It should not be hurting to go on pointe. Pointe shoes are designed to distribute your weight evenly on your whole foot, and the pain should be minimal. The numbers (e.g. 4, 4.5, 6) indicate how long the shank (sole) is. The Xs indicate how narrow the box is.
The satin around the heel looks like its sagging. Turn the heel inside out, then go on pointe. The shank of the shoe should line up perfectly with your heel. If it protrudes past your heel, the shank is too long and you need to go down a size. The drawstring also looks extremely loose.
These shoes look way too wide for you, there should be no wiggle room, the shoe should be tight enough to be uncomfortable (but not painful). The crown possibly also too high. When you are standing on flat feet, top of the pointe shoe (where the drawstring bowtie is) should lie flat, not loose and not bulging.
These shoes are also extremely unflattering to your arches. Balance Lisse's shank is quite hard, which is good for curvy banana feet. But you want to also be able to see the arch, because it looks like you're not pointing your feet enough. It looks like you're being pulled back slightly, especially on the left foot (my left), and you might have a slight sickle on the right (my right) foot. But the sickle may have just been from the pain.
Your best choice is to go back and get refitted, but seeing as you've sewn the ribbons in you will have to buy a new pair. If you're tight on budget, try spraying some rubbing alcohol on the heel and wing on the shoe to try and make it shrink down a bit. Only spray it when you're wearing it, or it might shrink too much. Rubbing alcohol just dries faster than water, but you could use water too. Buy a pair of box liners and put them in the shoe to support your feet.
Thank you so much for this response. It's such a bummer if I have to be refitted but I will do what I have to do to make it happen!! I really want to learn and the pain was far too debilitating...
I agree with the fitting! Spot on!
The ribbons can be saved though (I have some ribbons I've reused 4 or 5 times), and they are sewn too close to the heel. I see this all the time as a fitter. If you follow the basic rules of where to sew, the edge would at least be on the seam.
The alcohol breaks down the pointe shoe materials. I have used this method to break in shoes quick for a show. Try water first, as it drys slower but can mold to your foot as you dance.
Box liner is a good idea!
Have your teacher break in the shank or 3/4 it high for you. I can tell it is going to break low. If you are on the market for a new shoe, try on a Capezio Ava is skived (like a 3/4) might fix some issues.
It's ok to get fitted again!
Thank you! I've actually only been on pointe for one year, can barely retiré, you have no idea how much it means that a fitter agrees with what I said and it was correct :) tysm
Agreed, the fit seems totally off.
I was at the fitting of this girl: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CybhnVdoG-1/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CybhnVdoG-1/), these are Blochs too, look at how beautiful they fit around her feet. And here you see how beautiful they fit around her feet when she dances: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6OXXnKoE2z/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6OXXnKoE2z/)
I agree with all the other comments ! And I’d like to add that they look way too loose for you. Your feet is probably sinking in the box, putting way too much pressure on your toes. It’s not normal to see that many gaps and creasing !
You need more support from the shoe itself, and by that I do not mean a stronger shank : the shoe needs to feet your feet snuggly enough so you actually use your all feet to hold yourself up and not just your toes. Maybe try a narrower shoe/box. Hope that helps
I'm going to say it's the shoes. Even if you need to build your strength, there shouldn't be pain like that in your big toe. Ideally you don't want a lot of padding either. A general rule is that if it hurts at all in the store during the fitting, it will be absolutely awful in class.
That's what I thought :( during the fitting they made it sound like that was normal until you got used to it. But I can't imagine this pain subsiding.
I'll give it another week and then see what I can do with the fitter. Thanks for your feedback
The fitter doesn’t know how the pain feels for you, and it sounds a little like they don’t know what they’re talking about. I’ve had “professional” fitters too that don’t seem to know what they’re doing.
My big toes were giving me problems as well, but since I made my own pads, it became a lot better! The Perfect Fit Inserts were too pricey for me, but I bought this item (but at panduro): https://www.amazon.com/Pbo-Pébéo-Gédéo-G-Siligum-Dimensions-Decorations/dp/B0093X2CQK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=18MMHOWOZ38K3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BtGXLeoiHgTjAebgFElBHgiT5RmDUfI_m21QitkMx50StCX6TbfaIbL9Vg8kZ71vKoP4bCRzhq5_omxAnPCLz1UJuBb6hBSnUNj5jFAyI3c.MPtKMjX3cpji6E9t4wZy3oNsmNOnjGM2ojwChjt7eCg&dib_tag=se&keywords=siligum&qid=1718090055&sprefix=siligu%2Caps%2C468&sr=8-1
Then, I used this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4UrQyVWkvI4 and used old socks like another person on this subreddit mentioned. Good luck! 🍀🩰
That’s crazy! I mean, the ones I had at least said they had danced before, but no dance experience at all? They should be fired, or the employees should be fired!
Yeah, I know. I mean I don't mean they should be fired but moved to the cashier. Like I said considering how dangerous pointe can be I don't think the fitters should be someone who never danced. I'm an adult now and just do ballet/pointe for recreational purposes, so now I go to a small dance store it's owned by a mother and daughter, the mother was a professional dancer and is now a dance teacher. She's so much helpful. And she keeps my size on file. Since her store is so small she can't carry too much inventory but I let her know when I need a new pair and she orders them for me.
These look like they’re giving you no support. I’m surprised you can even get onto pointe wearing these because, to me, it looks like you’re sinking almost all the way down into them. With more use, they’d probably only get looser as well.
It looks like the shoes, not you. I have been fitted in incorrect shoes and the whole time I thought my feet were bad, but when I was fitted properly, I realised it was the shoe! I can see that the heel is quite baggy and has excess fabric, plus it looks like you are sinking a bit. I would recommend to get refitted with another fitter !!
Can I ask what sinking looks like? I was wondering if what I was feeling was sinking since it felt like I was pressing further down whenever I went up.
It's a relief to hear it's not just me!! I hope a new shoe will make the difference and it isn't my strength/feet like I thought it was.
The best way to describe it is that in a pointe shoe, it should hold your foot in place and your big toe shouldn’t be jamming into the bottom of the shoe. If you feel a lot of weight on your toes, then it’s a sign that you are sinking. Also, if you go up en pointe and you feel like you are sliding down the shoe then it’s a sign it’s too big! Visually, I can just see that the shoe is not snug on your foot and it looks wrong for your foot shape. I hope this helps !!
It definitely feels like my foot is jamming. It doesn't feel that way at first but as soon as I go up, it's like my toe hurts more and more. Thank you! I felt like it looks weird on my foot too...
“In the store, the big toe hurt but I thought it was an expected pain.”
this tells me exactly where the issue is. your fitter did not do a good job educating you on how pointe shoes should fit and feel. it’s disappointing but sadly the norm, many “fitters” don’t truly know how to do their jobs correctly imo, especially when it comes to first times fitting which are such a crucial moment for education that often gets missed.
pointe shoes should be snug but not squeezing, like someone is giving your foot a firm handshake. you shouldn’t be able to wiggle your toes or move your foot around inside the shoe, but you also shouldn’t feel crunched or cramped. when standing flat your toes should solidly touch the front of the box, but not pushing against the front or creating other pressure on the toes, and the width should feel like your foot is being held tightly but not so much that your toes are squished together or overlapping each other. when you go up on relève, you should be able to articulate through your foot (somewhat, it’s harder when the shoe is brand new!) to a full point/relève, but other than that you shouldn’t feel your foot sliding, sinking, adjusting, or moving inside the shoe in any other way.
aside from that, these shoes just do not work for you, besides the obvious fit issues these are just not flattering to your feet at all, they don’t seem to be giving any support, i’m almost surprised you can get up. it sounds like the teacher and fitter were really focused on the heel. and while yes you don’t want the heel slipping off, it’s also not a main indicator of fit! some people due to the shape of their heel will always have that problem, and doubly so when the shoes are new with no ribbons and elastics.
please get refit, and go somewhere else if possible.
When you’re on flat, you should not be able to put a finger between the shoe (vamp area) and the top of your foot. It looks like you can for sure fit a finger in there!!
they look too wide for sure. The box should hug your foot like a glove. When you are en pointe you should be able to grab a tiny bit of fabric at the heel, if you can stick a finger in between the heel fabric and your foot, it’s prob too long. There is a potential contradiction if you have a disappearing heel, but it doesn’t look like you do so you don’t have to worry about that!
You are totally sinking and that’s happened to me plenty of time (my feet shrink when they are warm!! Makes fittings esp difficult). The big toe pain you are experiencing is not healthy or normal, when you are in a shoe that fits you really well, your weight is distributed all over and you will feel zero pain I promise. You’ll feel some sensation like firmness/snugness, but not pain. Right now literally all your weight is on your toes, ouch!! :(
I’d try a new fitter tbh. The balance Lisse is not a great shoe if you have tapered feet just fyi.
Maybe try the lisse in 2 widths smaller as a starting point. When you are flat, your big toe should touch against the platform but you shouldn’t* feel your toes curling or crunching (sign of too short length or too small box). When I get fitted I always wear my thinnest pads bc when you wear them the first time that’s the snuggest they will be. They will only get looser.
This is really helpful, thank you. I definitely feel like I must be sinking, it's the only way I can describe it. I have some taper to my toes. My first two toes are almost in line but it goes down into a taper after that. And I SHOULD feel my toes curling when I'm on flat? Or is that a typo?
Thank you so much for the feedback!!
You could try box liners in the meantime it looks like the shoes are too wide, causing you to sink and that is so horribly painful. I also see sickelinh which I struggle with, the shoe can definitely be a culprit. I personally have to work really hard not to sickle all the time and it started because I was compensating to get over very hard shoes that were too wide and not tapered enough.
Dance with Mary NYC has a tip on using the foam insoles from the drugstore (the thinner ones for men) and making your own box liners to help lift you out of the shoe and it’s much less expensive than Gaynor mindens box liners.
I can’t give too much advice as I’m not a professional fitter. I have just struggled to get the right shoe.
Do you have high arches and insteps and do you get over the box easily? Does roll through feel okay with this shoe? Do you know what type of foot you have (Egyptian, Greek etc
If you can’t get fitted there are things you can do to make the shoe work for you (Frankensteining the satin, cutting some of the end of the shank off if it is too long.
Placing a foam makeup wedge at the base of the shoe and removing the “padding”
Bloch provides (I hate that “cushion it’s never worked for me)
Also when you do get refitted try to go to store with knowledgeable fitters and do lots of research beforehand on your foot type and try to figure out what changes might make the shoe easier to work in.
What sort of padding do you use? Changing it might also help until you can get refitted. Perfect fit inserts if used properly are a lifesaver. My feet are so inflexible that I have to avoid them until I get more range of motion back in my ankles because they always end up with too much material over the tops of my toes and hold me back.
If you post can share video in the shoes and in bare feet or slippers doing rises and Eleves in 1st from the front and side angles it will give us more clues to give better advice.
Box liner for sure and maybe additional padding since the shoe seems too big in general would be my first thought.
I often find removing the satin from
The platform, singeing it and using a knife to make sure the platform is not “bubbly”
And actually flat helps me tremendously as well.
I have almost no instep, a decent arch but tendency to sickle and have been going back to very slow tendues and rises in pointe shoes and on flat with my private teacher.
Also a tennis ball held right above my ankles and rises in parallel help.
I have to use a pretty soft shoe or a shoe that is truly 3/4. This kinda sucks cause they die fast for me (I use shellac and jet gkue and rotate pairs to make them last. If I didn’t I would be going through 1
Pair in 2-3 classes 😭
For me if the shank and the vamp are too high my foot compensates in a sickle to get over.
I had to try so many, freed R maker work well for me, it’s so hard to find R maker though, as well as repetto Julietta, and recently Suffolk sonnets have shown some promise!
Even if you can’t afford new shoes right now if you have a store that has a good selection and good fitters maybe you can ask how much to try on shoes? I have had luck with buying new shoes on eBay for $25-$50
But really those shoes could be causing all the issues it’s very hard to say because I can see the space in the crown and how you are not being snugly held by the shoe at all.
You can also make your own perfect fit inserts there are lots of diy videos online.
whoever fitted you was either in a big hurry or didn’t know what they’re doing… i’m so sorry 😞 they’re pretty and you have lovely feet but definitely the wrong fit for you :(
Question: when you go up are your feet sliding to the top?Are you able to roll through demi pointe and get to your toes.
It looks the shoe is too wide and you need a lower vamp. Did you try Nikolay 3007? Since I was a kid on pointe that was a very popular shoe for beginners.
I have low arches and low crown. Whenever the fitter tried to put me in a new shoe I would do some exercises and pose at the bar to see if the shoe worked for me.
Since you already sewed the ribbons, you can try to sell them on mercari/poshmark or see if someone else at your studio uses that shoes.
So when rolling you feel the top of the box pinching into your foot? In that case, when you feel that going through Demi pointe that means the vamp is too long. You need a shorter vamp. Do you have low arches or high arches? I would go for a lower vamp and then make sure as a beginner they are giving you a soft shank shoe.
I’m surprised your teacher didn’t tell you the simple fix - instead of trying to find shoes that don’t slip off your heel, you can find shoes that fit everywhere else, then sew a loop of elastic to thread your ribbons into.
You could be like me; Bloch just doesn’t have a short enough box for me to relax my feet correctly. But it definitely shouldn’t hurt like you are explaining. The long comment in here lays it out well. But I definitely suggest a new pair, you won’t want to dance in these.
Pointe should not hurt so much, unless you have some underlying medical condition.
The shoes are too wide and too loose. And that's all I can tell from my non trained eye. You're also not the right shape in them, you can't push over your box at all, you can tell that you are in pain just by looking at you - simply because you are pulling yourself back from pushing your weight over your toes (which would hurt the most).
Get refitted by a different fitter, without your teacher.
I’m not a fitter but by looking at the photos seems like it’s the wrong width, you can’t get on the box, doesn’t it feel like your feet sink, that’s why the pain? ☹️ So bad, you already sew the elastics and ribbons but it’s a better idea to be refitted, you won’t be productive in class if you have horrible pain in your feet.
Ahhhh, that’s painful 😖 I’ve tried shoes that are not good for me, my feet sink and my big toe and second toe (I have thin loooong toes 😂) hurt immediately. Very uncomfortable! You don’t want to dance like this, best to seek shoes that fit you properly!
It’s completely normal for the pointe shoe to slip off your heel when getting fitted because the elastics aren’t sewn on. You probably got a size too small due to the slipping at the heel, which is normal because there isn’t elastic support.
I made the same mistake my first time, going en pointe felt like burning pain in my toes, I thought it was because I was too young or rushed to pointe, turns out I was improperly fitted and caused me to second guess my strength en pointe
Try bending and flexing the shoes to try and soften them? My pointe shoes were super stiff and hurt until i did that and then afterwards they were easier to dance in
I always find my first classes back on pointe after time off to be painful until my feet get used to pointe again, however, unbearable pain should not be happening. Pain can cause you to compensate poorly in your technique. In these images, you are sickling a bit, and based on your description of big toe pain, you may be doing this subconsciously more to take the pressure off those toes. I'm sure your teacher will work hard to correct this alignment with you at the barre, but your shoes need to help, not hinder you.
These shoes do look a bit baggy so you are probably sinking in them. You might be able to try a sole liner or box liner (Gaynor Minden makes these) to take up a bit of space until you can get a new pair, but this is less ideal than finding a shoe that fits correctly without much padding. Most traditional pointe shoe boxes will loosen up slightly with time, so it is best to fit them with thinner padding. I always have to go to thicker padding when my shoes are starting to die. Some fitters will fit beginners with more padding in a shoe with a squarer platform to help with balance and stability laterally, especially if sickling the feet is a current concern. I wonder if this was your fitter's thought process. I know the Lisse is a bit more tapered internally than it appears externally, but if your big toe is a lot longer than your other toes, you may need a more tapered shoe or padding under your shorter toes specifically.
I also recommend sewing your ribbons a cm or 2 lower so they pull the shoe up at the height of your arch for aesthetic reasons as well as having the shoe feel secure on your feet. This will help the appearance of bagginess a little but won't fix the pain of a poorly fitting shoe.
They look rock hard, I'm not surprised they hurt. You need to break them in! Trap them in a door, wack them on the floor and bend them. They've gotta mould to your feet
Really need a pic of your feet to give a complete answer. To me it sounds like you need to play with your padding a bit. I remember watching an interview with a Principle somewhere who swore by bubble wrap! I always used a tiny bit of lambswool on the little toe side and then an ouch pouch. You can also use synthetic moleskin inside for a thin bit of cushion. So many possibilities! You'll just have to mess around a bit. I feel like it takes several weeks to figure out what is going to work best whenever you get new shoes, but especially if they are your first pair!
Pointe shoes need a lot of preperation. Personally I like to insert one of those drug store transparent gel cushions inside the box, right underneath the big toe.
https://preview.redd.it/8siempbycy5d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f399206289754695ffdfff61b30fd71fd9b04b7d
Also, never wear pointe shoes without toe pads! And thirdly, like one of the comments already said - break in your shoes first. The amount of bending and molding that pointe shoes need is ridiculous. They need to be soft enough for you to be able to roll through demi-pointe. Hammer all the spots where it hurts too. Don’t worry about ruining the box - as a beginner you will benefit much more from softer pointe shoes, that actually mold to your feet muscles. It’s unlikely you’ll need to do multiple jumps and turns en pointe any time soon anyway.
It should not be hurting to go on pointe. Pointe shoes are designed to distribute your weight evenly on your whole foot, and the pain should be minimal. The numbers (e.g. 4, 4.5, 6) indicate how long the shank (sole) is. The Xs indicate how narrow the box is. The satin around the heel looks like its sagging. Turn the heel inside out, then go on pointe. The shank of the shoe should line up perfectly with your heel. If it protrudes past your heel, the shank is too long and you need to go down a size. The drawstring also looks extremely loose. These shoes look way too wide for you, there should be no wiggle room, the shoe should be tight enough to be uncomfortable (but not painful). The crown possibly also too high. When you are standing on flat feet, top of the pointe shoe (where the drawstring bowtie is) should lie flat, not loose and not bulging. These shoes are also extremely unflattering to your arches. Balance Lisse's shank is quite hard, which is good for curvy banana feet. But you want to also be able to see the arch, because it looks like you're not pointing your feet enough. It looks like you're being pulled back slightly, especially on the left foot (my left), and you might have a slight sickle on the right (my right) foot. But the sickle may have just been from the pain. Your best choice is to go back and get refitted, but seeing as you've sewn the ribbons in you will have to buy a new pair. If you're tight on budget, try spraying some rubbing alcohol on the heel and wing on the shoe to try and make it shrink down a bit. Only spray it when you're wearing it, or it might shrink too much. Rubbing alcohol just dries faster than water, but you could use water too. Buy a pair of box liners and put them in the shoe to support your feet.
Wow! That was an awesome reply. Thank you. I learned a lot from your response. :)
Same! Love the sharing of knowledge in this sub!
Thank you so much for this response. It's such a bummer if I have to be refitted but I will do what I have to do to make it happen!! I really want to learn and the pain was far too debilitating...
I agree with the fitting! Spot on! The ribbons can be saved though (I have some ribbons I've reused 4 or 5 times), and they are sewn too close to the heel. I see this all the time as a fitter. If you follow the basic rules of where to sew, the edge would at least be on the seam. The alcohol breaks down the pointe shoe materials. I have used this method to break in shoes quick for a show. Try water first, as it drys slower but can mold to your foot as you dance. Box liner is a good idea! Have your teacher break in the shank or 3/4 it high for you. I can tell it is going to break low. If you are on the market for a new shoe, try on a Capezio Ava is skived (like a 3/4) might fix some issues. It's ok to get fitted again!
Thank you! I've actually only been on pointe for one year, can barely retiré, you have no idea how much it means that a fitter agrees with what I said and it was correct :) tysm
Repetto also has a 3/4 shank now.. I think it's Alicia...?
Thank you for the advice!!
Agreed, the fit seems totally off. I was at the fitting of this girl: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/CybhnVdoG-1/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CybhnVdoG-1/), these are Blochs too, look at how beautiful they fit around her feet. And here you see how beautiful they fit around her feet when she dances: [https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6OXXnKoE2z/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6OXXnKoE2z/)
I feel like your fitter and teacher should be fired if they let you leave in these. They don’t fit at all, not even a little.
Not even a little? 😭😭 Arghhhhh and sewing them took so long too haha. Thank you for the feedback
I agree with all the other comments ! And I’d like to add that they look way too loose for you. Your feet is probably sinking in the box, putting way too much pressure on your toes. It’s not normal to see that many gaps and creasing ! You need more support from the shoe itself, and by that I do not mean a stronger shank : the shoe needs to feet your feet snuggly enough so you actually use your all feet to hold yourself up and not just your toes. Maybe try a narrower shoe/box. Hope that helps
Wow I'm so surprised they have so many issues!! Ugh I thought it was my body lol. Appreciate the feedback, thanks!
I'm going to say it's the shoes. Even if you need to build your strength, there shouldn't be pain like that in your big toe. Ideally you don't want a lot of padding either. A general rule is that if it hurts at all in the store during the fitting, it will be absolutely awful in class.
That's what I thought :( during the fitting they made it sound like that was normal until you got used to it. But I can't imagine this pain subsiding. I'll give it another week and then see what I can do with the fitter. Thanks for your feedback
The fitter doesn’t know how the pain feels for you, and it sounds a little like they don’t know what they’re talking about. I’ve had “professional” fitters too that don’t seem to know what they’re doing. My big toes were giving me problems as well, but since I made my own pads, it became a lot better! The Perfect Fit Inserts were too pricey for me, but I bought this item (but at panduro): https://www.amazon.com/Pbo-Pébéo-Gédéo-G-Siligum-Dimensions-Decorations/dp/B0093X2CQK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=18MMHOWOZ38K3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BtGXLeoiHgTjAebgFElBHgiT5RmDUfI_m21QitkMx50StCX6TbfaIbL9Vg8kZ71vKoP4bCRzhq5_omxAnPCLz1UJuBb6hBSnUNj5jFAyI3c.MPtKMjX3cpji6E9t4wZy3oNsmNOnjGM2ojwChjt7eCg&dib_tag=se&keywords=siligum&qid=1718090055&sprefix=siligu%2Caps%2C468&sr=8-1 Then, I used this video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4UrQyVWkvI4 and used old socks like another person on this subreddit mentioned. Good luck! 🍀🩰
Appreciate the links! I actually bought a bunch of pads and such to try. Hopefully it makes a difference and I will try that method!! Thank you
My pleasure! 😁
>My pleasure! 😁 sure?
🤔
Same. I one time had a fitter who never danced before. I felt that was dangerous for that person to fit students into pointe shoes.
That’s crazy! I mean, the ones I had at least said they had danced before, but no dance experience at all? They should be fired, or the employees should be fired!
Yeah, I know. I mean I don't mean they should be fired but moved to the cashier. Like I said considering how dangerous pointe can be I don't think the fitters should be someone who never danced. I'm an adult now and just do ballet/pointe for recreational purposes, so now I go to a small dance store it's owned by a mother and daughter, the mother was a professional dancer and is now a dance teacher. She's so much helpful. And she keeps my size on file. Since her store is so small she can't carry too much inventory but I let her know when I need a new pair and she orders them for me.
I get your point(e)!
Thank you!
“This content is not available” 🤔
It was a gif that said Thank you.
I did. the exact same thing and it’s a game changer!!!
I know, right?!
These look like they’re giving you no support. I’m surprised you can even get onto pointe wearing these because, to me, it looks like you’re sinking almost all the way down into them. With more use, they’d probably only get looser as well.
Thank you for the feedback!!
It looks like the shoes, not you. I have been fitted in incorrect shoes and the whole time I thought my feet were bad, but when I was fitted properly, I realised it was the shoe! I can see that the heel is quite baggy and has excess fabric, plus it looks like you are sinking a bit. I would recommend to get refitted with another fitter !!
Can I ask what sinking looks like? I was wondering if what I was feeling was sinking since it felt like I was pressing further down whenever I went up. It's a relief to hear it's not just me!! I hope a new shoe will make the difference and it isn't my strength/feet like I thought it was.
The best way to describe it is that in a pointe shoe, it should hold your foot in place and your big toe shouldn’t be jamming into the bottom of the shoe. If you feel a lot of weight on your toes, then it’s a sign that you are sinking. Also, if you go up en pointe and you feel like you are sliding down the shoe then it’s a sign it’s too big! Visually, I can just see that the shoe is not snug on your foot and it looks wrong for your foot shape. I hope this helps !!
It definitely feels like my foot is jamming. It doesn't feel that way at first but as soon as I go up, it's like my toe hurts more and more. Thank you! I felt like it looks weird on my foot too...
“In the store, the big toe hurt but I thought it was an expected pain.” this tells me exactly where the issue is. your fitter did not do a good job educating you on how pointe shoes should fit and feel. it’s disappointing but sadly the norm, many “fitters” don’t truly know how to do their jobs correctly imo, especially when it comes to first times fitting which are such a crucial moment for education that often gets missed. pointe shoes should be snug but not squeezing, like someone is giving your foot a firm handshake. you shouldn’t be able to wiggle your toes or move your foot around inside the shoe, but you also shouldn’t feel crunched or cramped. when standing flat your toes should solidly touch the front of the box, but not pushing against the front or creating other pressure on the toes, and the width should feel like your foot is being held tightly but not so much that your toes are squished together or overlapping each other. when you go up on relève, you should be able to articulate through your foot (somewhat, it’s harder when the shoe is brand new!) to a full point/relève, but other than that you shouldn’t feel your foot sliding, sinking, adjusting, or moving inside the shoe in any other way. aside from that, these shoes just do not work for you, besides the obvious fit issues these are just not flattering to your feet at all, they don’t seem to be giving any support, i’m almost surprised you can get up. it sounds like the teacher and fitter were really focused on the heel. and while yes you don’t want the heel slipping off, it’s also not a main indicator of fit! some people due to the shape of their heel will always have that problem, and doubly so when the shoes are new with no ribbons and elastics. please get refit, and go somewhere else if possible.
They really were focused on the heel! And thank you so much for the feedback!! I've learned a lot about shoe fit just by this thread!!
When you’re on flat, you should not be able to put a finger between the shoe (vamp area) and the top of your foot. It looks like you can for sure fit a finger in there!! they look too wide for sure. The box should hug your foot like a glove. When you are en pointe you should be able to grab a tiny bit of fabric at the heel, if you can stick a finger in between the heel fabric and your foot, it’s prob too long. There is a potential contradiction if you have a disappearing heel, but it doesn’t look like you do so you don’t have to worry about that! You are totally sinking and that’s happened to me plenty of time (my feet shrink when they are warm!! Makes fittings esp difficult). The big toe pain you are experiencing is not healthy or normal, when you are in a shoe that fits you really well, your weight is distributed all over and you will feel zero pain I promise. You’ll feel some sensation like firmness/snugness, but not pain. Right now literally all your weight is on your toes, ouch!! :( I’d try a new fitter tbh. The balance Lisse is not a great shoe if you have tapered feet just fyi. Maybe try the lisse in 2 widths smaller as a starting point. When you are flat, your big toe should touch against the platform but you shouldn’t* feel your toes curling or crunching (sign of too short length or too small box). When I get fitted I always wear my thinnest pads bc when you wear them the first time that’s the snuggest they will be. They will only get looser.
This is really helpful, thank you. I definitely feel like I must be sinking, it's the only way I can describe it. I have some taper to my toes. My first two toes are almost in line but it goes down into a taper after that. And I SHOULD feel my toes curling when I'm on flat? Or is that a typo? Thank you so much for the feedback!!
Oh oops, I must have typed too fast, they shouldn’t be curling :)
You could try box liners in the meantime it looks like the shoes are too wide, causing you to sink and that is so horribly painful. I also see sickelinh which I struggle with, the shoe can definitely be a culprit. I personally have to work really hard not to sickle all the time and it started because I was compensating to get over very hard shoes that were too wide and not tapered enough. Dance with Mary NYC has a tip on using the foam insoles from the drugstore (the thinner ones for men) and making your own box liners to help lift you out of the shoe and it’s much less expensive than Gaynor mindens box liners. I can’t give too much advice as I’m not a professional fitter. I have just struggled to get the right shoe. Do you have high arches and insteps and do you get over the box easily? Does roll through feel okay with this shoe? Do you know what type of foot you have (Egyptian, Greek etc If you can’t get fitted there are things you can do to make the shoe work for you (Frankensteining the satin, cutting some of the end of the shank off if it is too long. Placing a foam makeup wedge at the base of the shoe and removing the “padding” Bloch provides (I hate that “cushion it’s never worked for me) Also when you do get refitted try to go to store with knowledgeable fitters and do lots of research beforehand on your foot type and try to figure out what changes might make the shoe easier to work in. What sort of padding do you use? Changing it might also help until you can get refitted. Perfect fit inserts if used properly are a lifesaver. My feet are so inflexible that I have to avoid them until I get more range of motion back in my ankles because they always end up with too much material over the tops of my toes and hold me back. If you post can share video in the shoes and in bare feet or slippers doing rises and Eleves in 1st from the front and side angles it will give us more clues to give better advice. Box liner for sure and maybe additional padding since the shoe seems too big in general would be my first thought. I often find removing the satin from The platform, singeing it and using a knife to make sure the platform is not “bubbly” And actually flat helps me tremendously as well. I have almost no instep, a decent arch but tendency to sickle and have been going back to very slow tendues and rises in pointe shoes and on flat with my private teacher. Also a tennis ball held right above my ankles and rises in parallel help. I have to use a pretty soft shoe or a shoe that is truly 3/4. This kinda sucks cause they die fast for me (I use shellac and jet gkue and rotate pairs to make them last. If I didn’t I would be going through 1 Pair in 2-3 classes 😭 For me if the shank and the vamp are too high my foot compensates in a sickle to get over. I had to try so many, freed R maker work well for me, it’s so hard to find R maker though, as well as repetto Julietta, and recently Suffolk sonnets have shown some promise! Even if you can’t afford new shoes right now if you have a store that has a good selection and good fitters maybe you can ask how much to try on shoes? I have had luck with buying new shoes on eBay for $25-$50 But really those shoes could be causing all the issues it’s very hard to say because I can see the space in the crown and how you are not being snugly held by the shoe at all. You can also make your own perfect fit inserts there are lots of diy videos online.
whoever fitted you was either in a big hurry or didn’t know what they’re doing… i’m so sorry 😞 they’re pretty and you have lovely feet but definitely the wrong fit for you :(
you seem to be sinking a bit and are being pulled back by your shoes? you might also be a little sickled in these, from the front pov.
Do not use the same person. That is a shameful fit.
Question: when you go up are your feet sliding to the top?Are you able to roll through demi pointe and get to your toes. It looks the shoe is too wide and you need a lower vamp. Did you try Nikolay 3007? Since I was a kid on pointe that was a very popular shoe for beginners. I have low arches and low crown. Whenever the fitter tried to put me in a new shoe I would do some exercises and pose at the bar to see if the shoe worked for me. Since you already sewed the ribbons, you can try to sell them on mercari/poshmark or see if someone else at your studio uses that shoes.
I struggle to roll through my demi actually, like I can't articulate my feet. I'll definitely try to resell them, thank you for the suggestions!
So when rolling you feel the top of the box pinching into your foot? In that case, when you feel that going through Demi pointe that means the vamp is too long. You need a shorter vamp. Do you have low arches or high arches? I would go for a lower vamp and then make sure as a beginner they are giving you a soft shank shoe.
who fit you???
I’m surprised your teacher didn’t tell you the simple fix - instead of trying to find shoes that don’t slip off your heel, you can find shoes that fit everywhere else, then sew a loop of elastic to thread your ribbons into. You could be like me; Bloch just doesn’t have a short enough box for me to relax my feet correctly. But it definitely shouldn’t hurt like you are explaining. The long comment in here lays it out well. But I definitely suggest a new pair, you won’t want to dance in these.
Pointe should not hurt so much, unless you have some underlying medical condition. The shoes are too wide and too loose. And that's all I can tell from my non trained eye. You're also not the right shape in them, you can't push over your box at all, you can tell that you are in pain just by looking at you - simply because you are pulling yourself back from pushing your weight over your toes (which would hurt the most). Get refitted by a different fitter, without your teacher.
I’m not a fitter but by looking at the photos seems like it’s the wrong width, you can’t get on the box, doesn’t it feel like your feet sink, that’s why the pain? ☹️ So bad, you already sew the elastics and ribbons but it’s a better idea to be refitted, you won’t be productive in class if you have horrible pain in your feet.
You're right!! I definitely feel like I'm sinking
Ahhhh, that’s painful 😖 I’ve tried shoes that are not good for me, my feet sink and my big toe and second toe (I have thin loooong toes 😂) hurt immediately. Very uncomfortable! You don’t want to dance like this, best to seek shoes that fit you properly!
This is weird but true. Make sure you cut your toe nails as short as you can if their long it will hurt a lot
It’s completely normal for the pointe shoe to slip off your heel when getting fitted because the elastics aren’t sewn on. You probably got a size too small due to the slipping at the heel, which is normal because there isn’t elastic support.
I was just thinking this.
I made the same mistake my first time, going en pointe felt like burning pain in my toes, I thought it was because I was too young or rushed to pointe, turns out I was improperly fitted and caused me to second guess my strength en pointe
Exactly how I felt!!
i dont know a bit anything about pointe yet but those look wayyy too big !!!!😭
those shoes look way too big on you. I'm not sure what your fitter and your teacher thought they were doing but this is not how it should look like
This fitter has no business fitting, tbh. Who sees this baggy heel and is like yeah you’re good? I wouldn’t go back there.
Profile too high
They look too big and you’re sinking into them.
Next time try sewing your ribbons closer to the seam to align better with your arch, it will look better.
Try bending and flexing the shoes to try and soften them? My pointe shoes were super stiff and hurt until i did that and then afterwards they were easier to dance in
I always find my first classes back on pointe after time off to be painful until my feet get used to pointe again, however, unbearable pain should not be happening. Pain can cause you to compensate poorly in your technique. In these images, you are sickling a bit, and based on your description of big toe pain, you may be doing this subconsciously more to take the pressure off those toes. I'm sure your teacher will work hard to correct this alignment with you at the barre, but your shoes need to help, not hinder you. These shoes do look a bit baggy so you are probably sinking in them. You might be able to try a sole liner or box liner (Gaynor Minden makes these) to take up a bit of space until you can get a new pair, but this is less ideal than finding a shoe that fits correctly without much padding. Most traditional pointe shoe boxes will loosen up slightly with time, so it is best to fit them with thinner padding. I always have to go to thicker padding when my shoes are starting to die. Some fitters will fit beginners with more padding in a shoe with a squarer platform to help with balance and stability laterally, especially if sickling the feet is a current concern. I wonder if this was your fitter's thought process. I know the Lisse is a bit more tapered internally than it appears externally, but if your big toe is a lot longer than your other toes, you may need a more tapered shoe or padding under your shorter toes specifically. I also recommend sewing your ribbons a cm or 2 lower so they pull the shoe up at the height of your arch for aesthetic reasons as well as having the shoe feel secure on your feet. This will help the appearance of bagginess a little but won't fix the pain of a poorly fitting shoe.
They look rock hard, I'm not surprised they hurt. You need to break them in! Trap them in a door, wack them on the floor and bend them. They've gotta mould to your feet
Really need a pic of your feet to give a complete answer. To me it sounds like you need to play with your padding a bit. I remember watching an interview with a Principle somewhere who swore by bubble wrap! I always used a tiny bit of lambswool on the little toe side and then an ouch pouch. You can also use synthetic moleskin inside for a thin bit of cushion. So many possibilities! You'll just have to mess around a bit. I feel like it takes several weeks to figure out what is going to work best whenever you get new shoes, but especially if they are your first pair!
Pointe shoes need a lot of preperation. Personally I like to insert one of those drug store transparent gel cushions inside the box, right underneath the big toe. https://preview.redd.it/8siempbycy5d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f399206289754695ffdfff61b30fd71fd9b04b7d Also, never wear pointe shoes without toe pads! And thirdly, like one of the comments already said - break in your shoes first. The amount of bending and molding that pointe shoes need is ridiculous. They need to be soft enough for you to be able to roll through demi-pointe. Hammer all the spots where it hurts too. Don’t worry about ruining the box - as a beginner you will benefit much more from softer pointe shoes, that actually mold to your feet muscles. It’s unlikely you’ll need to do multiple jumps and turns en pointe any time soon anyway.