How to care for pointe ballet shoes

For the serious dancer or ballerina, it is essential to know how to care for those necessary dance shoes. Pointe shoes are important dance gear and as such, it is vital to note how to care for these shoes with a view to getting the longest possible use from them. Read on to learn how to care for pointe shoes.

Ballet shoes: Making them last

There are three important tips that guarantee to extend the lifespan of those necessary ballerina shoes. Let us learn how to take excellent care of pointe ballet shoes. Pointe ballet shoes can cost as much as $100. So, steps should be taken to ensure value for money. There are three fundamental tips for making those shoes last. These are: - Keeping the shoes dry and free from nasty odours;
- Alternating between two pairs; and
- Applying shoe hardener to promote moisture.

Caring for toe shoes

1. Keep the shoes dry
Unavoidably, feet sweat. So, a good way to ensure that your ballet shoes will last is to keep them dry. After a good workout, the shoes will become wet from all the sweat that has accumulated during the dancing. So, it is important that you dry them between wears. Do not put sweaty shoes in your dance bag. Instead hang them on the outside until you get home. Once home, place them in front of a fan so that the shoes can dry out. This is essential as sweat erodes the toe box inside the ballet shoes.
2. Apply Shellac/shoe hardener to pointe shoes An application of a thin coat of shoe hardener to the interior, as well as, exterior of the shoes will assist with the absorption of moisture. Apply also to the inside and outside of the shank, beneath the shank and to the seams and pleats of the shoes. Always allow the shoes to dry totally before wearing them. Pointe shoe hardener can be bought either at dancing supplies stores or online.
3. Alternate between two shoes This may seem like a waste of money but alternating between two pairs of pointe shoes will guarantee that each shoe will dry completely in between wears and as such will last longer.