Dance

How to Darn Pointe Shoes

How to Darn Pointe Shoes

Pointe shoes are easier to darn if they are slightly broken in, because the area under the box (between the platform and the leather sole) will have softened slightly.  You’ll also be able to see where you need to darn – basically, you want to darn where the satin has got dirty from contact...
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Alternatives to Darning Pointe Shoes

If you don’t want to darn your pointe shoes, but want to make the platform last longer, there are alternatives. A very cute English tradition is crochet toe covers.  These are little circles of crochet, slightly larger than the platform, which you simply sew on to your pointe shoes.  You have to be very,...
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Capezio Glisse Pointe Shoe Review

Capezio Glisse Pointe Shoe Review

The Capezio Glisse is Discount Dance’s best-selling pointe shoe, which must mean something! CAPEZIO Originally designed from specifications developed by Gine Chant, a former ballerina with the London City Ballet, … Read the full article
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Cecilia Kerche Pointe Shoe Review

Recently, the Cecilia Kerche pointe shoe company went out of business, but fortunately So Danca has taken over the brand and is reissuing them under its own name. These Brazilian shoes are made of natural paste for quietness and flexibility.   They’re pre-arched with a  “memory shank”, and don’t need a lot of breaking...
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Should I Darn my Pointe Shoes?

I always used to darn my pointe shoes – but then, in those days, most people did!   Of course, professionals rarely darned their shoes, because they just didn’t last long enough – but everyone else went through the ritual every time they bought a new pair of pointe shoes. If you don’t darn your...
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Grishko Pointe Shoe Review

Grishko Pointe Shoe Review

Grishko 2007 The number of positive reviews for this pointe shoe on the Discount Dance website is amazing.    There seems to be a lot of very satisfied Grishko customers out there!   So what’s so good about the shoe? One of the reasons they’re such a best-seller is they come in a good range of...
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Fitting Pointe Shoes – some real life examples

Dancers are often advised not to buy their first pointe shoes online.  If you’re wondering why, here are some real life examples of buying pointe shoes and how they are fitted in a shop: Read the full article
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Six Professionals, six different shoes!

Six Professionals, six different shoes!

Here is an interesting article from Dance Magazine, which perfectly illustrates why there are so many different brands and styles of pointe shoe!  Every foot is different, and every dancer has different needs . . . Read the full article
Read more »

Posted in Ballet, Dance | No Comments »

Flamenco Shoes in the New York Times

I just came across this article in the New York Times . I like Eva Yerbabuena’s comment about good shoes making her feet feel as if she’s not wearing any shoes!  Read the full article
Read more »

Posted in Dance, Flamenco | No Comments »

Flamenco Hair Ornaments

Traditionally, female flamenco dancers wear their hair long – and that’s one tradition that doesn’t appear to have changed in nuevo flamenco.  It’s rare to see a flamenca with a short hair style! Also traditional is the use of hair ornamentation.  The stereotypical image of a flamenco dancer is a women with a red...
Read more »

Posted in Dance, Flamenco | No Comments »