"how they sew pointe shoes in a big theater." Secrets of ballet pointe shoes What is inside pointe shoes

Anastasia Volkova

Fashion is the most powerful of the arts. This is movement, style and architecture in one.

Content

It is difficult to imagine a ballerina on stage without pointe shoes. These special shoes help to achieve perfection in finger technique - the main section of the study of classical women's dance. Ballet shoes have become an integral attribute, allowing the viewer to perceive the action on stage as something unearthly, sublime, unusual for the common man.

What are pointe shoes

Professional, highly specialized shoes, which with their appearance have made life much easier for ballerinas - pointe shoes. Translated from French, this term means “point”, “fingertips”. Other names for the product are pegs, helmets, finger shoes. Ballet slippers must fit perfectly on the foot, since dancers spend most of their professional lives in them. Beginners can use slippers or ballet shoes made of cotton fabric with a reinforced insole and back. These are inexpensive shoe options for daily workouts.

Story

The French expression sur les pointes means “to dance on the tips of the fingers.” At one time, ballerinas went on stage barefoot or performed the dance by standing on the tops of their toes. As a result, the foot was subjected to excessive stress, which led to injuries, sprains, and dislocations. This method was replaced by the idea of ​​​​creating special supportive shoes.

The first ballerina to appear on stage in pointe shoes was Maria Taglioni. Test copies of the products were invented by her father Philip Taglioni at the beginning of the 19th century in Italy. Then they began to refine and modify the dance shoes, experimenting with the material. To make it stiffer, they put a cork in the toe of ordinary shoes, but this method injured the feet even more. Then they began to use embedded soft fabric or wool, which reduced the load on the foot. Such shoes did not keep their shape and quickly became unusable, but they helped the ballerina get on pointe shoes easier.

Manufacturers continued to come up with new designs, inserts, and additional insoles. We tried using plaster instead of glue, but it was difficult to stretch out such shoes. Then leather sandals with straps attached to the foot came into use. Now ballerina's pointe shoes are made manually or mechanically. Well-known manufacturers: Grishko (Russian company) and Gaynor Minden (American company).

What are they made of?

Making pointe shoes is an art. Ballet shoes consist of 54 elements, connected and perfectly adjusted to the foot. The upper is made of calico or flesh-colored satin, which creates the illusion of unity between the foot and the shoe. The satin does not create glare from spotlights. Calico keeps the ballerina's feet healthy by absorbing moisture and preventing the formation of fungus: after performances and training, dancers' feet become completely wet.

Structure of shoes for ballet:

• box (glass) - a hard case inside the shoe, consisting of 6 layers of textiles and burlap, glued together according to the papier-mâché principle;
• wings;
• ribbon ties are an obligatory part of pointe shoes, which, according to tradition, the ballerina sews on herself;
• vamp - a V-shaped upper part to which two backdrops are sewn;
• folds;
• sole made of genuine leather (suede), which helps the ballerina not to slip;
• back and middle seam;
• penny - the hard front part of ballet slippers that helps the dancer get on pointe shoes;
• insoles made of hard cardboard with the addition of plastic of varying degrees of hardness: S (soft), M (medium), H (hard), SS (super-soft), SH (super-hard).

How pointe shoes are made

Making ballet shoes is the most complex technology in shoe production. Here everything should be thought out to the smallest detail and selected individually: the degree of openness, rigidity, fullness, lift. In Russia, ballerina shoes are made only by hand, in Europe – mechanically. Professionals assemble up to 12 pairs of pointe shoes per shift. The work uses a plastic block (it used to be wooden).

Ballet shoes production technology:

1. The top consists of 3 layers of satin, cut using a mechanical die.
2. A lining for each part is made from natural cotton, which protects the ballerina’s feet from irritation.
3. Two satin backdrops are sewn to the upper part (vamp), strengthening the seam with a ribbon made of artificial material.
4. To obtain an edging, the tape is folded in half around the lace using a machine.
5. It is sewn around the perimeter of the pointe shoe, which helps to tighten the shoe tightly on the foot.
6. To check the size, the satin top is put on a previously prepared last (made individually for each ballerina). The deviation of the vamp height is allowed no more than 3 mm, otherwise the shoes will cut into the foot.
7. A lining is glued to the inner insole.
8. A piece of fabric coated with resin is soaked and placed on top of the “glass” to form a box.
9. Pieces of matting are glued and placed on a cotton layer. The glue is made on a rubber-plastic base from water, flour, starch, and resin. This composition provides the necessary flexibility.
10. Another layer of natural cotton is glued onto the resulting box.
11. The structure is wrapped in cellophane, pressed against the marble (so that the nickel becomes even and flat) and left to dry.
12. The lining is glued to the “glass”, the excess is cut off.
13. Satin is glued onto the lining, creating small folds.
14. The inner insole on the back side and the sole are covered with vinyl glue and left to dry for a day.
15. The parts are heated in an oven to a certain temperature, as a result of which the dried glue is activated.
16. The sole is secured and the shoe is placed under the press for 15 seconds (for strong gluing).

Using pointe shoes

How long ballet slippers will be used depends on the intensity of the load. During one performance, a dancer can change several pairs, and for a certain performance technique the use of different shoes is required. Before the performance, the ballerina does all sorts of manipulations to prepare her ballet shoes:

• kneads a hard box with a hammer;
• cuts off the patch and stitches it with threads, crochets it or pads it with a piece of fabric;
• makes a loop on the inside of the heel that presses the shoe tightly to the foot;
• breaks in shoes;
• cuts the insole with a knife or grater;
• sews on elastic bands;
• rubs the heel and sole of his pointe shoes with rosin.

How much do pointe shoes cost?

The ballerina's shoes are selected individually. At the same time, beauty and originality of design are not the most important parameters. First, pay attention to the rigidity of the insole, box, closeness, fullness, heel size, and cutout. The most popular models are produced by Sansha, Grishko, Russian Ballet, R-class, Bloch. If you are interested in where to buy pointe shoes, contact the official stores of the manufacturers or order online from dealers. The cost of some models in Moscow.

Pointe shoes are professional shoes. It appeared not so long ago and made life much easier for ballerinas. The term "on pointe" refers to a position where the ballerina rests only on the tips of her toes and not on her foot. In this position, the fingers experience a lot of tension without support, and incorrect execution can result in injury. After the advent of special shoes, rehearsing and performing became much easier than barefoot. Pointe shoes are considered the forerunners of ballet shoes, which have gained popularity in recent years. But they themselves remain highly specialized shoes, which are sewn by hand by masters, and each model is adjusted to the ballerina’s foot.

What are pointe shoes and how are they made?

Pointe shoes consist of a box, a sole and straps that securely fasten the shoe to the foot. The making of each part requires skill and care, which is why shoes are often created by hand.

The main thing in pointe shoes is a fairly solid box. It protects your fingers from bending and helps to better distribute the load. Its production requires 5–6 layers of fabric or burlap, which are well glued until hardened. In machine production, plastic inserts are used, but more often natural glue is used, which securely holds the layers of fabric together, creating a hard crust. After this, the shoes are stitched and beaten with a special hammer to remove protruding seams.

Another important element is the sole. It consists of three parts: a leather sole, a plastic flexible insert and an inner insole. Leather prevents slipping on smooth floors and helps maintain balance without weighing down your shoes. And the plastic insert allows you to perform better swings and makes it easier to stand on your toes - it supports the foot in a vertical position. Pointe shoes are produced with varying degrees of insole rigidity.

The outside of the pointe shoes is lined with beige satin or calico. Both types of fabric allow air to pass through well and easily take the shape of the foot without restricting movement. Beige satin does not glare, blends with the color of the skin - this allows the ballerina to look lighter and airier, lengthens her legs. Pointe shoes are attached to the foot using ribbons, which, according to tradition, the ballerina sews on herself. Natural adhesive and textile backing allow the shoe to easily mold to the dancer's foot, and the absence of protruding seams reduces the risk of injury. But these are short-lived shoes. One pair is not enough even for one full-fledged performance - they wear out quickly, especially during intense dancing.

Hand sewing does not allow producing a large number of pointe shoes, so high-quality ballet shoes are highly valued on the world market. The shape of the model is often used by modern designers to create extravagant shoes. In such shoes, the front part resembles the shape of pointe shoes, and the sole is equipped with a high heel that raises the foot almost vertically.

History of pointe shoes

Before the invention of pointe shoes, ballerinas performed barefoot or in special lightweight sandals with ties, but in them you could only rest on your full foot, and it was impossible to stand on your toes. The first ballet that required standing on pointe shoes was the play “Zephyr and Flora,” but then Maria Danilova stood on her toes without special shoes. After this, about 20 years passed and in 1830 the first shoes with a hard toe appeared. And the first ballerina to perform in them was Maria Taglioni. It was her father who created the dancing shoes.

After that, pointe shoes began to appear all over the world, the materials and design changed. At first, a cork was placed under the fingers to achieve the required rigidity, but this was soon abandoned, as the ballerinas’ feet were severely injured. Then soft materials were placed in the pointe shoes: felted wool, fabric. But they did not keep their shape and wore out quickly. Despite the inconvenience, the shoes achieved their goal. The ballerinas stood on their toes more easily, and the dance seemed airy and light. Pointe shoes were transformed, new box shapes, additional inserts and insoles appeared. For some time, plaster was used instead of glue. It was quite hard, but did not take the shape of the dancer's foot.

The current production of pointe shoes still remains manual - craftsmen sew and glue the models. Mechanical sewing has not proven its worth, although some professional ballerinas use such pointe shoes. The most famous manufacturers remain the Russian Grishko, specializing in hand sewing, and the American company Gaynor Minden, which produces pointe shoes using the machine method.

Video about how pointe shoes are made by hand:

Video tips on how to choose pointe shoes for your child:

Today I decided to change myself. Moreover, we are talking about shoes made in the workshops of the Bolshoi Theater.

Once upon a time, these shoes were considered the best and were worth their weight in gold. While studying at MAHA, we looked with envy at those who studied in the shoes of the Bolshoi Theater. In my last two courses, I was also among those who were lucky enough to become the owner of pointe shoes, sewn in the workshops of the Bolshoi Theater.

And today we will visit there, and of course we will see the whole manufacturing process. Well, you must admit, it’s stupid to gut it if you can see how it’s created.

This is how the blanks are laid out on the shelves, which in the future will become someone’s pointe shoes.

A fabric blank is sewn from these same parts. By the way, 50% of the success of pointe shoes depends on how the blank is sewn.
For shoes, take one layer of satin and two layers of calico.

Thanks to Anna Fateeva for showing and telling. The heel pieces are attached to the front part, then the heel itself is sewn together. After this, everything is stitched close to the seam. Anna did not sew the heel and did not stitch it, since the machine was threaded with brown thread. She sewed soft dark-colored shoes.

Well, then... Take the name block. The photo is mine. She is over 15 years old. This again means that Mr. Grishko is trying to convince everyone that the last needs to be changed every three years. About 7-8 years ago I just made some adjustments, and they did not concern the last, but the depth of the cutout on the front of the pointe shoe.

A leather insole is applied to the block, measured, and then nailed. It is attached in three places.

In this way, the same distance from the beginning of the insole to the toe of the last is checked.

All blanks are signed.

The future pointe shoe is put on the last. Use a nail to adjust the depth of the cut.

The height of the side cutouts can also be adjusted using a nail.

The first four folds are the most important. After all, they will be visible from the front side.

Then the folds are laid one by one on one side.

Then on the other.

Each time the folds are laid, they are secured with a nail. The whole thing is coated with glue on top. I’ll definitely tell you about the glue.

We carry out the same procedure with one of the layers of calico.

It's Piglet's turn. It is formed from five layers: the first is dense calico, the remaining four are canvas. Calico and two layers of canvas in the form of triangles, the remaining two in the form of squares.
The most common glue is made from flour, water and a substance similar to potato starch, the name of which I forgot. Sorry. But it is clear that everything is natural.
By the way, all other materials are also natural.

Having coated each layer, we begin to carefully “wrap” the patch of fingers with them.
First calico, then a canvas square, then a canvas triangle, again a square and at the end another triangle.

This is what the patch looks like from one side and the other.

Beauty. Reminded me of a doll in a scarf.)))

Now, while the glue dries, the insole is sewn on. First, all excess is cut off.

The shoe fits on something like this... I don’t know what it’s called. Or maybe there is no special name.

And... The process of connecting the top of the shoe to the insole begins.

If you remember, the folds were secured with nails.

Now they are taken out and they begin to carefully stitch the sock.

Particular attention to folds.

I was very interested in how it would all turn out now. After all, the shoe last is dressed “inside out.”
It turned out to be very simple.
First, the shoes are removed from the block in this way.

Then take a round stick, and...

The shoe is turned right side out. After which the pointe shoe is put back on the block.

Special hammer. You can rub it on your arms and even on your cheek without fear of scratching yourself. This is how the smoothness of the tool is checked.

This hammer is used to hammer the shoes into the last.

Almost a circus act. Free standing pointe shoe. Even with a relatively small patch, the “fingers”, as you can see, are very stable.

Now you need to glue the inner insole.

The inner insole is made of fairly thick leather. On the reverse side it is duplicated for rigidity with a pressed cardboard plate, which is cut to the required size. At the request of the pad owner, the plate can be made harder or softer.

The fully assembled shoe is put back on the last and remains on it until the glue dries completely. The second pointe shoe is assembled in exactly the same way.

Pointe shoes are dried in special ovens. Although lately they are more often dried on ordinary batteries. Why? The number of shoes ordered has sharply decreased and there is no point in installing large stoves. Alas...

Well, this is what the finished pointe shoes look like, made in the workshops of the Bolshoi Theater. Shoes that not only in words, but also in reality, take into account all the features of a particular ballerina’s foot.

And now I want to introduce you to the person thanks to whom I still dance in Bolshoi Theater shoes. This is Vladimir Terentyev - “the last of the Mohicans”. The only person left in the Bolshoi workshops is the one who sews shoes. There is also Denis. But Denis has been working in the workshops not so long ago. Vladimir has been working in the theater almost as long as I have - since 1990.

I really hope that after the renovation of the theater workshop building on Petrovsky Lane, the entire shoe workshop will move into the renovated building.

It is a pity that today the legendary and once great production is disappearing. And for ballet dancers, ballet shoes are purchased exclusively from imported brands: Geynor, Sansha, and, since last year, Chacot. And of course Grishko. Where would we be without him?

It is not without reason that there is an opinion that it was Mr. Grishko who contributed to the collapse of shoe production at the Bolshoi Theater, first luring to himself and then dismissing many craftsmen from the Bolshoi Theater as unnecessary.

Special thanks to the head of the Bolshoi Theater shoe department, Oleg Borisovich, for the opportunity to make this report.

I love it when some specific things are told in an accessible language, and on the contrary, I can’t stomach people who talk about their specialized knowledge from the point of view that it is not accessible to anyone else. The troublemaker for my peace was the Vumn.ru forum: I wandered there by accident in search of what a “jump up” was. I didn’t find an answer, but the dialogue was interesting. A girl asks there whether it is possible to get on pointe shoes at the age of 25+ (why ask - just go ahead and do it!). Immediately women came running (not to be confused with women), those who always know everything, and a couple of ballerinas. The latter began to discuss that they had been struggling with lifting since childhood, and in general the lady couldn’t lift her leg higher than 90 degrees...

Firstly, who told you that a dancer understands something about teaching ballet or is familiar with the technology with which he was taught? Who even said that actors, athletes or singers are such smart people that their opinions are worth listening to? Secondly, I don’t understand, I like it - study, try, work, achieve. Unfortunately, in our country we do not have such a mania for different hobbies: in the states, in Europe, in China there are many amateur schools where people seriously (otherwise it is impossible in the classics) study ballet for themselves (and not in order to perform). Why not? There are also sling mothers (you know the ones with small children who wear them in a special scarf) who stand by the stick with the sling and the baby. Thirdly, buy pointe shoes, and then we’ll see...

How to choose?
Of the 15 parameters of the last, the majority (nickel, closeness, type of insole, neckline and lace) is what distinguishes the pointe shoe models from one another (Capezio has more than 10 of them, Grishko and R-Class have about 15, Bloch has 20 models ). But for each of them you can choose the size, fullness, and rigidity of the insole (and, sometimes, material and color).

Most manufacturers have visual ways to select a model, and brand stores employ a specialist in selecting pointe shoes - a fitter.

How much to buy?
A ballet soloist spends 3 pairs of pointe shoes per performance (according to rumors, I don’t know how it really is, but just one is definitely not enough). They are not durable: the rigidity of the box and insole begins to decrease under load, which means that it becomes more difficult to stand on your toes. Sometimes the insole simply breaks. Professionals change pointe shoes and ballet shoes often, but this is not a problem for an amateur. Although today durable pointe shoes from Gaynor Minden have appeared (and they are not the only ones mastering this technology), manufacturers write that they are high-tech, but there is another problem: they do not break, do not wear out, the outer material simply becomes completely unusable (they cost 2-3 times more shoes from Grishko, R-Class or Bloch).

It all depends on the intensity of the classes, but the first pair will last you for a year, no less. Another thing is that there is a desire to try more and more new models :)

Can I wear it?

When new pointe shoes are purchased, unlike sneakers, you cannot put them on right away. They need to be prepared. In general, everything is too easy with sneakers: the laces are there and already inserted! And to begin with, ribbons are sewn onto pointe shoes, and not just anywhere, but at the top of the instep, in the place where support is needed - it is individual for everyone, so the ribbons come separately. Although there is another simple way: the place is selected according to the bent heel.

Of course, they are sewn on by hand, thread and needle, then cut to length and melted (sometimes the cut is treated with varnish or glue) so that they do not stick out or crumble. Optionally, an elastic band is sewn on to hold the heel and the lace is tightened.

Now they can be attached to the leg. But that’s not all: if we talk about professionals and experienced amateurs, they prepare their pointe shoes more carefully.

Sometimes the top fabric is cut off from a nickel, sewn around the perimeter with threads or a leather overlay is glued on, and beaten with a hammer to remove the corners.

The box is kneaded (the manufacturer says that this does not need to be done, and these are relics of the past, but here the taste and color, as they say, all markers are different - it is important to bring the box to the desired degree of softness so that it is comfortable), for this they knock on it with a hammer , they stand with their heels on top, squeeze them in the door... in general, they mock them as they want.

The insole is bent, especially in the heel area, sometimes torn off at the top from the sole (as I understand it, for a more aesthetic look on the toes), they give it a shape and simply soften it on its own.
Some professionals soak their pointe shoes in a special way, or rosin the inside, or... in general, everyone has their own ritual, but an amateur cares about them, like Zakharova...

Is it possible now?

Now it’s too early to put on pointe shoes. It will look like this, although it should look different.

And the point here is not that this is funny and unaesthetic. You simply cannot dance with such legs: there will be either a fracture or a serious deformation in the ankle area. This is roughly like climbing a steep hill, putting on skis and pushing off - hypothetically you can get all the way to the bottom, but an adequate person without minimal training will not do this.

In order to stand on pointe with your foot, which is usually in position L, you need to do I, that is, straighten it from a position of 90’ to 180+. Adult stubborn amateurs use such a thing for this, but in childhood it stretches more easily.

In addition to stretching the instep, you also need to pump it. This muscle is very poorly developed in an ordinary person. There are Plie and Releve dance exercises.

What it is? Grab something, stand very straight, as straight as you can, put your heels together and spread your toes (something like a V), and now squat down without lifting your butt, as if you had swallowed a crowbar, without lifting a single millimeter of your foot from the floor . Squat as low as possible - this is Plie.

Now, without lifting your toes from the floor and without tilting your foot, rise onto your tiptoes (half toes). Now you just lift your heel off the floor, rise higher, even higher, and higher, now press your heel into your leg - this is Releve.

Repeat 1000 times.

And here it is also important not to forget to pump up your fingers. Yes, those same toes that a healthy, sane person does nothing with, but football players, for example, use to train them. They do a lot of things for this: they do push-ups, push weights, walk up the steps, swing with an expander.

As with any activity, 10,000 hours will make you an expert. Pump and pull, pull and swing... Good ballet legs for a normal uninitiated person look, to put it mildly, ugly.

These are beautiful ballet legs: there is an inflated instep, which makes the foot huge (but strong, and it looks beautiful in pointe shoes), as well as X-shaped legs (what is called hyperextension) - especially appreciated by ballerinas: in the photo below on the right the legs of a normal person, on the left are the legs of a human dancer.

And these are the feet of the world-famous ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, who is idolized by almost all ballerinas (she is really beautiful, beautifully built and artistic) it would be great if she were not an ardent supporter of PZhiV.

But this, of course, does not threaten simple mortals :)

Is this even safe?

The image is truly delightful - delicate, fragile, feminine, the standard of impeccable beauty and grace. Can he exist without pointe shoes? These little satin shoes are a real fetish, a symbol of belonging to the fairy-tale world of ballet. They are the ones who made classical dance inimitable.

So, pointe shoes deserve a separate discussion about themselves. What is hidden behind their satin shell? How much does a ballerina train to stand confidently on pointe shoes? Who came up with this miracle and tried it for the first time?

Origin
The French word pointe is used to refer to the tips of the toes. When we say that a ballerina “dances on pointe shoes,” we mean a position where she does not rest on her entire foot, but only on her toes. Hence the name of special dance shoes.

The history of Russian ballet suggests that the “on the toes” position appeared 20 years earlier than pointe shoes came into use in ballet. The position “on the fingers” was first introduced by the famous choreographer Didelot in the play “Zephyr and Flora,” which he staged in 1808, working by invitation in Russia. And obviously, Maria Danilova, who played the role in this ballet, can be considered the first performer of the “dance on pointe shoes”. However, the pointe shoes themselves appeared a little later and not in Russia.

First step on pointe shoes
The prototype of modern ballet shoes was first used by the Italian ballerina Maria Taglioni in 1830. As the daughter of the famous choreographer Filippo Taglioni, she became a key figure in the era of ballet romanticism founded by her father.
It is interesting that Maria, according to critics of that time, had practically no talent for ballet - she was thin, quite tall, had a flat chest and long limbs. One can only be surprised at this, because today this is the body type that is considered ideal for a ballerina.

Filippo Taglioni created ballets in which he wanted to achieve extraordinary lightness and airiness, and therefore his daughter had to give up corsets, jewelry, heavy skirts and dance in a weightless Chopin tutu. In the desire for a flying image and high “half-toes,” the first pointe shoes were created.

They bore little resemblance to the ballet shoes that are used today: the hard cork lining did not allow one to fully dance on the tips of the toes, and even just standing on them was quite difficult. But the main task was completed, the illusion of lifting off the ground, weightlessness of the dancer, her “endless leg” was created. Maria Taglioni continued to use the finger technique, along with which the shoes also improved.

Flawless "device"
Pointe shoes perform their functions due to the multi-layered rigid toe part - "boxes", which creates an emphasis that allows the ballerina to stand on her toes.
The first pointe shoes had a cork “box,” which was hard and uncomfortable. Today it consists of six layers of textiles and ordinary burlap, glued together using the papier-mâché principle. This stop is very quickly “molded”, worn in, taking the shape of the dancer’s fingers, and the shoe becomes, as it were, an extension of the leg.
Sometimes during one performance a ballerina can change several pairs of pointe shoes (the insoles break), it all depends on the intensity of the dance. A prima ballerina needs at least 30 pairs per month. It is impressive that the famous Olga Spesivtseva, who shone at the Mariinsky Theater even before the revolution, “danced” more than 2 thousand couples during rehearsals and performances per season.

Top of pointe shoes sewn from satin and flesh-colored calico to create the illusion of unity between the foot and the shoe. The delicate peach-colored satin does not glare under the spotlights, performing its functions perfectly. Calico, as the most hygienic fabric, allows you to maintain healthy feet, preventing the formation of fungus. This is very important because... A ballerina's feet become completely wet after a performance or intense exercise.

Sole made from genuine leather. The rigidity of pointe shoes is regulated insoles of various types: for classical technique and for rolling on the foot. Pointe shoes are produced in several models with insoles of different hardness: soft (S), medium (M) and hard (H), as well as super-soft (SS) and super-hard (SH).

And of course, an integral part of pointe shoes is romantic ribbon ties, which according to tradition are sewn on by the ballerina herself.

It's hard to believe, but it takes about 54 parts and more than 100 operations to make one pointe shoe. The design is so perfect that a good pointe shoe, put on a last, stands independently on the toe (“patch”).

How do pointe shoes affect a dancer’s health?
Outwardly harmless shoes, according to ballerinas, are a real torture instrument. Despite the fact that a special glue is used to make modern pointe shoes, which allows the “box” to quickly take the shape of the foot, calluses and bloody feet are a common occurrence.

Beginning ballerinas get on pointe shoes from the age of 10-11. It is not without reason that it is believed that earlier placement on pointe shoes is extremely unsafe for the child’s skeleton.
To start dancing the simplest steps “on your fingers,” you have to master pointe shoes for several months and even years. Over several years of exposure to such narrow and hard shoes, the foot inevitably becomes deformed, for example, from a Greek type to a Roman one.

Standard ""Grishko»
The two most famous companies producing pointe shoes are the Russian Grishko and the American Gaynor Minden.

“Grishko” is still made 80-90% by hand and only from natural materials.

Gaynor Minden uses special plastic to make dance shoes comfortable and durable. But, as it turned out, with all the convenience of American pointe shoes, they are too wide, which gradually leads to improper formation of the finger joints and the foot does not work properly in them; there is no development of the instep and strength of the foot, so important for a ballerina. It is in these models that many dancers experience blackening of the nail plate and damage to the toes, feet and Achilles tendons.

Russian pointe shoes are considered the best in the entire ballet world. During the Soviet Union, when artists went abroad on tour, they brought dozens of them for sale, along with caviar and vodka.

Today, according to experts, “Grishko” pointe shoes remain unrivaled. The glue is made only from natural ingredients, the fabric is natural satin and calico, the sole is cut from genuine leather. There is a joke that you can eat pointe shoes from Grishko without much harm to your health. The craftsmen, as before, assemble shoes on their own knees in order to better feel the fabric and last.

Throughout its history, delicate peach shoes have seen the most beautiful feet and the most slender legs, and, of course, the most delightful dance in the world.