Hello, I aman ex-professional ballet dancer and now a fully qualified teacher. I have noticed recently that there are many used pairs of 'pointe' shoes (blocks) available to buy on Ebay. Please, please do not buy used pointe shoes. The shoes are stiffened with a special type of glue, and when worn the glue softens slightly and moulds to the shape f the dancers own foot - ensuring a perfect fit. professional dancers have their shoes personally measured and made for them, often using 5-6 pairs for a perfomance. Wearing used shoes can permanently damage the bones in the foot, causing (amongst others) bunions, corns, arthiritis.
Girls must not go up on pointe (dance or exercise on their toes)until the bones of their feet are fully developed and the muscles--not onlyin the arches and legs, but also the lower torso--are strong enough to bearthe stress. (Joan Lawson says ten; Gretchen Warren says eleven. BarbaraEarly quotes an orthopedic surgeon who says, not until two years aftermenarche. Individuals vary, however, and this must ultimately be ajudgement call by the teacher. In some cases, it may be wise to get aphysician's opinion as well, but pointe work before the age of ten is, orought to be, out of the question.) They should also have had several years(at least three and preferably more) of proper training. All of thisrequires careful evaluation on the part of the teacher. Note that we havethree requirements here: bones, muscles, and training.
If you would like any information regarding ballet, pointe shoes etc, please do not hesitate to contac me
Rebecca Richards
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