Hi Jana. I am a returning adult Black, ballerina who also returned to pointe this year. Things have changed since I was a little girl, & I promised myself that I am going to only wear shoes and clothes that match my skin color. So I am dancing in Gaynors (espresso color, which is GORGEOUS &, fortunately works well for me, and recently Freed began making shoes for dancers of color! They need to work on access to being able to order them, but hopefully I will be able to try a pair soon!
You’re so cute. Margarita delivery? omg I’m in! Thanks so much for this! I ordered the studio 1s and studio pros a few months ago mostly because I was also hoping for the great roll-through and lightweight feeling, in stark comparison to my usual Grishkos which are great too but..yeah. My studio pros feel good except they are a little wider than the regular studio so I sink down in them pretty fast. I really want to make a trip to the Freed store in NY now to really find the right fit! Stay safe and healthy and thanks for keeping me sane!
I was told the next day the margarita delivery was NOT possible and it was just one more hit in the devastation that is the current times! LOL! I hear you on the sinking down - I've had to start ordering shoes a 1/2 size smaller because I feel like I sink in everything once my feet get warm! I hope we can both make it to that NY Freed store some day!!! Hope you are doing well mentally and physically!!
My feet are stiff but my ankles are overly flexible (to the point where a former skating coach once asked me, "how do you do that?" when she saw my ankles roll over and totally flatten my feet once I took the skates off -- you'd have to see it to believe it). So I need a very broad platform on a pointe shoe, will never be able to have Freeds; instead I've found a fairly happy home with one of the Bloch elastic styles. Still, Freeds are lovely to look at and this was a fun video to watch. Thanks.
The Grishko's are handmade, but consistent. I don't think I could deal with the expense of having to sort through makers as a non-professional. It seems to make more sense to call them entirely different shoes, with their own description of box and platform. The Grishko's are incredibly hard, but luckily I can break them in, in about 30 minutes of working through them.
This is also the reason why I never tried Freed..I don’t want to spend too much money on finding my right maker lol and I heard Freed dies very fast (I’m in harder shoes like RP) so .. never tried haha
@@mwai608 I was in the store today picking up my brown Nikolay Grishko's (yay!) and I went ahead and tried getting fitted for the Freed's. They had one pair in my size in a suitable maker, so I went for it. It's so insane how different the shoes are. The other pair in my size was completely unwearable to me. I couldn't imagine trying to figure this out online or remotely.
I love watching your videos; they are excellent and very informative. I have been a bit of a chubby girl most would say fat my whole life and have loved ballet even when I was little we couldn't afford lessons, and my mother told me I was to fat for anything so beautiful anyway. I'm almost 48 now and found you one day while searching for things on youtube since we are all quarantined. I thought well I'm fat and old, so let's try to follow along. I have been watching and following with your beginner videos in my tiny kitchen. We don't have an adult ballet studio that offers classes or even any place to buy shoes here in the hick town where I live. I wear my no show socks and do what I can, so thank you for all the beautiful videos your fantastic.
Wow...I think is great that you're trying, even when people say you shoudn't. Go for it. Also, a tip I can give: If you don't really know anything about ballet, you can follow along a beginner class but, also, try to look on youtube for other classes (like streching, maybe some easy pilates, exercises to improve turnout, etc). This can be helpful for strengh building until you find a adult class in your area. I recommend watching Kathryn Morgan. She have lots of follow along exercises.
Good advice, Nadia! We have lots of videos here too with information and exercises for beginners! Here are just a couple! Feet Strengthening & Alignment Exercises: ruclips.net/video/ZchX0gS_Iw8/видео.html How To Pointe & Shape the Feet in Tendu: ruclips.net/video/naQYLqw_d_o/видео.html All About Pliés: ruclips.net/video/hU3tiTWckRo/видео.html How to Frappé: ruclips.net/video/vm2WyvEGPOk/видео.html Waltz Turn Tutorial for Beginners: ruclips.net/video/146-6XZjezE/видео.html
@@BallerinasByNight Thank you so much all the information is very helpful. Nadia thank you I'm trying as someone who is older the advice is greatly appreciated.
Hey! I have really narrow and tiny feet, I am 2.5 on freed but what’s the difference between X and XX? It’s a lot? Bc in my country X it’s not available. For comparison in Grishko I am XX
Thank you!! Yes, it is getting so long! As soon as we get the all-clear from Coronavirus I will be at my stylist getting it trimmed and getting my roots fixed haha!
I was at Freed in NY last summer and I must have tried every shoe in the store and nothing was right. I have very narrow feet. So far Grishko is the only thing that works for me so far
I can understand that! I think I wear a 3X in Grishko, and I'm usually a 1X or No X in every other brand, so it's great that Grishko can accommodate super narrow feet!
I would love to try Freeds but I think they don't make my size. I wear a size 11 street shoe and I'm 5'8" tall. I currently wear Russian Pointe MUSE - size 44/w1/v1/FirmMedium.
I am stuck in Grishkos h/sh shank with a high vamp like 2007 or similar models, I kill all other brands in a second... they are far from perfect but they at least they last for 3/4 months. What a pain in the brain!!! 🥺
@@BallerinasByNight I don't have a high arch, and I am on the slender side but my feet are superstrong, models with low vamps don't last... I just cannot find a medium vamp. Whatever!
I also find the forteflex really flat when standing or balancing, its great for adagio in center, but its also more rigid than even the slightly harder 2.5mm shank that I get in my wing block (classic plus)
Hi Jana! Wonderful video! Now I’m sure I want to try Freeds. I noticed that my feet are very similar to yours. So... if it’s not a problem, can you help me with the size? It would be very helpful if you can share the measurements of your feet! Thank you!
Forteflex is more supportive in 3/4 shank than let's say Classic Pro shank but these and combined ( like double strength) shanks are only available for custom orders. Wing blocks with forteflex shanks and hard box are often the choice of many pros. The awesomness of Freeds is that they can be customized to such a detailed degree like no other shoe, but if your maker retires it is a catastrophy !
A Forteflex shank is just harder and has more layers laminated together than the stock shoes that are either 1.5mm (Freed Classic) or 2.5mm (Classic Plus or Wing Block). A Forteflex shank is only available as a special order and can come in a full or 3/4 length. The Freed stock shoes that come with a 3/4 shank without a special order are any of the models that have “Pro” in their name (Studio Pro, Classic Pro, Classic Pro 90). Any Freed Classic can be special ordered with a variety of shank strengths and be 3/4’d or cut down to any length if a full shank is not wanted.
I wish I could wear Wing Blocks! However, I'm afraid they wouldn't work on me, I'm currently wearing Russian Pointe Muse V3, W4, and they still feel narrow. Thanks for the video! Freeds look beautiful on you, much more than Blochs.
There's probably a Freed that would work for you, you'd just need to visit a store with a variety of options and a knowledgable staff, and that can be tricky to find! I love the variety of vamps and widths that Russians provide, and Grishko can be that way too, but those shoes are all so narrow to begin with! Have you looked into Suffolks? They have a crazy amount of width options and they're great shoes!
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi Jana. I am a returning adult Black, ballerina who also returned to pointe this year. Things have changed since I was a little girl, & I promised myself that I am going to only wear shoes and clothes that match my skin color. So I am dancing in Gaynors (espresso color, which is GORGEOUS &, fortunately works well for me, and recently Freed began making shoes for dancers of color! They need to work on access to being able to order them, but hopefully I will be able to try a pair soon!
I’m so glad they are making pointe shoes for black dancers in a pretty satin instead of you having to matte pancake them! You deserve this!
You’re so cute. Margarita delivery? omg I’m in! Thanks so much for this! I ordered the studio 1s and studio pros a few months ago mostly because I was also hoping for the great roll-through and lightweight feeling, in stark comparison to my usual Grishkos which are great too but..yeah. My studio pros feel good except they are a little wider than the regular studio so I sink down in them pretty fast. I really want to make a trip to the Freed store in NY now to really find the right fit! Stay safe and healthy and thanks for keeping me sane!
I was told the next day the margarita delivery was NOT possible and it was just one more hit in the devastation that is the current times! LOL! I hear you on the sinking down - I've had to start ordering shoes a 1/2 size smaller because I feel like I sink in everything once my feet get warm! I hope we can both make it to that NY Freed store some day!!! Hope you are doing well mentally and physically!!
hi! how long did these last for you per pair
My feet are stiff but my ankles are overly flexible (to the point where a former skating coach once asked me, "how do you do that?" when she saw my ankles roll over and totally flatten my feet once I took the skates off -- you'd have to see it to believe it). So I need a very broad platform on a pointe shoe, will never be able to have Freeds; instead I've found a fairly happy home with one of the Bloch elastic styles. Still, Freeds are lovely to look at and this was a fun video to watch. Thanks.
Wow that is some crazy flexibility!! Glad you have found some great Bloch shoes to work for you!
The Grishko's are handmade, but consistent. I don't think I could deal with the expense of having to sort through makers as a non-professional. It seems to make more sense to call them entirely different shoes, with their own description of box and platform. The Grishko's are incredibly hard, but luckily I can break them in, in about 30 minutes of working through them.
This is also the reason why I never tried Freed..I don’t want to spend too much money on finding my right maker lol and I heard Freed dies very fast (I’m in harder shoes like RP) so .. never tried haha
@@mwai608 I was in the store today picking up my brown Nikolay Grishko's (yay!) and I went ahead and tried getting fitted for the Freed's. They had one pair in my size in a suitable maker, so I went for it. It's so insane how different the shoes are. The other pair in my size was completely unwearable to me. I couldn't imagine trying to figure this out online or remotely.
@@mwai608 I actually ended up returning them, because my teacher was like no, those are terrible for you. The best fit was still awful for me.
@Delphine Schowalter Lol, I assume it’s the ballet. There aren’t that many ballet channels, compared to like makeup or gaming channels.
The O three quartered look so good on you!
I love watching your videos; they are excellent and very informative. I have been a bit of a chubby girl most would say fat my whole life and have loved ballet even when I was little we couldn't afford lessons, and my mother told me I was to fat for anything so beautiful anyway. I'm almost 48 now and found you one day while searching for things on youtube since we are all quarantined. I thought well I'm fat and old, so let's try to follow along. I have been watching and following with your beginner videos in my tiny kitchen. We don't have an adult ballet studio that offers classes or even any place to buy shoes here in the hick town where I live. I wear my no show socks and do what I can, so thank you for all the beautiful videos your fantastic.
Wow...I think is great that you're trying, even when people say you shoudn't. Go for it. Also, a tip I can give: If you don't really know anything about ballet, you can follow along a beginner class but, also, try to look on youtube for other classes (like streching, maybe some easy pilates, exercises to improve turnout, etc). This can be helpful for strengh building until you find a adult class in your area.
I recommend watching Kathryn Morgan. She have lots of follow along exercises.
Hi Cher! Thank you so much for your kind words! We are happy you're here!
Good advice, Nadia! We have lots of videos here too with information and exercises for beginners! Here are just a couple!
Feet Strengthening & Alignment Exercises: ruclips.net/video/ZchX0gS_Iw8/видео.html
How To Pointe & Shape the Feet in Tendu: ruclips.net/video/naQYLqw_d_o/видео.html
All About Pliés: ruclips.net/video/hU3tiTWckRo/видео.html
How to Frappé: ruclips.net/video/vm2WyvEGPOk/видео.html
Waltz Turn Tutorial for Beginners: ruclips.net/video/146-6XZjezE/видео.html
@@BallerinasByNight Thank you so much all the information is very helpful. Nadia thank you I'm trying as someone who is older the advice is greatly appreciated.
You're looking very beautiful in this video 😊
I've been off pointe for a while, but all the (pointe) classes coming out now might be changing that 👍
Thank you! And I know - with all the online ballet happening it's a constant reminder to keep at it!
Hey! I have really narrow and tiny feet, I am 2.5 on freed but what’s the difference between X and XX? It’s a lot? Bc in my country X it’s not available.
For comparison in Grishko I am XX
I’ve always been a ‘Freed’ite’ 🩰 Also your hair is looking really long atm, very pretty 🥰
Thank you!! Yes, it is getting so long! As soon as we get the all-clear from Coronavirus I will be at my stylist getting it trimmed and getting my roots fixed haha!
Thank you for explaining all of these 😅
I tried, at least, haha!
I was at Freed in NY last summer and I must have tried every shoe in the store and nothing was right. I have very narrow feet. So far Grishko is the only thing that works for me so far
Studio 2 in c width is the only one I found narrow enough.
I can understand that! I think I wear a 3X in Grishko, and I'm usually a 1X or No X in every other brand, so it's great that Grishko can accommodate super narrow feet!
I would love to try Freeds but I think they don't make my size. I wear a size 11 street shoe and I'm 5'8" tall. I currently wear Russian Pointe MUSE - size 44/w1/v1/FirmMedium.
Oh yeah, I'm not sure they make them for street shoe 11 without it being custom 😭You like your Russians okay though? They are great shoes!
I am stuck in Grishkos h/sh shank with a high vamp like 2007 or similar models, I kill all other brands in a second... they are far from perfect but they at least they last for 3/4 months. What a pain in the brain!!! 🥺
Love that longevity! Glad they are working for you!
@@BallerinasByNight I don't have a high arch, and I am on the slender side but my feet are superstrong, models with low vamps don't last... I just cannot find a medium vamp. Whatever!
Freeds are fabulous shoes!
Forteflex is what the centre of the shank is made from.
Thank you!!
I also find the forteflex really flat when standing or balancing, its great for adagio in center, but its also more rigid than even the slightly harder 2.5mm shank that I get in my wing block (classic plus)
Jana❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😄
There are guides on the net that show which makers have what characteristics, but makers are often booked far in advance...
Oh YES! I totally forgot to mention those Maker Charts! I'll have add a link in the description!
I'm really sad I dont get the white ballerina insole in mine! I realise thats silly. I mean I'm 49! I just think that insole is iconic.
Lol! I can understand that :) Do you wear the Studio styles with the gray insole?
@@BallerinasByNight yes,a bit depressing and utilitarian in my opinion!
Hi Jana! Wonderful video! Now I’m sure I want to try Freeds.
I noticed that my feet are very similar to yours. So... if it’s not a problem, can you help me with the size? It would be very helpful if you can share the measurements of your feet!
Thank you!
Jana’s Freeds that she shows us in this video are a size 6.5X (UK sizing). That correlates to roughly a size 9C US street shoe or a European 40.
Forte flex doesn’t mean 3/4 shank. It’s a harder shank🙂
Thank you!!
Forteflex is more supportive in 3/4 shank than let's say Classic Pro shank but these and combined ( like double strength) shanks are only available for custom orders. Wing blocks with forteflex shanks and hard box are often the choice of many pros. The awesomness of Freeds is that they can be customized to such a detailed degree like no other shoe, but if your maker retires it is a catastrophy !
A Forteflex shank is just harder and has more layers laminated together than the stock shoes that are either 1.5mm (Freed Classic) or 2.5mm (Classic Plus or Wing Block). A Forteflex shank is only available as a special order and can come in a full or 3/4 length. The Freed stock shoes that come with a 3/4 shank without a special order are any of the models that have “Pro” in their name (Studio Pro, Classic Pro, Classic Pro 90). Any Freed Classic can be special ordered with a variety of shank strengths and be 3/4’d or cut down to any length if a full shank is not wanted.
Wooohoo delivered margaritas!!!!! 🍹
I found out the next day that was false information!!! The universe couldn't give us this ONE thing out of this mess?! j/k lol!
Ballerinas By Night OMG bummer!!
Anyone wear freed Cinderella’s?
I wish I could wear Wing Blocks! However, I'm afraid they wouldn't work on me, I'm currently wearing Russian Pointe Muse V3, W4, and they still feel narrow.
Thanks for the video! Freeds look beautiful on you, much more than Blochs.
There's probably a Freed that would work for you, you'd just need to visit a store with a variety of options and a knowledgable staff, and that can be tricky to find! I love the variety of vamps and widths that Russians provide, and Grishko can be that way too, but those shoes are all so narrow to begin with! Have you looked into Suffolks? They have a crazy amount of width options and they're great shoes!
i hate this shoe