So back to the Pointe shoe-thing: I've been asking people at my studio what questions they would most like to have answered, since I didn't get very many responses here. :) (Seriously guys, you can comment. I won't bite!) Anyways, I have some new questions, and some pretty good answers.*
*For those of you who (rightly) question my knowledge on this subject, I am not an expert. I have gotten loads of advice from teachers and my mom (who is a physical therapist), as well as professional shoe fitters and dance therapists.
Q) I'm over-weight. Can I still go on Pointe?
A) If you are strong enough and are getting the right training, there is nothing to stop you.
Q) What can i do to help strengthen my feet to get me ready for Pointe shoes?
A) Lots of things. You can make sure that you're at the right studio, so that they are teaching you how to strengthen your feet. You can buy a theraband, and try out some of them great exercises that Robbie Downy demonstrates here. And you can remember that strengthening you core is just as important as strengthening you feet. if you can't balance, it won't matter if your feet are strong enough or not. Pilates is an excellent way to do that without as much risk of injury, and it's relatively inexpensive.
Q) How do you sew Pointe shoes?
A) There are several different way s to do this, but Pointe Til You Drop has a very basic method that is fairly easy to master here.
Q) What are the parts of the Pointe shoe called? I always get confused.
A) I'm not sure where these are originally from, but I found these excellent pictures floating around on Pinterest and had to share them with you.
Talk to you all next week!
Savanna
