Pointe Shoes
Toenail Injuries in the Dancer by Dr. Sinkoe – Bruised Nail
Toenail problems become a source of concern and agony for the dancer, particularly the ballerina on pointe. Toenails function to improve our tactile (pressure) sensation and to act as a support structure for the toe. This can be helpful for the dancer on pointe. However, because there is a lot of pressure on the nail while on pointe, bruising of the nail can result.
The underlying nail bed is highly vascularized. The nail plate is adhered to the nail bed via small ligaments. Repetitive microtrauma to the nail plate can injure the ligaments resulting in shear stress to the nail bed. A small amount of bleeding occurs under the nail. As the bleeding continues, the nail plate can elevate, producing calloused tissue and making the nail appear thick. A portion of or the entire nail plate can be lost.
This cycle usually repeats itself over a period of time. Many ballerinas accept the fact that they have chronically bruised nails. Long term consequences of a chronically bruised nail can be chronic ingrown nail borders, a deformed nail or a fungal infection of the nail.
Causes of a bruised nail:
Treatment of Warts in the Dancer By Dr. Sinkoe
Warts are a virus which infects the outer layer of the skin. They are considered opportunistic and will enter the skin via a small wound or under a callous or blister. Thick calloused tissue grows over the developing wart and is painful. The surrounding area may also feel swollen due to the immunological response of the skin, reacting to a “foreign body”. Warts may occur as a single lesion or may be clustered forming several warts.
Causes in dancers:
My Pointe Shoes – By Shannon Bynum
Our focus this month is on pointe shoes and today we have Shannon Bynum from Ballet San Jose with us to share her thoughts on what type of shoe she wears–and why she chose them…
Shannon Bynum
At first when I was asked to describe how I break in my pointe shoes and prepare them for the stage I was perplexed. The reality is not much at all! Most ballerinas (including myself up until last year) have a very religious routine to what they do to make the shoe fit perfectly. Each individual dancer’s foot is so unique that no two dancers use the exact same process. Some glue the box and use shellac to make the shoe last longer. Others may darn the tip of the shoe for better balance, break the shank, sew the sides down… the list goes on and on.
I was one of those dancers until I was in New York one summer finding myself at a standstill with my shoes. I just couldn’t seem to find the right pointe shoe for my foot. I was discouraged and unable to find the perfect match. Many shoes may have looked beautiful yet I wasn’t able to perform in them, or they were great to dance in and just didn’t look right. Some died more quickly than I could sew a new pair, had me preparing them daily, hurt my feet, didn’t look as beautiful, or were just the wrong fit.
While in NYC a teacher had told me that I should wear either Freed or Bloch. The only problem with that was every pair of Freeds or Blochs I had ever tried just didn’t do me any justice. Nothing against Freed or Bloch as some of my favorite dancers bring so much life to the stage wearing them. They just did not work for me.
I needed a shoe that not only looked beautiful on my foot aesthetically, but was also comfortable enough to dance in forty hours a week and without dying after one class! I finally came across my match in Gaynor Minden. Some dancers don’t believe that this pointe shoe is any good. In fact, the topic between ballerinas, teachers, and coaches is very controversial.
I agree to disagree; this shoe has changed my career. Gaynor Minden pointe shoes are far from traditional. They are like Mac and PC. They do the same thing in the end but are just different technology. Both are computers and some people prefer one to the other. I happen to be a modern day American ballerina and I feel very proud to have the opportunity to grow in these particular pointe shoes.
Shannon in her Gaynor Minden Pointe Shoes
The pointe shoe is a ballerina’s tool, and are most important item in my dance bag. I came back from FHL and ATFL surgery on my left ankle in 2010 and needed a shoe that was extremely supportive yet supple enough to help me gain back my flexibility and line. I have fallen in love with wearing Gaynor Minden’s. They offer me everything I need as a ballet dancer. They are consistent and last a long time so I can spend more time perfecting my work and artistry while spending less time worrying about my pointe shoe.
I first started out wearing a stock Gaynor Minden shoe then a few months later they started making me a custom shoe made specifically for my feet and the specs that I needed to have the best line. All I have to do now is un-wrap them, sew on my ribbons, elastic, and I am all set.
Gaynor Minden pointe shoes are not like the traditional pointe shoe. They are a completely new technology and generation of the pointe shoe. If dancers are evolving like they are, then why not the pointe shoe? That’s exactly what Gaynor Minden has done. They were tired of how painful all the pointe shoes were and how they would die so fast. On an average pointe shoe, you get to a place where it is broken in perfectly and that moment lasts for such a short time. With Gaynor Minden, it is always the same. I know what I am getting when I put that shoe on. I love that my shoe has a consistency I can rely on, especially in a career where the rep demands are so diverse.
Gaynor Minden pointe shoes are made of an elastomeric shank and box, cushioned moisture control lining, and a flat free of pleats bottom. They are also made to be extremely quiet with Poron, “an impact shock absorption system”. I cannot say enough amazing things about this shoe. What I love most about the way I prepare my pointe shoes is that it is so minimal which creates less anxiety and more time for fine tuning what matters the most, which is what we bring the the stage.
Thanks to this innovative pointe shoe, few stitches with a needle and thread and I am good to go! Simple, clean and a new take on tradition.
1Blisters And Corns Between Toes (Interdigital Lesions) by Dr. Sinkoe
Today we welcome back Dr. Sinkoe with some information on something that plagues many dancers–blisters and corns between the toes–also known as “interdigital lesions”…
Corns and blisters between toes can be painful for a dancer. Pain is usually noticed with wearing all closed in shoes. In dance, the ballerina will have pain in pointe shoes, particularly when in demi-pointe. The most common location is between the 4th and 5th toes. The 5th toe usually curls and abuts against the 4th toe. The lesion may initially appear and feel soft but will harden over time. The softer lesion is usually a blister which will develop a callous. Dancers often attempt treatment with applying medicated pads which contain salicylic acid. This medication can injure the skin and result in a more painful lesion.
Treatment:
0Pointe Shoe Products: Bunheads Ouch Pouch Jr.
Cassady from Motion Unlimited Dancewear shares one more pointe shoe product with us this month…the “Ouch Pouch Jr.”…
Ouch Pouch Jr./Color
This is by far our best selling toe pad! With a thin layer of gel inside a fabric pouch, this pad will be your best friend. They easily stretch over your toes to give you all-over padding that you need–and nothing extra to take up space in your shoes.
The Ouch Pouch Jr. comes in two different sizes so it can fit every foot. The small sizes fit small or narrow feet and the large fits larger or wider feet. You can even cut it down to make it the perfect fit. It hugs toes nicely and does not stick to the skin like most gel pads. They are easy to clean and last throughout many pairs of pointe shoes. You can even get them in three reversible color combinations!
With comfy padding like this, you won’t need much else to keep your feet happy.
Plain Ouch Pouch Jr.
Order your own Ouch Pouch Jr. (Plain/LG)
Order a color Ouch Pouch Jr. (LG)
2The Professional Pointe Shoe Fitter
Please welcome Brenda Neville, head of the US Retail Department & NYC Boutique for Freed of London. Ms. Neville is here to talk with us today about her career as a Professional Pointe Shoe Fitter…
Brenda R. Neville, Photo by Christopher Duggan
What is your background in dance?
I received my early dance training at the Milwaukee Ballet School and went on to graduate from Butler University in Indianapolis with a B.A. in Dance Pedegogy. After graduation, I moved to New York and then spent the next 15 years performing and touring internationally with a variety of companies, choreographer’s, and musical theatre productions in styles ranging from ballet to flamenco to Irish Step dance.
What are you doing now?
Aside from my work at Freed’s, I am the founder and Artistic Director of Neville Dance Theatre, a contemporary ballet company based in New York with annual performance seasons, and teach ballet classes and world dance workshops at The Ailey School, Steps on Broadway, and Covenant Ballet School of Brooklyn, to name a few.
Brenda R. Neville with SAB student Ashley McAleer, Photo by Christopher Duggan
How did you become a Professional Fitter?
When I wasn’t performing or touring, I supplemented my time and income in New York working with pointe shoe manufacturers as a fitter, manager and product tester. It’s now been over 15 years that I’ve been in the business.
What organizations have you worked with in terms of fitting pointe shoes?
0“The Perfect Arch” by Dr. Sinkoe
Today we bring you the first in a series of articles for 4dancers by Dr. Sinkoe, a podiatrist from Georgia who works with the Atlanta Ballet. He was kind enough to share some thoughts on the best ways to help strengthen and improve your arch. Look for additional information from Dr. Sinkoe this month and next month on subjects such as warts and bruised toenails...
Dancers are always looking for ways to obtain that “perfect arch”. Every foot is genetically designed differently and not everybody will be able to achieve that “perfect arch”. Stretching and flexibility exercises are always helpful. However, I caution those that are attempting to achieve this position with the use of spring-loaded devices or placing their foot under the couch or other furniture to try to stretch the ligaments at the top of the foot. The midfoot joints are supported by strong ligaments and will allow the bones of the midfoot to only glide up and down. Attempting to make the midfoot joints act as hinge joints will injure the ligaments. If the ligaments are overstressed they can become weakened which can result in a sprained ligament or a subluxed joint.
The most effective method to strengthen the arch is to strengthen the foot muscles which stabilize the toes. These muscles are located on the bottom of the foot. Exercises to contract these muscles will flex the arch, giving you a dome appearance, thus the name “doming exercises”. Strong foot muscles will also reduce the incidence of tendonitis and metatarsal stress fractures. Experienced dancers will learn to use these muscles to stabilize themselves on pointe rather than depending on the pointe shoe to do the work.
Exercises for foot strength:
0Fitting Freed Of London Pointe Shoes
Thank you to Brenda R. Neville and Freed of London for the content here today…to SAB student Ashley McAleer for her time, and to Christopher Duggan for his photography…
Making sure your pointe shoes fit properly is of the utmost importance. For all pointe shoes, it is crucial that the length, width, and box fit the foot correctly so that the shoe can provide adequate support and help prevent injury. There should also be enough freedom of movement so that the dancer can perform in them without feeling restricted.
Each pointe shoe manufacturer varies slightly in the way their shoes fit. Freed pointe shoe sizing converts down to about 2.5 sizes below a US Street shoe size. This is a good guideline to begin with—then you should know what to look for in the feel of the shoe once it’s on.
Brenda R. Neville with SAB student Ashley McAleer, photo by Christopher Duggan
When trying on a Freed pointe shoe, the width should be snug enough so that you feel some resistance across your metatarsal as you push your foot into the block/box. Think of it feeling like a sock–but not pinching, with the ball and sole of the foot able to lie flat on the floor with ease. Freeds will stretch and widen across the box to mold and shape to the dancer’s individual foot. For this reason it is important that the shoes aren’t too wide when purchased.
0Pointe Shoe Products: Daniel’s Pointe Shoe Glue
Cassady from Motion Unlimited Dancewear is back with us today to talk about another pointe shoe product–pointe shoe glue…
Daniel's Pointe Shoe Glue
Everybody knows pointe shoes are expensive! For most people, it’s important to try to preserve them as long as they can. There have been many tricks out there, but the best seems to be gluing them. Of course you can use many types of glue, but the very best has to be Daniel’s Pointe Shoe glue.
Daniel, the man who invented it, did a lot of research on pointe shoes and came up with a great formula designed specifically for dancers to repair, restore and renew dead pointe shoes. You can use the glue in a variety of ways to help harden and uphold your shoes.
Most commonly, dancers will put the glue on the areas of their shoes that become soft. To get the best results, you have to let your shoes dry completely after wear. After they dry, you just apply the glue to the soft areas inside or outside of the shoe and again let them dry completely. Even though this glue seems like magic, it will not make your shoes brand new again–but it will give you the ability to continue to wear them for a while longer.
Another way to use help extend the wear of your shoes is to use the glue before you dance in them. Take your brand new shoes (before any wear) and put glue on the areas that tend to “die” quickly. This will add an extra hardness to the areas that seem to need it, giving your shoes more life. As they soften, you can always re-apply more glue.
Keep in mind, if you are newer to pointe work, you’ll want to get your teachers advice before trying to glue your shoes on your own. You don’t want to ruin a pair of pointe shoes!
Save your shoes–try Daniel’s Pointe Shoe Glue.
0The History & Making Of Freed Pointe Shoes
In the late 1920’s, Frederick Freed left England’s leading pointe shoe manufacturer (along with his wife and one assistant) to set up shop in a small basement, making shoes of their own. Over time, his reputation for producing quality shoes increased, as did the demand for his shoes. This took the Freed brand to the forefront of the industry where it remains one of the most respected shoes among ballet dancers worldwide. Amazingly, after all these years The Freed of London Shop is still located at the same address.
Courtesy of Freed
There is something to be said for tradition.
Today over 250,000 pairs of Freeds are made every year, and they are sold in over 50 countries. Every one of them is hand-crafted by a Professional Pointe Shoe Maker, each of which makes between 30 and 40 pairs daily. Makers shape their shoes in a unique way and they are identified by their own personal stamp on the bottom of the shoe. Symbols include letters, a key, a heart and a Maltese Cross, among others.
Freed Pointe Shoes, Photo by Christopher Duggan
