Pointe Shoes

[janette]

Bought my 12yo DD her first pair today I had 15min, seemed like plenty of time to get a pair of shoes. We did manage to do it in under an hour. You don't get to ask the price, doesn't matter. You get the shoe that fits right.

It was a dizzying display of pink, my DD put them on and does a relevé I'm not sure how many. The lady finally decides which one we need, tells me that my DD will probably need them more often than most dancers because of the way her foot arches, we can add that to the fact that her feet aren't done growing and you don't get these with room to grow.

The damage was $80 for the shoes, $23 for pads so she can wear the shoes. The lady did say that the pads should last all year

She needed some new jazz shoes too, tried on one pair and we were good to go.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Someday, when she is a world reknowned dancer she will thank you on a stage in front of millions for her first pair of pointe shoes.

Good for her that she is involved. I always felt that performing arts are a great thing for kids. My brother and I were both involved in theater and dance throughout our childhoods, and I know it helped me a lot.

 

[panfan]

Pointe shoes were around $50.00 a pair back in the dark ages when I danced.....late 80's...lol....
Neeed a new pair every month to six weeks....ballet shoes about two to three weeks!!!
Good Luck!

 

[monarchsfan16]

When my sister needed her first pair of pointe shoes we were in the store for 3 hours while she was trying them on. Set my mom back $85 and then after 2 weeks Laura decided pointe class was interfering with her social life so she dropped that and just continued with regular ballet. Which meant she had pointe shoes that she used 3 times.

 

[LisaTx]

I feel your pain.

Now that she's been fitted properly, go to www.discountdance.com and see if they carry her shoes. I got Chelsea's replacement pointe shoes there last year and saved a ton of $$$. I've bought regular ballet shoes and jazz shoes there as well.

Unfortunately, Chelsea's foot has grown so I'll be paying the big bucks in a week or so to get her pointe shoes professionally fitted again. I can't wait for her feet to stop growing!

Did you ever put in a dance floor?

 

[janette]

I'll try the site Lisa, hopefully they'll carry the ones she has. I'm hoping they'll last a little while.

I haven't done the floor yet, need to finish painting first. Hopefully I'll get some time this weekend.

 

[Michelemouse]

We also bought DD12's first pointe shoes last week. It certainly is a milestone for them. We went with all of the girls in her class and their moms and then went out to dinner when the fittings were done. It was a great night.

We lucked out. DD's shoes were only about $60...although several of the other girls ended up with $80 shoes. Their teacher does not allow them to wear the pads so we didn't have to pay for those. We did need lamb's wool so that was another $5.00.

Their teacher is great. She is going to sit with them during their first class next Tuesday and teach them how to sew on the ribbons and elastics. In her words..."if they are old enough for pointe shoes they are old enough to take care of them themselves." Gotta love her!

 

[lenshanem]

EGADS! I thought it was bad that I had to buy four shoes this year - my youngest at 3 has started ballet and tap. My oldest at 6 is now in tap and jazz. Maybe I'll luck out and she won't want to take ballet again. She choose jazz this year instead. Even better, maybe she will switch over to a swim team. She's a better swimmer than dancer I think. Course, I thought it would be cheaper, but turns out it is even more than dance classes!

And don't even mention the costumes....

 

[Michelemouse]

Originally posted by lenshanem
EGADS! I thought it was bad that I had to buy four shoes this year - my youngest at 3 has started ballet and tap. My oldest at 6 is now in tap and jazz. Maybe I'll luck out and she won't want to take ballet again. She choose jazz this year instead. Even better, maybe she will switch over to a swim team. She's a better swimmer than dancer I think. Course, I thought it would be cheaper, but turns out it is even more than dance classes!

And don't even mention the costumes....

Just wait until they get a bit older. If they decide to become serious about dance you're in for some hefty bills!

DD takes about 11 hours of dance per week. We have ballet shoes ($21), jazz boots ($35), black, lace-up tap shoes ($55), hip hop sneakers ($45) and now the pointe shoes. She goes through about a pair of each of the shoes a year, although sometimes two pair of jazz and ballet shoes. Luckily for me, her feet don't grow very fast.

Add to that monthly tuition, costumes and competition choreography and entry fees and we're getting close to $5,000 per year. Fortunately we are able to afford it. It is the only activity (aside from a weekly piano lesson) that DD has and she truly does love it.

 

[lenshanem]

Ya, a woman told my Mother at recital that her niece was in company and that it is truly a club for the very rich kids. Her niece had to buy something like 11 costumes, some as much as $150 a pop. Then we have 4 recitals so if your child is in more than one (very likely) you have to buy tickets for each one.

Both my daughters will only do a tap routine this year. I just have my fingers crossed they'll both be in the same recital.

Really, I feel compelled to have them in dance for some reason. My oldest likes it, bu I don't think loves it. I should really have her on a swim team. She is 6 and does the most beautiful and QUICK backstroke you've ever seen! I'll let her decide next year what she wants to do.

My youngest loves dance so far, course she is only 3. She is my exhibitionist and has better rhythm. I could see her sticking with dance, but who knows! On her first day of dance she came home and practically did her entire class for me. My oldest I don't think ever showed me anything they did.

 

[janette]

Originally posted by lenshanem
Ya, a woman told my Mother at recital that her niece was in company and that it is truly a club for the very rich kids. Her niece had to buy something like 11 costumes, some as much as $150 a pop. Then we have 4 recitals so if your child is in more than one (very likely) you have to buy tickets for each one.

This is my DD's first year in company, it really depends on the studio how it all works. Her studio only does a few competions so while it does add to the cost it doesn't make it outrageous. We only have one recital (very long) so it won't add to that, they'll use the competion costumes for the company numbers. I'm expecting to buy at least 5 costumes but it might go up some.

My DD only decided she really wanted to dance in the last couple of years. She's taken classes since she was 3, liked it but didn't really work at it until recently. Just the classes have added to her self confidence and overall poise. I'm so glad she's done it and will continue to support her interest.

 

[sandramaac]

Whatever you do don't ever buy kids pointe shoes online!!! While dancers are young, their pointe shoes need to be fitted everytime you buy them, especially the dancer new to pointe. Hard shanks, soft shanks, the box , all the requirements for the shoes as the dancer learns this new technique changes. Buying pointe shoes online is only for the older, more experiened dancer who has settled on a shoe type and style. And once the pointe shoe breaks down, you must get a new pair. Do not let a young dancer, go on pointe with shoes that are history. The life of the pointe shoe really depends on not only how often you use the shoe, but how hard the dancer is on them. So please resist buying them online because of price. The few dollars it saves you now, could very well turn into thousands in orthopedic doctor bills later in life. Pointe is the toughest training a dancer can do on the legs and body.