have no idea why your videos have suddenly started appearing in my recommended feed, but they're fascinating. Ballet is a world that I know absolutely nothing about but have always respected. It seems like a completely alien and exotic world.
Thank you so much for this video. My granddaughter will start on pointe within this year. For the past year…and continuing, she has been preparing physically so that her feet will be ready. I never knew how much was involved for dancing on pointe. I’m sharing this video with my granddaughter now…although, she is probably much more aware of the various things than I was.
I read a book by a ballerina who described, step by step, her method of preparing her shoes. I was stunned at the amount of time it takes to prepare the shoes, but it done is another thing entirely, so I really appreciate this video. I would guess every ballerina does her shoes differently according to the shape of her foot and balance considerations. I suppose, given personal preferences, it seems there is nothing that can be done in the way the shoes are produced to make your intensive job easier or it already would have been suggested and implemented. Your process was fascinating to watch, and thank you for so carefully explaining every tiny adjustment you make and the reason for it.
Wow! This was so interesting to watch, I'll never look at ballerina shoes the same way again! What a commitment to your craft, thank you for sharing with us ❤️
This was very interesting, thank you! What I struggle with, if ever you were interested in talking about that in another video, is to learn to identify what is normal discomfort for a foot that is still building up strength VS what is abnormal pain from shoes that might not be well fitted.
I've started ballet training a few years ago at home and your youtube barre and center classes have helped me immensely. I am still working with my first pair of pointe shoes and am still figuring out what helps my feet get through a full pointe class. You discussing this would help me a lot. Thank you again!!
In the end I Wonder why point shoes are made so tough from manufacturing.They should start to improve new materials . For me it was always like punishment when they were brandnew shoes .
I am hardly an expert (I am also an adult beginner dancer who's been at it a few years), but if you've only ever danced at home I think most teachers would say you should not be en pointe until you've been evaluated for readiness. Maybe watch some of Josephine the pointe shoe fitter's RUclips videos, because she makes this very clear if you watch enough of them.
@@ronatibu Yes, i know. I did ask a teachera few years ago and she told me I was good to go. I actually started a while after she did to gain more stability.
My issue is with being on my own right now, which is why I ask for advice on the developments of pointe work during the first year or so
Lots of work wow b u t you know what works for you How much are they?
Very helpful and informative video! I just wanted to hop on and say that beginners en pointe are strongly advised against cutting the shanks of their shoes or doing too much to them in general. Beginners shouldn’t modify their shoes without their teachers‘ assistance!
I wouldn’t even dare to 😂😂, but yes, good advice.
That’s true. When I first went en pointe we were permitted to sew ribbons and elastic. There were a couple of other things we did to the toe box. As we progressed we learned what to do to make the she more comfortable.
Mariah is a charming young lady.
It’s ok, the video does specify several times that this is a way to prep pointes “for performance,” which beginners won’t be doing 😊
I had some idea of what ballerinas do to get their shoes ready just from watching a pointe shoe fitter, but not all the steps that they go through. Thank you for showing it!
How interesting! I had no idea how much customization has to be done for them for your foot and added safety. I know you only get a few performances out of a pair of already expensive shoes, so I imagine when you aren’t working, you must have a basket of shoes you are constantly working on. It must never end, lol.
I can’t imagine a carpenter having to rebuild every tool for half an hour before he can use it. That is definitely a labor of love.
Oh my goodness! So much work to prepare the shoes and they only last for how long? Amazing. You have my utmost respect for the respect YOU have for your craft1
I was just a dancer at a local dance school, and my teacher had never danced professionally but majored in ballet in college. I wish she had taken the time to help us get our basic pointe shoes to fit better. All she told us to do was sew the ribbons on. If I had worn down the tip to make it more block-like and less curved and broken the sole it would’ve made a world of difference because I have high arches too! I thought I just sucked :(
You are never 'just' a dancer. You have a talent that few people possess. I, for one, certainly don't have that talent, yet have always been fascinated by ballerinas and dancing en pointe
Selizaz, I can totally relate. I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope you can start anew and dance again and do your toe shies right this time. I know your feet are going to look beautiful.
the internet is opening up new opportunities to learn different ideas from different people from all over the world.
Seems like the manufacturing needs improvements knowone should have to do all this .
@@suew7630 Thanks! It was my passion.
This was a fascinating video! I had no idea you had to go through all this. I took ballet when I was about 25, just for fun, and the school had us buy and use 'toe' shoes, never telling us anything about breaking them in or fixing them to fit our feet. They were so uncomfortable. Needless to say, I didn't continue in these classes. I imagine people can get hurt taking classes at an older age, not having proper training. But I love this video and am glad I found it. Ballet is so beautiful!!
I remember all the training leading up to my first pointe shoes and barre lesson with pointe shoes, and I thought I was going to die!
I never got used to that pain, especially those exercises in the beginning to go from the heel to the box and back down.
My teacher was a successful ballerina working with a company at the time, and she could definitely feel my pain because she said after dancing she soaks her feet in an ice bucket.
If your shoes are hurting that bad then you should get refitted
Not at all a regular experience. Pointe shoes are uncomfortable due to stiffness and fighting the resistance of the shank but a properly chosen shoe does not hurt as in pain causing. These days there is a vast choice out there and many brands have support incorporated in the shoes. And a broken in shoe is easy to wear all day.
I have never had any dance lessons, nor have I ever had any desire to.
One of the great benefits of retirement for me is that I have so much time to learn about whatever I wish to 😊
Somehow, I stumbled into a bunch of ballet-related content on RUclips during the past month and it is great!
When I find videos like yours, it just helps me to understand another part of the life of the ballerina. Thank you so much for helping me to learn something new and meaningful❤ Aside from 23 years in Army Combat boots, the many miles that I've spent in running shoes, and my love affair with my Berkinstocks...I can see one very simple commonality between us. That commonality is how very important our footwear is! If our feet don't work, we are pretty much useless!
Good luck in your future endeavors ❤
You can get by with nonworking feet. But lose your hands...that's far worse. Wheelchairs and braces get you mobile and there is great tech around, but hand substitutes are very uncommon.
@imho2278 You are very right, unfortunately, when you choose a career that requires you to use your feet in order to succeed, you learn quickly to take care of them!💕
That glue is called "Superglue" or CA glue or cyanoacrylate glue.
"Hot glue" is VERY different - it is basically molten plastic that is dispensed by an applicator gun (which heats and melts that plastic). Hot glue does not work well with natural fabrics and tends to melt synthetic fabrics.
Thank you. I was puzzled about that and figured it was a language thing.
I think she said hard glue.
this was very interesting. i've seen similar videos before, but this one has a lot more cool details. thank you!
Your posture is exemplary. We are impressed. Thank you for posting this. 😊
Don't know why this was recommended to me, but it was fascinating. I've been sewing, and customizing , my clothes since I was 5 years old. I am 58 now. Didn't know dancers needed to do that with their point shoes. Great channel.
Maria, well done for posting this without actually complaining.
So I'll complain for you! I used to dance en pointe until an accident stopped me. I remember the hours I spent doing my shoes just like you do.
Obviously, if the existing makers changed how they fit and make shoes, they would make less money. But there would also be less environmental waste and damage in their manufacturing, which we must address in the arts. Which is why someone needs to challenge this wasteful industry by creating a custom fitting pointe shoe that accommodates each dancer's feet without having to buy endless pairs in order to be able to just dance to pay for more pairs of shoes! I can see technology that would enable this; scanning tech and 3d printing, combined with cutting edge textiles and materials being developed by biotechnology scientists.
I know that sometimes, old school is still best school, but seriously: there MUST be a better way than this - even though the ritual of preparing shoes is sometimes a welcome space to be off your feet and enjoying the smell of shellac, the leather and the meditation of stitching your pointe. It's a kind of odd way of taking care of yourself as a dancer and I think I missed it very much when I stopped dancing - I'm sure you would miss it too, even though it is so annoying at times!
This tech exists
Thank you for sharing your tips and wisdom about pointe. You really come from a place of experience and expertise in this area.
I'm waiting for the Pointe shop to react to this
Josephine is gonna drool🤤😍. Can' t wait! 🧛🏻♀️🖤
They all break down their pointe shoes.
Really happy to see a great ballerina dance with Bloch serenade. When I was studying, I was the only one using them! Everyone else was using grishko. I couldn't dance with any grishko model.
You are brilliant! I damaged my feet for years at Kirov over 40 years ago and can only wear high arch orthotic shoes now. I hope more ballerinas watch this video if they haven’t figured out how to make it more comfortable.
So interesting. I never realized all the modifications you had to put into your shoes. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! What those shoes go thru to be the best for the dancer. I imagine that a pair is not cheap. This was really interesting. Thank you for taking the time to show us that as a dancer you just don’t put on a pair of new ballet shoes and dance around for a bit to break them in.
You have received many great suggestions to assist your sewing work, the best are the Sailor's palm and the small pliers, both of which I use for stitching thick layers. For less thick material, I use thick leather and suede gardening gloves----I cut off the best fitting finger of the glove and that becomes my thimble, flexible and quite handy. A curved needle---also mentioned, has been a great friend and may be a better fit for you for the sewing done around the tips of the shoes, curved needles come in dozens of thicknesses and there are varieties for the amount of the curve
Thank you for using a clip from my video Masha! And very informative video here ❤️
Hmm something I’d love to see: Maria getting fitted by Josephine from The Pointe Shop! That would just be such an epic collaboration too!
Crazy. When dancers pretty well have to break and destroy the shoes then rebuild them, there is something wrong with pointe shoe design and manufacturing, especially today with so many new materials.
Not really. It would be totally impossible for a pointe shoe to "work" for every ballerina because they are All DIFFERENT. Unless the dancer is purchasing custom shoes that are made to their personal specifications, there are far too many variables to try to take into account, and besides, some dancers will even customise their custom shoes!!! Dancers, particularly professional dancers, have a lot riding on their shoes so many prefer to be in control over a part of the fitting and "breaking" of their shoes. Just for an example of a few of the variables in pointe shoes, block shape, shank strength, shoe curvature, shank length, vamp length, width, shoe height, box width and more. Better to have shapes that fit a wide(ish) proportion of dancers that they can then customise to their own particular needs.
It seems the shoes are made as they were made for many years, just to look dainty and pretty, and perhaps traditions stand in the way of a design that doesn't destroy the dancers' feet, and doesn't require reconstruction to be usable. Thank you for sharing this process.
Great informative video! Always interesting to see the different tweaks the a professional ballerina makes to her shoes - it's so personal to each dancer.
I completely agree about shellac being a great material for pointes due to being so flexible.
My families motto was
“Make the shoe to fit the dancer” not the dancer to fit the shoe. 🩰
Freed of London
My Father Rodney Freed, son of Dora & Frederick ‘ invented’ the 3/4 back for high arches & the elasticated drawstring amongst other things 🩰 Turning Pointe. There’s no business like shoe business 😂😂😂😂
Family’s *
@@dewilew2137 thank you for your correction. Nice to be noticed 🩰😂
Wow! I used to wear Freed ballet shoes in the 70’s, lovely to read your message on here!
@@Happinessiscrossstitching did you go to the shop? St Martins Lane .. my grandmother or Ellen or Michelle or My mum Sarah might have served you 💜 🩰
@@pushkincastle No, I used to buy the shoes in a little shop in Lancashire, I was 14 at the time, it seems like only yesterday! I loooved my ballet shoes!
I hope this doesn't sound insulting, but as a teacher of English to non-native speakers, I just want to say I love your use of English! Giving a presentation like this of something you're good at is a great way for people to build up their English skills. Great job!!!
The little metal fingertip cap is called thimble, and the stitches you make on toes is called button hole stitches. - seamstress .
I have no idea how I ended up here but it’s fascinating! Maria - you have a side hustle here making bespoke ballet slippers!
I love seeing how different pros customize their shoes. As a recreational dancer, thankfully I don't have to sew shoes too often, but it's such a chore. I think I might have to start experimenting with vamp elastics to better hold the shoe to my arch, however, I worry about it also pulling my foot back, and dislike that it's an additional step in the prep routine... Trial and error I guess. I do wish Bloch shoes in general had flatter platforms - I started darning mine similarly last year (but no cheese grater!) and feel much more confident finding my balance. I wish I'd started darning years earlier. But I also wish I didn't have to take the time for that extra step.
If you're worried that a vamp elastic is going to hold your foot back and keep you from going over the box and en pointe, either Blochs aren't the right shoe for you, or you aren't strong enough for pointe work yet. There isn't a whole lot of resistance with the over the arch elastics. They are merely there for light support. You should always be able to balance yourself en pointe using your muscles despite having elastics and ribbons. If Blochs aren't giving you the support you need, try another brand. There are plenty of other shoe companies out there. Look for one that suits your particular foot type. Have your teacher do a shoe fitting with you at a store. If you don't have a teacher and you're self taught, you're putting yourself at risk for severe injuries.
@@jenx5870 I've been en pointe for 20 years and tried many brands and styles. It's still trial and error to figure out what works best for each shoe.
I am absolutely fascinated with ballet and yes when I was a child like many little girls I wanted to do ballet. There wasn’t any ballet classes where my family lived and we lived on a small island. I also have “dyscalculia”which is a learning disability with math which for me has been very debilitating, so I couldn’t understand or follow dance timing in PE lessons at school. I also had some problems with movement and my feet especially my left foot don’t have arches as such. I’m now unable to walk and use an electric wheelchair to get around. I still admire and love ballet and anything to do with ballet. Before I became disabled I did exercise everyday and was very passionate about keeping myself fit and active. I have M.E I’ve only just come across your post and have subscribed and look forward to watching more videos of you on RUclips❤
I’m not a ballerina, or even a dancer. I’m just a girl who wanted to me a prima ballerina, but my body said no 😂 also, never apologize for being fluent in multiple languages. I can ONLY speak English, and at times, I can barely speak it 😂 you are a super human because of what you can do on stage, and because you can speak multiple languages 💜 and everything made perfect sense, I can assure you!!!
My left ankle said no. It turns in and when pointed...make a lovely sickle. 😂😂😂 Would've never made it into point shoes.
Her feet are permanently disfigured like all dancers on pointe. Consider yourself lucky. I might not have the body type or certain grace to dance on pointe, but my feet look nice, and people have told me this. No one compliments pointe dancers bare feet. You're missing out on nothing.
@@melyssagarguilo4570 exactly this, I know a few ex dancers in their 60's who have so many foot/leg issues now. They have to have customized shoes just to walk without pain.
@@casdragon_5939 true
Thank you for 'educating us! We never knew all this!
So fascinating to watch because I used to prepare my shoes in similar ways but with subtle differences!! We all are unique in what we do, I'm long retired but fun to watch ❤
just watching you sit in the same position for more than a minute is impressive , let alone the beautiful ballet and sewing skills haha
My daughter had specially designed pointe shoes made just for her. She wore nothing inside her shoes at the insistence of her ballet teacher. She had a lot of thick callouses on her toes (especially underneath, and some bleeding at times but her feet were not that bad. looking. My daughter took ballet since she was three and was on pointe from age 8 until age 24.
ALL OF THAT detail an no trying on to illustrate every point (pun intended) you made!!
we want to see the fit we want to see you try it on we want to see you stand on point and show us all your hard work AT WORK!
The whole process makes me wonder why the manufacturer doesn't produce shoes that are closer to what the dancer needs. Considering the cost it seems like a lot of work for each pair which only last a short time. Very interesting video, thank you.
Every dancer's foot is a bit different. They tend to customize their own shoes to work with their feet. Manufacturers must make them to a standard, and then the rest is up to the dancer. It would be impossible to cover all the preferences and not cost-effective for them at all.
They do. Gaynor Minden, for one. Capezio also has shoes which are highly customized and so does Siberian Swan.
I’m curious, are there many women who were actually born men in the ballet profession? I’ve always been genuinely curious about this; as I can see (what I call) soul colors, which tell me man/woman and when I go to ballets (since a child), I often see women who have male soul colors. Thank you for asking a genuine question. And I loved your video! It’s amazing to see how you prepare shoes! I went to one of the top factories in Russia when I was a child & saw how they were made & always love to see how each ballerina breaks her shoes. ❤
It’s a thimble! To cover the finger sewing 😊 Thank you for the wonderful video ❤
Such a lot of work to put in before you use your shoes. It is a very good video explaining what needs to happen to a dancer’s shoes before they perform. Thank you for your video ❤
Thank you for the video. How long do these shoes last? Just one rehearsal and one performance?
Thank you for all you hard work making this very interesting video. I learned a lot and enjoyed your gentle humor!
That was really interesting, Maria. It must take up a great deal of your time doing that to every pair of shoes. Were you taught how to do it when you were younger? And approximately how long will a pair of shoes last? The metal object you were using to help you push the needle through is called a thimble. Keep going with your beautiful dancing.
Thank you for showing this ! Well, us guys have an easier less complicated life, for sure !
I used to burn the top instead of sewing it, and also the ribbons at their end because otherwise they would dissolve there. And I always used a big amount of colophony on all of the outside of my point shoes to make them less slippery, that was the most important thing actually... Interesting to see how you prepare them.
My mother was a dancer. Not a ballet dancer. I remember her toes crooked and always causing her pain. They were the shape of her shoe going to a point. She told me that the pain was nothing when she’s dancing. She doesn’t feel it. I remember seeing blood. As an old woman of 90+ her feet still shivers through me with sympathetic pain. It was not until her 70s that she worked her feet down from high high heels to flats. It took her sometime because her calves were so shortened.
I had NO IDEA that you had to do so much to these shoes! It’s truly amazing!
Wow! This is a very complicated process for making Ballet Dancer Shoes. Mazel tov!
She has such a good point
So fascinating! I barely know anything about ballet, but I just find it so interesting.
Just got Bloch Hannah pointe shoes. I want to modify mine just as you do yours! Looks like perfect modifications! Thank you so much for sharing how you prepare yours!💓💯💕🥰
Wow! I never thought ballet shoes took so much work. Thank you for the lesson.
I noticed Maria Khoreva made the same silly mistake when she said something about her toes as I did when I was still learning English! 😅 when I was learning English, and I was taking ballet classes with my English speaking friends, I never realized that fingers on the hands are called fingers, but the “fingers” on our feet are called toes! Because I’m Spanish, fingers and toes are both called fingers 😂 so I was putting my pointe shoes on and was complaining about how my “fingers” hurt so bad 😅 my friends were so confused and it was not until a few weeks later when I had said it many times that my friends finally asked me why my fingers hurt. And then they explained to me that fingers on my feet are called toes 🤣🤣 it was really funny
Anyways I really hope I can be like Maria Khoreva when I grow up!! 🤍🫶✨🩰
Edit: thank you for all the replies, I find it so funny how all of us whose first language is not English can all relate to what I commented! It is so funny what different languages call different parts of the body 😆
Nooooo 🤣🤣🤣🤣!!! Fantasía, qué grande. En ruso es igual que nosotros. Un palets es un dedo. Y un palets na nogue, pues un dedo "en" el nogue🦶🏼. Team #fingerfeet
🧛🏻♀️🩰🖤
@@sebumpostmortem . You
Her English is excellent, though. I wish I spoke Russian as well as she speaks English.
@@JohnSmith-ji7xt Excellent? Super excellent!! ✨✨✨ It has improved since she started her channel and it keeps on improving. I' m ukra-spanish so try to figure out how my brain is on fire when she speaksI wish I sounded like Mashula and I had her fluidity. 🧛🏻♀️🩰🖤
As a native Japanese, we call toes “foot fingers” too. Ankle is foot neck!
I’m sure someone has mentioned it, but the glue that you’re using (that I think you’re calling “hot glue” - or am I mishearing “hard glue”?) looks like what we’d call “crazy glue” - a pretty much identical glue is used for some artificial fingernails, so it is also called “nail glue”. “Hot glue” though is a rubbery/soft-plastic-feeling stick of solid glue that is heated in a glue gun to become liquid and then dries solid again! I hope this helps! I always love seeing how folks break in their pointe shoes! I’ve never done ballet and always love learning more about things that are outside of my realm of understanding 😅 - as an off-topic side note, I think this is why a lot of people are interested in watching videos about true crime!
Very interesting how you prepare your shoes. I actually like mine very soft and flexible and I have high arches like you do. I like long wings in my shoes and generally if the tips are not even, I also have to make them even. I like the elastic ribbon so it doesn't come loose. I soee mine with dental floss, so they are nice and tight. I don't break the soul the way you do but I do break it in half to fit my arch, but not so much that I wrecked the shoe. I also step on it of course, and widen it out. I wonder sometimes why they can't make a pointe shoe that could actually conform to a foot without all this work. Anyway, great video.
Have you tried Gaynor Minden? They have several shank strengths, various vamp styles, box widths, etc. I'm not a dancer but worked in a dance wear store pre pandemic and we carried Gaynor pointe shoes
@@pamfink4052 yes, I used to always wear Gaynor Minden, but I'm not fond of the new ones made in Europe. They are smaller and tighter for the same size, and don't seem to have the same flexibility as the ones made in the United States.
The stitch you’re using to darn is called a blanket stitch. You did a great job explaining what you were doing!
So fab having some insight into how you prepare your shoes! Two questions for you - are your shoes custom or do you just wear the standard model? Does the shellac on the sole not make the shoe really slippery to wear? Always love your content Maria! 💕
She wears the Serenade Strong shoes - a standard model. She said in the video that she wears them since about fourth grade at the Academy.
Thanks!
Thank you, very helpful !!
Please can you do a series of videos where we send you a video of our performance and you select a few that you correct on video? it could be very helpful and beneficial, if you have the time to do that, obviously ❤
You’re a beautiful ballerina
The basket with the veggie grater beside your ballet stuff is too cute lol
Hey, little question : which glue and schellack do you buy please ? Thank you !!! And you are incredible, i admire you so much !
Thank you for sharing this information ! My 7 year old granddaughter will appreciate watching it !
❤️❤️😡👍👍👍😊😊😊
I was always told to tie the draw elastics in a plie for best fit.
Edit- That is not what I was expecting when you started talking about "hot glue." I was picturing the sticks that get melted by a glue "gun," as loved by 5 Minute Crafts.
I believe she said hard glue, but with an accent.
I am amazed at everything you need to do to this shoe to make it both more stable and comfortable to wear! Doesn't it just prove that dancers who do not know these tricks will massacre their feet in just a few years? The grating is particulatly intriguing. How often can you do this without ripping the fabric?
You say that you have danced in these shoes for many years? It looks brandnew to me! You probably meant "this kind or thisbrand of shoe"?
Awesome! I have a question: did you think about designing your own shoes? Obviously these are not completely fit for ballet 🤔 you would save so much time and effort. Things must evolve. That’s my opinion. You’re so kind and courageous. ❤
The shoes are perfectly fit for ballet. A general recreational dancer could dance in them (assuming the shank strength, vamp length, block shape and all the other variables suit them) Every professional ballet dancer, however, customises their shoes. Her shoes work for HER . They wouldn't for another dancer, because they'd have different requirements and would "break" their shoes to their preferences.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and tricks with us!
Why aren’t the pointe shoes already made like that? Many dancers prepare their ones almost the same! And, as you wear a lot of them, they can even be custom made.
@@shannon4386 Yes, perhaps you are right, but don't you agree with me that it is a nonsense to carefully create a little piece of art and then to carefully destroy it later in order to use it a few hours, because of the damage caused to it? It seems to me that 1) the materials and technique of fabrication of pointe shoes are stuck on the XIX century and 2) it is no worth it for shoemakers to improve it, because of money. Would you imagine a runner buying an expensive pair of sneakers, semi-destroy them before running and then throwing them away after every race?
@@Mr.Cockney Don't runners and sports people throw away shoes after a few uses?
@@unicornsrice1667 Runners don't, and definitily they do not destroy their sneakers beforehand! :-)
I sew thick suff at work (rubber, neoprene, plastics, nylon etc), I use a thimble to push and newish rubber cleaning gloves (cleaning lady gloves) to pull. Works especially good with curved needles.