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Whether You Break Your Pointe Shoes' Shank or Box First, Here Are Tips on Extending Their Life

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Master pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee of the California-based The Pointe Shop is back, this time answering all of your pointe shoe questions. Here she answers: "What could I do if my box is dead after a few weeks, but the shank is still hard?" Lee explains the anatomy of a pointe shoe, and offers tips on how to extend the life of your shoes, whether you break the box or the shank first.

Ballet Training

There's a New Pointe Shoe Designed Specifically for Men

State Ballet of Siberia dancer Yuri Kudriavstev. Courtesy Siberian Swan.

As ballet's gender roles grow increasingly blurred, more men than ever are reaching new heights: the tips of their toes.

It's no longer just Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and the few pointe-clad male character parts, like in Cinderella or Alexei Ratmansky's The Bright Stream. Some male dancers are starting to experiment with pointe shoes to strengthen their feet or expand their artistry. Michelle Dorrance even challenged the men in her cast at American Ballet Theatre to perform on pointe last season (although only Tyler Maloney ended up actually doing it onstage).

The one problem? Pointe shoes have traditionally only been designed for women. Until now.

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Viral Videos

Pro Pointe Shoe Hacks From Shelby Williams and Her Alter Ego, Biscuit Ballerina

Biscuit Ballerina, aka Shelby Williams. Photo by Nicha Rodboon, Courtesy Williams.

Master pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee of the California-based The Pointe Shop interviewed Royal Ballet of Flanders dancer Shelby Williams and her Instagram-famous alter ego, Biscuit Ballerina. First, watch Biscuit turn the tables and (hilariously) find the perfect pointe shoes for Lee. Then check out Williams' tips on customizing pointe shoes for advanced students and pros.

Pro Pointe Shoe Hacks From Biscuit Ballerina youtu.be

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Viral Videos

Pro Pointe Shoe Hacks From SFB Principal Sasha De Sola

Sasha De Sola and Hansuke Yamamoto in George Balanchine's Divertimento No. 15. Photo by Erik Tomasson, Courtesy San Francisco Ballet.

Master pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee of the California-based The Pointe Shop touches base with San Francisco Ballet principal Sasha De Sola on all of her pointe shoe hacks, from darning to stirrup tights to customizations. Plus, we think De Sola might win the award for how quickly she kills her pointe shoes. (Hint: It's under an hour).

SFB Principal Sasha De Sola's Pointe Shoe Hacks www.youtube.com

Trending

This New Video Reminds Us Of Everything We Love (And Hate) About Dancing On Pointe, And We Can't Get Enough

Screenshot via YouTube

As all bunheads know, there's so much more to dancing on pointe than sewing and bourées. In this new video, The Australian Ballet lays it all out for us, from A-Z. Or rather from "Arch" to "Zzzzzz's." Using a super fast-paced style, this four-and-a-half minute long video skips back and forth between ultra-sleek minimalism and sepia-toned nostalgia. Both educational and insider-y (see "cashews" at 0:54), this video includes some gorgeous shots (Apollo-inspired arabesques at 2:00) interspersed with quirky humor (note adorable pointe shoe bed at 3:53).

So here you go, "A to Z En Pointe." Did they miss any?

A TO Z EN POINTE www.youtube.com

Viral Videos

The Pointe Shop Goes on the Road: Josephine Lee Explores Oklahoma City Ballet (Plus, Pointe Shoe Hacks From Soloist Amanda Popejoy)

Josephine Lee exploring Oklahoma. Photo Courtesy Lee.

Earlier this summer, we followed master pointe shoe fitter Josephine Lee of the California-based The Pointe Shop as she made her on a pointe shoe fitting tour around the West Coast and California. Now she's back, this time on a 45-day tour from California to Chicago, educating students on all things pointe shoes and helping them to find their perfect fit. Lee's making stops at top ballet companies and academies across the country, interviewing school directors and chatting with professional ballerinas to find out how they customize and break in their pointe shoes. Below, check out Lee's stop at Oklahoma City Ballet. She touches base with company soloist Amanda Popejoy and school director Penny Askew. Stay tuned for more!

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