What to expect at your first Pointe shoe fitting

For most ballerinas, joining our first ballet class is motivated by two things: the dream of standing on our tippy-toes and wearing a tutu! So when the day finally comes when your teacher says you can finally get your first pair of pointe shoes, it can be very exciting and possibly a little bit scary because you didn’t know what to expect. Well, after fitting thousands of dancers all over South Africa, we have a few tips of how to prepare, what to expect and how to get the most out of your fitting.

First and foremost, pointe shoe fittings are by appointment only so please book ahead of time (which can be done here). Find out from your teacher if there is a specific brand they prefer or wish to avoid and let the fitter know that as well as any budget you have.

Physical Preparation for a Pointe Shoe Fitting

The most important preparation of strengthening your feet, ankles and legs will hopefully have been done during your ballet classes, but if you can to do some rises and foot exercises before you come, it can help you avoid getting cramps. Wear tight fitting pants/ leggings or bare legs so that the fitter can see your ankles and calves easily, and most importantly, cut your toe nails about 2/3 days before your fitting so that they are short but not raw or sensitive.

Mental Preparation for a Pointe Shoe Fitting

Fittings take up to an hour and may involve fitting up to 40 pairs of shoes so it’s not a fast process and you need to be patient to find the right shoe. Pointe shoes are also not comfortable, they aren’t going to fit like comfy sneakers, they can be a bit painful to start and its going to be hard work going up en pointe in every pair – think of it as your first pointe work class and your first opportunity develop the muscles you’ll need to do those 32 fouettés 😉 You will also answer the same questions about each pair so you have to be present and aware throughout!

How to get the most out of your Pointe Shoe Fitting

We want you to have the best fitting pointe shoes just as much as you do and we really want to work together with you to find them. We have the knowledge about the shoes and how they should fit but only you can feel what your feet are feeling so the more clearly you can answer our questions and communicate what you are feeling, the better we can do at finding the best fit.