101 Reasons to Study Ballet - #13 Ballet Slippers

Reason # 13 Ballet Slippers

Ballet slippers are the soft shoes both men and women wear to ballet class or on stage They are made from soft leather, canvas, or satin, and have flexible, full soles or split soles. The idea is to have shoes that show off the arch of the foot and create a smooth long line of the leg from hip to toe. Traditionally in classical ballet, women wear pink shoes and men wear white or black shoes. Your shoes should match your tights -  again to create a long line. Many fashion designers have copied the look of ballet slippers - ballet flats. They are a great alternative to high heels. Ballet flats are popular with girls and women of all ages.  They are seen  at Weddings, Proms and other formal events instead of heels. Do not wear your ballet flats to ballet class they are great for social dancing but not good for classical ballet. Well fitted ballet footwear can mean the difference between comfort on the stage and potential injury. Ballet shoes should fit snugly fit like a glove. If there's any room at the front of the foot, the dancer will not be able to fully point the shoe. The dancer should try ballet slippers on both feet. Sometimes, dancers need different sized shoes for their feet, as again, the right fit is absolutely critical to both performance and safety.  Ballet slippers don't have typical laces; they have what are known as drawstrings. You need to crisscross these drawstrings and then pull them taut. Ballet shoes should fit snugly, but they shouldn't 'suffocate' the feet. During fittings, the ballet dancer should point their feet. If the heels of the slippers start to slip off, you needs to move to the next size down. Some modern ballet shoes are made with specialty materials which conform to unique foot sizes-- however, these specialty shoes cost a lot of money. Finally, check with your ballet teacher to correct any problems with your ballet slippers. Have fun picking out the perfect ballet slippers - just for you. http://www.theballetcenter.org/