Compressible Feet
August 4, 2012 10:18 PM Subscribe
What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of having compressible feet when you are a ballet dancer?
My daughter has problems finding pointe shoes that work for her because she has narrow and very compressible feet. We just found a nice pair of Russian Pointe shoes at a recent fitting in San Francisco but I could tell it was a bit of a challenge for her as the shoes always felt very tight when she stood flat and then of course just fine when she was en pointe. I think this was the first fitting where she really understood what to say or how to feel her shoes (this is only her 3rd pair). I'd like to learn more about the good, the bad and the ugly of having compressible feet. Also if you could name some well known ballerinas with compressible feet that would be helpful.
My daughter has problems finding pointe shoes that work for her because she has narrow and very compressible feet. We just found a nice pair of Russian Pointe shoes at a recent fitting in San Francisco but I could tell it was a bit of a challenge for her as the shoes always felt very tight when she stood flat and then of course just fine when she was en pointe. I think this was the first fitting where she really understood what to say or how to feel her shoes (this is only her 3rd pair). I'd like to learn more about the good, the bad and the ugly of having compressible feet. Also if you could name some well known ballerinas with compressible feet that would be helpful.
As usual, a quick Google search causes me to eat my words....I think what you are calling a "compressible foot" is what I would call "mobile metatarsals". Your way is much more succinct. ;) As pennance for my ignorance, I'll give you an answer that is much too long-winded and possibly not that helpful:
As far as finding the right shoes goes, my suggestions would be for your daughter to try the following:
1) Fit her shoes for being comfortable (and I use the term loosely, of course) en pointe, rather than flat. Most of her time in the shoes will be spent en pointe (especially as she progresses in her pointe work), and it's crucial that her feet have the necessary support when they are working in such an extreme way. It may mean that she continues to feel discomfort when standing on flat, but some of that can be alleivieated as she learns to break in and supplement her shoes in a way that works for her feet (believe me, in a few years she'll have her own idiosyncratic ritual for breaking in her shoes exactly the way she likes them.)
2) Try on lots of shoes, from lots of brands, and lots of individual makers or styles. I'm guessing a more tapered shoe with a high-ish vamp and strong wings will be most suitable for her (what is she currently wearing, by the way?), but it really is a very individual thing. Finding a GOOD, experienced pointe shoe fitter is a gold mine to a young dancer, so consider expanding your search to try out stores outside your city if possible. (Unless of course the fitter you have now is good, in which case thank your lucky stars. They're a rare breed)
3) Some of my squishy metatarsaled students have had success with these, Worth a try.
4) Doing exercises to strengthen her metatarsals will help her be slightly better able to control the unwanted compression and thus support herself better on pointe. Fanning, doming, "piano keys", etc. (your daughter probably knows what these are, if you don't) will all help develop the small muscles around her arches and metatarsals and build strength in her feet. Pointe dancers can't conceivably do too many of these exercises.
As for "the good, the bad, and the ugly", I think you're encountering most of the latter two already: finding shoes that work for your daughters feet will be a pain in the ass. She will almost assuredly have to do some serious customization work (padding, liners, toe spacers, shellac, etc) with all her shoes. Finding the best shoe and the best way to adapt it will take A LOT of trial and error. Her shoes will also likely break down faster than other people's, especially in the wing area, which will mean they need to be replaced more often, which of course means a greater expense. She will have to be very vigilant in her pointe work to ensure that the compression is not causing her to be sinking into her box or forcing all her weight onto her big toe.
Of course, these challenges are not so different from the challenges faced by dancers with many other types of feet. She can rest assured that mobile metatarsals are by no means a rarity in the dance world. If she's looking for a silver lining, remind her that her mobile metatarsals probably give her legs a lovely line by further narrowing her feet when they are stretched/pointed. And in ballet, a little extra mobility is never a bad thing, so long as you have the corresponding strength to support it.
Best of luck to her in her hunt for the perfect shoe!
posted by Dorinda at 12:32 AM on August 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
As far as finding the right shoes goes, my suggestions would be for your daughter to try the following:
1) Fit her shoes for being comfortable (and I use the term loosely, of course) en pointe, rather than flat. Most of her time in the shoes will be spent en pointe (especially as she progresses in her pointe work), and it's crucial that her feet have the necessary support when they are working in such an extreme way. It may mean that she continues to feel discomfort when standing on flat, but some of that can be alleivieated as she learns to break in and supplement her shoes in a way that works for her feet (believe me, in a few years she'll have her own idiosyncratic ritual for breaking in her shoes exactly the way she likes them.)
2) Try on lots of shoes, from lots of brands, and lots of individual makers or styles. I'm guessing a more tapered shoe with a high-ish vamp and strong wings will be most suitable for her (what is she currently wearing, by the way?), but it really is a very individual thing. Finding a GOOD, experienced pointe shoe fitter is a gold mine to a young dancer, so consider expanding your search to try out stores outside your city if possible. (Unless of course the fitter you have now is good, in which case thank your lucky stars. They're a rare breed)
3) Some of my squishy metatarsaled students have had success with these, Worth a try.
4) Doing exercises to strengthen her metatarsals will help her be slightly better able to control the unwanted compression and thus support herself better on pointe. Fanning, doming, "piano keys", etc. (your daughter probably knows what these are, if you don't) will all help develop the small muscles around her arches and metatarsals and build strength in her feet. Pointe dancers can't conceivably do too many of these exercises.
As for "the good, the bad, and the ugly", I think you're encountering most of the latter two already: finding shoes that work for your daughters feet will be a pain in the ass. She will almost assuredly have to do some serious customization work (padding, liners, toe spacers, shellac, etc) with all her shoes. Finding the best shoe and the best way to adapt it will take A LOT of trial and error. Her shoes will also likely break down faster than other people's, especially in the wing area, which will mean they need to be replaced more often, which of course means a greater expense. She will have to be very vigilant in her pointe work to ensure that the compression is not causing her to be sinking into her box or forcing all her weight onto her big toe.
Of course, these challenges are not so different from the challenges faced by dancers with many other types of feet. She can rest assured that mobile metatarsals are by no means a rarity in the dance world. If she's looking for a silver lining, remind her that her mobile metatarsals probably give her legs a lovely line by further narrowing her feet when they are stretched/pointed. And in ballet, a little extra mobility is never a bad thing, so long as you have the corresponding strength to support it.
Best of luck to her in her hunt for the perfect shoe!
posted by Dorinda at 12:32 AM on August 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Dorinda, see page 9 (page 11 of the PDF file) of the Gaynor Minden Pointe Shoe Fitting Guidelines for an explanation of compressible feet and the difficulties involved in fitting them.
YukonQuirm, page 24 of the Guidelines (page 26 of the PDF file) has some tips on how to get the best fit for compressible feet. I think you would get better help from a ballet specific message board, for example the Ballet Talk Pointe Shoe Topics subforum. If you google the site with "compressible feet" you can see the existing threads on the topic.
From what I've seen on the topic, it seems that things like box liners and toe spacers can help provide extra support for squishy feet while en pointe. I'm no expert myself, but I hope the links helped.
posted by keep it under cover at 12:40 AM on August 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
YukonQuirm, page 24 of the Guidelines (page 26 of the PDF file) has some tips on how to get the best fit for compressible feet. I think you would get better help from a ballet specific message board, for example the Ballet Talk Pointe Shoe Topics subforum. If you google the site with "compressible feet" you can see the existing threads on the topic.
From what I've seen on the topic, it seems that things like box liners and toe spacers can help provide extra support for squishy feet while en pointe. I'm no expert myself, but I hope the links helped.
posted by keep it under cover at 12:40 AM on August 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for your help (Dorrinda and Keep it Under Cover). I had looked at Gaynor Minden's Fitting Guidelines briefly before posting but I'll take a closer look and thanks for the suggestion of the forum.
My daughter picked up a pair of Russian Pointe Shoes here in San Francisco yesterday. We live in a small place where the Artistic Director used to dance with the Winnipeg Royal Ballet as the lead dancer however she doesn't go to the store with you to do the fitting and there is an extremely limited selection so that dancers need to go out of the Territory to find shoes. We are currently in San Francisco so this was a golden opportunity and the fitter we had was excellent. We can probably get to Seattle at least once per year so we may have to try looking there as well.
Thanks Dorrinda for your answer which was not at all long winded.
posted by YukonQuirm at 7:48 AM on August 5, 2012
My daughter picked up a pair of Russian Pointe Shoes here in San Francisco yesterday. We live in a small place where the Artistic Director used to dance with the Winnipeg Royal Ballet as the lead dancer however she doesn't go to the store with you to do the fitting and there is an extremely limited selection so that dancers need to go out of the Territory to find shoes. We are currently in San Francisco so this was a golden opportunity and the fitter we had was excellent. We can probably get to Seattle at least once per year so we may have to try looking there as well.
Thanks Dorrinda for your answer which was not at all long winded.
posted by YukonQuirm at 7:48 AM on August 5, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Dorinda at 11:29 PM on August 4, 2012