As you know, I’ve just begun the journey of pointe. Back in September I was fitted for my first pointe shoes in a very long time, and I was so very excited to get them and begin! Who was to be my new best friend? Sansha Debutantes.
After a month of breaking them in and building muscle, etc, I was still having tremendous trouble getting up on the box. I thought it was just me. Luckily, my teacher had feet very close to mine. After my teacher tried them and was having extreme difficulty getting on the box herself, I decided to change shoes.
Now, being where I am, the closest store for pointe is two hours north or 5.5 hours where I was fitted for the Sanshas. A bit of a trek, but necessary. My in-laws live in the 2 hour away location, and since we were going there for the holidays, it seems like it was meant to be!
We entered the shop, and my husband (who loves attention) decided to cry out, “Ballet isn’t a sport!” Boy, he learned quick that ballerinas are nothing to be trifled with. After he was threatened to be put in a tutu, I was refitted and given spacers this time, new toe pads and a brand new shoe: Bloch Jetstream. Not only that, but this time I was told that I am double jointed in my ankles, my suspension muscles need help and my alignment is off – which has caused my ever increasing shin splints and issues with fitting my heel in pointe shoes. (She was a ballet-nazi to be sure!)
This wonderful lady gave me her time in helping me get to know my new shoes, how sewing them differently might help in my issues stated above, and even gave me some pointers to help keep that dreadful smell down in the toe pads. — That’s some stinky stuff! Not to mention, she made my poor husband feel comfortable during this hour process. He used my “brick” shoes, as she called them, to thwart flies in her shop.
I was just so grateful for her help and wisdom in this process!
Not So Twinkle Toed 