Added: 1 year ago
From: dancing
Views: 441,912
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:

All Comments (304)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • No no no no no...not the water..! it does ruin your shoes! just no! scissors...NO!

  • um.. you should really tell her to get new shoes that FIT those are way to big

  • Seriously horrible fit in those shoes. What teacher would let her dance in those?!

  • For all the people that are like "she didn't cut her shoe" you actually can do that! Because if you keep it on, you could fall and injure yourself. You are supposed to at least do the criss-cross because it makes it a lot less slippery!

  • i have those scissors but when she said cut i was like D: u wouldn't

    THEN SHE DID!!!!!!!! O.O

  • @BonjourKatee Yes I use mole skin for my pointe shoes!

  • @sweeylinsey (sorry if it's wrong) I went back to dance two years ago and was able to get my pointed senior year of high school. It's never too late to get your pointe shoes. Practice really hard and ask your teacher if you think you're ready. :)

  • I've heard of dancers cutting the bottom of the shoe, but not tip O_O

  • instead of cutting you can buy suede pointe shoe block covers so it is not slippery!!!

  • those pointe shoes are a terrible fit!

  • Also you can not put water on point shoes. And you cant do what she is doing at 2:59 or 3:25.

  • I can tell that this place is not professional unlike my ballet studio. (Pittsburgh Ballet Theater) (PBT)

  • @meimei237 you mean "like" my dance studio? ..... youre saying your studio is unprofessional in this sentence.

  • @rachelgoesbananas199 no I am saying "I can tell that this place is not professional unlike my dance studio" meaning my dance studio is professional and this place is not. Ps you spelled your wrong.

  • I dont think your foot is supposed to tear away from your shoe like that...

  • Stop sucking your teeth between words. It's fucking annoying!

  • wow the box looks super narrow =/ and we have suede pieces we buy with our shoes and glue them on.

  • Very Helpful! 

  • the dancer is really pretty

  • hang on, wasn't this the lady who said there are only full sole pointe shoes, and then went on to tell us that you very rarely see a split sole pointe shoe? (types of ballet shoes)

  • why was this recommended for me

  • I close the door on my shoes! Once my sister put my shoes in the microwave. They were very soft after that! I used to cut the shank (Misspelled) about in half because I have have high arches.

  • When my sister visited me and saw me doing all these things, she was like O_O(Why do you have to destroy your feet like that?)

    The ansher is one!

    I breathe to dance and dance to breathe!

    Ballerinas!We have many stages waiting for us!

  • I have balance European they so uncomfortable but I'm gonna try to break them in. I think that might help

  • Instead of using scissors USE a file.

  • At 1:37 , i do that alot , but it really doesnt seem to make a difference. i've been en pointe for about a year now, and they still don't look very broken in! my instructor says that "it takes time" . but its been about 11 months :$ any suggestions?

  • At the beginning of black swan, Nina does it..:)

  • @dancing don't you have ribbons that cross in the front then do a knot ? (i don't know what that type is called) but thats how my ballet instructer has told us to do it

  • Sorry crazy

  • Wow lady your crazing

  • why are you scratching the satin when you can buy suede tips? and what have you done with the ribbon? it's not holding her foot in? D:

  • freeds*

  • I don't get over my boxes well. So, I wear creeds and I take the nails out of the shanks and I citrus shanks to were my arch bends and it really helps, and it doesn't make then die faster

  • can someone help me? i have flat feet and my left shoe won't break in and i can't get over my box. :(

  • @ikate2 The trick is to soften the shank more on the left shoe, enabling you to roll up all the way onto the box.

    This video is amazing and is really descriptive on how to break in your pointe shoes. One of my ballet teachers, who danced with the Miami City Ballet, recommended this video to me. Hope it helps!

  • @Ballerinamylife thanks for the help! :D

  • u just gotta cut off the satin,who cares about the "consistent look"? ur dancing and expressing urself,its not like ur modeling the shoe.

  • Just cut off the satin...once you start working in your shoes, the satin starts to rip off anyways, plus it can be dangerous and there is no good reason to keep the satin on your pointe.

  • why is every one writing confuzzled instead of confused? 

  • @DoucheBagsNetwork its a mixture of puzzled and confused...its BEYOND confused! :p

  • Most time it's nt good to break your shank if there's no friction on yur box that means yur nt on it an she should get fit properly

  • 2:57 O.o y wuld u do that I get the traction idea but using rosin (cant spell that lol) works just as well even though u have to keep using it

  • @BonjourKatee YES I use the leather piece on my shoe too it makes it so much easier!!!!!!!!

  • I'm getting my first pair tomorrow -33

  • does anyone just use mole skin on their box to add traction? It's not real mole skin, it's just a material that you can stick on and just put on your box.

  • Wait im confuzzled..Why did she scratch the top of shoe??? :) Please Answer :) <3

  • @HeavenEvetteCreater to add traction. Also, confuzzled? Really.

  • @BonjourKatee LOL Thankyou ^_^ <3 and yes, Confuzzled :)

  • @ninjalovescookiez Are your shoes Grishko? I just noticed that my Grishko's have crisscrosses.

  • Her shoe doesn't seem to fit her properly, she shouldn't have her foot going in the the side like that.

  • if u dont have really flexible feet then u shouldnt be doing pointe

  • I just got mine like 2 weeks ago. Its easy to dance in!

  • good feet (:

  • She picked up the scissors and I was like O.O she wouldn't.

    And then she actually started cutting the shoe and my stomach dropped.

    And i was like. D: she did.

    She could've just put rosin. sjkhalfiuae;g;oshfjkd

  • @peaceluvgarcia Is that wrong? I see a lot of dancers that do that.

  • @peaceluvgarcia she didnt cut the shoe ???:/

  • @peaceluvgarcia she didnt cut the shoe ???:/

  • @peaceluvgarcia you have to cut the satin off for some floors...theyr too slippery and the rosin doesnt help

  • Yeah, take scissors to your box...

    Or use some rosin...

  • OMG ! :o I would never ever ever take scissors to my shoes o-o !!!

  • not all pointe shoes are going to look like that... first of all.

  • Love ballet so much and I'm new tht ballet

  • idk but whenever i watch an "ehow" video, they always get bad comments because to be honest, their advice is wrong or it basically sucks. idk thats just me :P

  • those are the wrong size shoes for her

  • i love ballet

  • This teacher clearly doesn't know what she's talking about...

  • @cops055 hi, idk if anyone has replied, but i have russian! i love them, they offer much more support on your arch, i highly recommend them :) I broke mine in after, but i don't think it really matters:)

  • guyz check my vid on how to break in pointe shoes

  • Comment removed

  • I prefer Lisa Howell's video on breaking in the shank of the shoe.

  • @eloisefig I highly agree. Lisa Howell's video is simple and understandable. I haven't gotten my pointe shoes yet, but my classmates in ballet say that her method is probably the best method. Even my teacher says so.

  • i think i did this technique wrong coz my pointes are kinda broken now... but still usable! :D

  • i dont think the student liked when the instructor used scissors on her pointe shoes....

  • wow like i didn't know the difference between flat shoes and pointe shoes

  • I remember when one of my friend's was drinking water the first time she went up en Pointe and she has a big water stain on her shoe it was sooooo funny! She only had had them on for like 30 minutes.

  • Ha, vie never compared a regular ballet slipper to a pointe shoe

  • I have friends that roll over theirs with a car or put thieir shoes in a door and slam it to break the shoes in

  • @msbrean11

    I used a hammer to break in the toes on my shoes.

  • @msbrean11 NO! that is the worst thing you can ever do to ur pointe shoes! why would you ever think to roll over ur pointe shoes with ur car! no! that is called abusing more than $100 pointe shoes! idk about you but i have to buy my stuff myself soooooooooo if that works for you than good! but not for me! just think about what ur doing next time! itll cost you less money in the future!

  • right ive just got my pointe shoes and they are REALLY tight around my toes and my box thing its my first pair and my dance studios are shut for the week for half term so im wondering how to break my shoes in? im a bit hesitant to water coz they cost my mum £65 and she'd kill me if i ruined them but it kills me when i have them on! please give me some advice :) x

  • I would advise just wearing the shoe some people like to sleep in them or just wear them whilst watching television this meaning that your not going to damage the shoe or make it not last as long

  • i saw some girls on point put some kind of powder on it.....

  • @cleosa190 its called resin :) x

  • point shoe badly sewn..

  • nooo! never push on the thing in the back! that is bad for you and your pointe shoes! i would say just do the first thing by going to releve. plus dont use knives or scisors to make more traction! just let it wear down naturally! idk if these are the best tips.....

  • the box on her pointe shoe doesn't look right

  • Both of them shoes look horrible on her feet.

  • That shoe looked pretty broken in to me!

  • Handy video I suppose, but I have to admit that I'm not a fan of that style of pointe shoe... What's everyone else's thoughts?

  • @bea1980uk it didnt look too good, but i think it was only because it didnt fit her foot shape!

  • @bea1980uk IN WITH U

  • Never do this....you need to break in your shoes naturally by dancing....not by forcing it because the shoes will get to the point where they don't fit properly to your foot...and disaster occurs...I have been dancing twelve years....and five years on pointe...please do not attempt this.

  • i would never take scissors to my point shoes!!!

  • yay! my first pair yesterday.

  • If you LISTEN carefully you'll hear her say the elastic is on ONLY so it stays on her foot 'while breaking' in the shoe to help keep it on.Also she says water just on the sides not on the front-listen and watch before you comment !!!!!I think its a good tutorial.I have seen professional dancers do worse things to their shoes to break them in.I enjoyed the tutorial.

  • why has it just got elastic? YOU NEED TO PUT RIBBONS ON BEFORE YOU HURT YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Thanks for the tips!!!!!

  • *we dancers* 1:17

  • I would strongly advise against pouring water on a new shoe!! it can go wrong so easily! sleep in them to soften them.

  • no experience

  • if the water must be placed only in a certain area, the best to do, is to tie a wet tape made in a thick cotton fabric (something like a towel).

    (that's my idea)

    I don't understand much about ballet but I understand about shoes and materials.

    so I see thou teaching a manner to 'edit' or 'hack' the shoes to change its properties

    now, asking it simple and directly about ballet shoes:

    the more grabbing, the better?

    the more shinning, the better?

    the more ready-to-use-from-factory, the better?

    Ace

  • ummmm a harder shank... REGULAR BALLET SHOES DON'T HAVE SHANKS!!!! these people are pretty misinformed!

  • This was very informative! I was watching Black Swan & in the first few scenes it shows Natalie Portman, breaking in her pointe shoes. I barely know anything about ballet, so I wanted to learn more and your tutorial was very helpful! Thank you!

  • @shotgunangel13 do you really own pointe shoes? if you do, I hope you take ballet classes though! and got a permission from your teacher to do pointe work. not just because you watched black swan and wanted to try pointe because it's pretty or whatever without proper training and and permission from a professional. you don't want to break your ankles and risk not being abled to walk anymore in your entire life. safety first okay! :)

  • @TheChaiTeaLatte no, I do not own pointe shoes or take ballet. I wish, I had the ability to dance as gracefully & beautiful as those who have the talent though. I watched this tutorial because I wanted to learn more about ballet & why Natalie Portman was taking scissors to her brand new ballet shoes. After I watched the tutorial, it made sense. Ballet is amazing & I just wanted to learn more. I totally agree with you that safety is vital & I hope future/current dancers follow your advice. :)

  • @shotgunangel13 if you really like ballet why don't give it a shot? take a ballet class just one or two classes at first to really know whether you enjoy ballet or not . no one has the grace when they are beginners, but as you go up.. you'll improve! try it! it'll be a great achievement in life :)

  • i just got my points 20 min ago in the mail!!!! :D :D :D

  • bellissimo!!!1 :)

  • its perfectly ok to use water on pointe shoes, you just have to be really clareful with it. for instance, i'd probably dab water onto the shoe with a small sponge or something similar as apposed to pouring it on, just to be on the safe side :D

  • i suppose the scissors part is ok.... i mean they did that in the movie Black Swan. but water?!!?!? a lil too risky considering its made from glue :P

  • I hope you all get to dance freely sometimes

  • Those shoes look really ill fitting....

  • That box is way too narrow for her bunionette(pinky toe bunion) her feet are very nice, but a less tapered show may make them look even better.

  • i know this is random but at 3:13 look at her arm its all bumpy! :O but thanks this helped alot :)

  • sure sure i bet you see alot of dancers taking a knife or scissor to their pointe shoe!

  • thanx a lot -.-  now I can't dance in my points because the are to much 'broken''

  • i use mole skins for toe traction, only if you glue them instead of sew them, they tend to fall off after a couple of months from all the wear.

  • Everyone needs to calm down... It is okay to put water in those areas. It helps the shoe to mould to your foot. However you only want to use a small (controlled) amount of water. I would not recommend pouring it because it will be harder to control. Just use cotton balls to dab it on in the appropriate areas. You could also use alchohol for this. As for creating traction, it's a personal preference but is quite pointless as you will create traction from dancing in them.

  • i would advise beginners to never break in your pointe shoes though. u should instead work through them in ur technique class as this will help develop more strength in ur foot. Also, unless u are performing right away, i wouldn't put water on ur shoes as this will stain and ruin the satin. Sweating in ur shoes will do the trick. Also, i would advise breaking the shank higher up near the heel as this would prevent sinking into the shoe and make them last a little bit longer.

  • @4everdancer18 hmmm... i want to brake it instead because i have still weak feet because im just 11 years old =P

  • @4everdancer18 You're right, I never break them in! 

  • ..I don't know much about this, but it looks like she really IS breaking those shoes.. :'(

  • why not work them with your legs so than you practice more instead of doing experiments?

  • @brandyn9999 Pointe shoes only last around 8 hours anyway. They are not meant to stay pretty. They are meant to be danced in. Water or alcohol can be used to soften certain areas of the shoe, like along the vamp (as shown in this vid), or where where your bunion sticks out. Dancers need their shoes to fit PERFECTLY and form to every detail of the foot. Pointes are broken in in these bizarre ways to facilitate that. You wouldn't believe what some professionals do to their shoes. ;)

  • The narrator needed to rehearse her script MUCH more.

  • @babyphatqueennn Right....Out of all my years on Pointe I have never seen anyone do that!

  • how do you pour water on a shoe & not have it drip over the glue part? Sounds ridiculous, I would talk to someone who actually dances on pointe to find out how they professionally break in their shoes.

  • @summerananas

    Some studios, like mine, do not allow rosin on the floors. That is why some pointe dancers take the knife or a pair of scissors to the bottom of their shoe. I have never, however, heard of taking a knife or scissors to the top of the box. That should be worn out by breaking in the shoe.

  • i do pointe

  • @stooshie434 Uhm... Yay?

  • you're supposed to put moleskin on the tip of the shoe... never cut the satin.. but scissors on the bottom works really well

  • Thank you Thank you Thank you

  • Ahhhh...scissors O.o

  • I think this is y ur students' shoes get ruined.. :PP

  • water+ satin(any kind of satin) = :(

  • These pointe shoes are soooo UGLY! it's like long and thin (too thin for her feet)

  • Is it just me, or does her ankle sickle? Elastic, no ribbon, over-arched feet?? EEEEEK!!

  • yes water is gut !!

  • Alcohol is a good alternative to water 'cause it won't ruin the satin.

    Also, try gluing on suede tips instead of cutting the satin.

  • @cksantiago or gaynor minden shoes+suede tips to save time yayyyyy

  • Water on pointe shoes!? NO. Just no!

  • I am a professional pointe shoe fitter and there are so many things wrong with this video. 1st being the fit of that shoe, it was too tapered for that girls foot. 2nd you can put water on shoes but never pour water on like this teacher suggests. You can dab water on a particular spot that is uncomfortable with your finger tip to make it mold to your foot. Finally you should NEVER break in your shoes by hand because you want your foot to do the work and mold the shoe to the foot.

  • ok. no. just no.

    1. leather soft shoes are AWFUL

    2. water = NO

    3. that shoe looks horrible on her. wayyy too narrow box

    4. the shoes is too BIG on her

    5. "us dancers roll up on our pointe shoe" such a general term.us RUSSIAN dancers spring up. not roll.

    and finally 6. DO NOT CUT THE TOP. that would cause the satin to run, and fray, and tear. USE CRUSHED ROSIN INSTEAD

    ok. im done. :)

  • There are lots if ways to break point shoes in, but I wouldn't suggest water? A friend of mine used to put her shoes in the crack if a door and close it :P

  • i hate point shoes ;)

    but i like to dance with them ;)) <3

  • NO WATER NO WATER. oh god please don't...

  • ...i have those sissors....

  • but wait i never get how they go on a freakin point toe do they stand on their bottom toe or upper toe?

  • КЛАССНО

  • Hey ! I'm a 13 year old dancer (I'll be turning 14 before the summer) and I've been dancing since I was 3. When I was 10 I was in grade 3 ballet and some other styles of dance, but the next year I quit dancing. I just started dancing again at the beginning of september (grade 5 ballet & pre-pointe). My feet still are strong and very flexible, though. The rest of my body is still flexible, but lacking in strength. I was wondering, should I do a summer intensive en pointe or not?

    Thanks! :)

  • @imflycuzimJ4Y try off pointe to strenthen and then you will find when you do go on pointe it will be easier.

  • hey i am 12 and i just had my first private with my ballet teacher on pointe... all my friends already on pointesay freeds are better that russian pointes, witch is what i have...what do uthink? russians or freeds? any commentback please... =]

  • the box needs to be a little wider for her and the body needs to be smaller. She looks like she is going to fall out of it :(

  • glad she ain't my ballet teacher! Those shoes fit completly wrong and shes going to bust the side like that! Ugh... I hate when people who obviously don't know what their talking bout tell me what to do! Did no one think of how to break in the heel? That will kill your achiles if you dance with it stiff...

  • Never out water on point shoes!!!

    the best way to break them in is to just do rises on the bar through your demi

  • @sebastianguis Hmm. Well, there are number of jobs out in the dance world,all of which could keep me financially sound throughout my life. I hate when people who know NOTHING try to tell me around.

    How do you know I'm not studying to be an archaeologist and have already uncovered a 5 mil. yr. old mastodon tooth (currently displayed in the Calvert Marine Museum) or that Ive won dozens of scholarships from dance conventions around the country?(NUVO,WCDE,DMI)

    You don't. So, thanks, but STFU.

  • when u get ur shoes the box is going to be to small please dont take her advice, and shes a teacher she should no better..

  • All I can say is I am glad she was not my ballet teacher!

  • shes going to bust out the side of that shoe when she breaks them in

  • i think you will find that you dont use water you hold the pointe shoe over kettle steam wear demi-pointe is, if you put water on it could stain it

  • um dont mean to be rude but putting water on pointe shoes is a big no no!! i dont even think u should 'break' in ur pointe shoes that way. its alot better to do classes on pointe which should 'break' ur shoes better and then u no that u have done it rite

  • water pointe shoes don't look...