“The ballet toe shoe is one of the few instruments of torture to
survive intact into our time.” - Source Unknown
There
is nothing quite like the sight of a new pair of pointe shoes. The shiny, unsullied satin gives them an
angelic quality, and these shoes are in every young ballerina’s dreams.
Pointe
shoes were created to give dancers an ethereal quality. Before the invention of pointe shoes, dancers
literally flew through the air thanks to Charles Didelot’s Flying Machine. Wires were attached to the dancers and were
used to support them as they rose onto the tips of their toes, to fly them
across the stage and to lower them, for a brief moment, onto the tips of their
toes.
Gradually,
the use of wires decreased, and in the early 1800’s, dancers began rising up
onto their toes for brief moments on their own to delight their audiences. The shoes that were used were merely soft
satin slippers with heavily darned tips. (1)
Early
pointe shoes did not begin to resemble today’s pointe shoes until the mid
1900’s. Today’s shoes support the
dancers much more than the shoes of the 1800’s, but they do not feel as beautiful
to the dancer as they look to the audience.
Before beginning pointe work each dancer must be made aware of the
commitment dancing on pointe requires and the reality of wearing pointe shoes.
As was
discussed in my last post, When Is A Dancer Really Ready for Pointe Work?,
dancing en pointe places a force equal to 12 times her body weight upon a
dancer’s toes. When considering that, it
is easy to understand that dancing en pointe can often be less than comfortable.
Correct
body alignment and placement coupled with properly trained and strengthened
muscles certainly make dancing en pointe an attainable goal and easier, but the
dancer and her parents need to be prepared for what will occur along the way.
It is
important that pointe work be seen as an extension of ballet technique and not
as a new form in and of itself. Missed
classes result in lapses in technique and weakened muscles that become major
stumbling blocks once pointe work begins.
Dancers who begin pointe work need to be able to commit to an increased
amount of time in class and be willing to dance year-round, otherwise pointe
work becomes difficult, and the risk of injury increases.
Once pointe
work begins, small things like toenail length become major concerns, and
dancers are ushered into a world of bruised toenails, blisters and callused toe
knuckles. Those dancing en pointe must
pay careful attention when trimming their toenails. Toenails should be trimmed regularly since
long toenails will bend under the weight as a dancer stands on her toes. Contrastingly, toenails that are cut too
short can also be extremely painful for a pointe dancer because of the pressure
placed upon the nail bed. Moreover, when
cutting the nails, dancers need to be extra vigilant about cutting the toenails
straight across the top to decrease the chance of developing an ingrown
toenail, which can be both painful and lead to infection. Often dancers will develop bruised
toenails after a long day of class and rehearsals if the shoes fit improperly or simply due to the nature of pointe work.
Many
options are available for dancers to use inside pointe shoes to lessen the
stress upon the skin of the foot. Foam
pads, gel pads, lambs’ wool and first aid tape can all help, but even the best
prepared dancer will eventually develop a blister. Blisters occur when the foot sweats and
layers of skin begin to rub against each other due to the pressure of the
shoe. Fluid, and sometimes blood, will
accumulate between the layers.
Occasionally, a blister will burst while a dancer is dancing and result
in bloodstains on both the tights and the inside of the shoe. If the blister does not burst, it is best for
the dancer to drain the blister, using a sterilized needle, but keep the top
layer intact to help prevent infection.
All blisters should be treated with an antibiotic ointment and then
covered with either a liquid bandage, moleskin or first aid tape. Band-Aids should not be used since the
cushioned portion does not stay in one place and will create more friction the
next time the dancer puts on her shoes.
Dancers en pointe will also develop calluses on the knuckles of the toes. Calluses are the body’s way of protecting
itself, and they are usually not a problem unless they become extremely thick. In that case, it is best for the dancer to
consult a podiatrist.
The dancer
with a blister, a toenail that is too short or a bruised nail will still be
expected to don the pointe shoes for class and rehearsal for a very simple
reason. Dance students are in training
for performances. A performance cannot
be canceled because of any of these minor problems so the dancer must learn how
to care for her feet in a way that makes the dancing as painless as possible.
Because of
its nature, pointe work places stress upon the feet and toes, and after classes
and rehearsals, a dancer’s feet will hurt.
Soaking feet in Epsom salts can help and although feet may ache, the
discomfort is manageable. With proper
training pointe work can be done well and in a healthy manner. Dancers should not be afraid of pointe work
because of this discomfort, but both they and their parents need to be made
aware of the “dark side” of these beautiful pink shoes before they begin pointe
work. It is a part of ballet that takes
great commitment and dedication, but the rewards are seen when ballet dancers
float gracefully across the stage like ethereal creatures.
(1) Barringer, J. & Schlesinger, S. The Pointe Book. NJ:Princeton Book Company, 2004.
