It’s the bane of every pointe shoe fitter’s existence. We’re all seeing it; dancers who aren’t ready for pointework are coming into our stores to be fitted. Often, these dancers don’t have the strength or training to be on pointe, making it difficult to find shoes that they’re able to dance in. It’s no surprise, then, that this issue took center stage at the inaugural MODE Market in Atlanta.
On the final day of the trade show, Damon Spencer, owner of Tutu Dance Boutique in Bridgeville, PA, hosted a panel featuring all the major pointe shoe manufacturers. While the discussion covered everything from getting dancers to buy their second shoes to supply challenges, no topic captured retailers’ attention quite like fitting dancers who aren’t ready for pointe. The manufacturers shared valuable tips, tricks, and shoe options, offering solutions to help retailers navigate this challenging situation.
“It’s not our place to tell them that they’re not ready,” said Nikolay programme manager Riley Weber. He’s right. Relationships between stores and dance teachers can be thorny at the best of times, so suggesting a teacher didn’t prepare a student well is a recipe for disaster. To meet diverse needs, Nikolay has adapted their shoe selection over the years, according to Weber. One retailer shared that they’ve found the brand’s Streampointe model with a soft or medium shank works best for dancers struggling to get onto their platform.
Elsewhere, BLOCH professional fitter Conner Hall mentioned that they make a wide range of shoes catered to both beginners and professionals. In my store, BLOCH’s Eurobalance is our go-to shoe for weaker dancers. “The beautifully curved last and shank supports the key contact points on the sole of the foot,” wrote BLOCH’s senior marketing manager Susie Riefenhauser in an email after the panel. This helps dancers find proper placement. Another fitter shared that they use BLOCH’s Lisse model with struggling dancers, which can be especially effective when an arch breaks high. In most other cases, Eurobalance remains the top choice.
“I’ve noticed the issue of weaker dancers for quite some time,” said Mark Suffolk, co-founder of and head designer at Suffolk. He’s confident that the double-curved shank of his new Camber pointe shoe series will help them find proper placement. The shank mimics the shape of a broken-in shoe, making it “broken in, not broken down.” That said, the Camber series isn’t just for beginners; it could also help dancers who are struggling to get on their block.
Virtisse’s chief of engineering and technology, Khabira Temesheva Isenzhulova, PhD, has spent years measuring feet and doing daily virtual fittings. She’s finding that more and more dancers have flat feet (she blames people wearing shoes such as Crocs and flip-flops from an early age, which change the movement of the foot while walking), which can hinder their ability to get on pointe. To help these dancers, she designed a new shoe called Sisu, which is a radical departure from the rest of the Virtisse range.
The Sisu’s last/form has an additional curve under the metatarsal that pushes the dancer onto pointe. Its flexible shank has multiple layers that are nailed—not glued together in the traditional manner—meaning each layer contributes to strength or flexibility where it’s needed. The Sisu is available for pre-order, and delivery is expected by September.
Merlet’s Belle shoe is also designed for dancers’ first steps on pointe. Made on a pre-arched last and featuring a short vamp (5.5 cm), it’s available to order in four different shank options, from very soft to medium. As such, it’s perfect for those with less-flexible ankles. “Beginner dancers need a full range of motion [in the foot] from the beginning,” said Kiley Stoker, director of sales at Eurotard—the exclusive distributor for Merlet in the Americas. I’ve had great success in my store with Belle, as long as the dancer doesn’t have short toes. In this case, the higher vamp ends up pushing them back off their block.
John Minden, co-founder of Gaynor Minden, also added that by training aids to customers with less-than-optimal preparation, retailers can support dancers to develop the strength, flexibility, and other attributes. The resistance bands and rollers in Gaynor Minden’s new Beyond the Barre collection, for example, are designed to develop strength and flexibility.
However we approach it, we need to find solutions for these unprepared dancers. Nothing I’m seeing or hearing from studios tells me that this problem is going away. So, why not try bringing in a small range of the shoes listed here, testing them out, and seeing if they work for you? Keep in mind that one company’s soft shank is another’s medium. Not every brand’s solution will be right for you and your customers.
Let’s work with our manufacturers to keep looking for the perfect solution for these dancers. We need to get them placed properly for their safety, enjoyment, and our stores’ success.
Gilbert Russell has been fitting pointe shoes for over 35 years. He also helps independent stores thrive through his book Retail AI Unleashed, coaching programs, speaking engagements, and weekly newsletter.