Pacific Northwest Ballet School student gets fitted for her first pair of pointe shoes. Photo Credit: Dean Opper
The transition from slippers to pointe shoes is by far the most eagerly anticipated rite of passage in a young dancer’s education. Every year, countless young girls wait with baited breath for their chance to wear their first pair of these beribboned satin wonders.
Pointe shoes serve as a tangible reward for a dance student’s years of dedication and hard work, and helps them declare to the world: “I’m a real ballerina!”
And while parents silently cringe over the price tags dangling from these stiff pink torturous looking examples of footwear, their daughters are busy squealing with delight over just “how pretty” their feet look to notice anything else. This is a moment they’ve worked so hard for – and dreamed about – for years.
To appropriately convey the excitement of this magical moment, we asked three moms and their daughters to share their thoughts regarding their very first pair of pointe shoes…
Andrea Hensen: “I felt excited and overwhelmed that my little girl was old enough to get pointe shoes. I would have liked more information ahead of time; some resources, a book or explanation beforehand, or perhaps a talk with the podiatrist first. Overall though, it was an exciting rite of passage.
Later when I saw All Wheeldon [Pacific Northwest Ballet], I was looking at all of the dancers and thinking, “Wow, my little girl is doing that, too!” It made me look at things from a different perspective.”
Ariella says: “It was so exciting and I love them. It was hard to get a real sense of them without the ribbons and elastics and in just the few minutes you get. And if it hurts at the beginning, don’t think it’s going to hurt forever. You just need to break them in. It’s so fun!”
Catherine Schultze: “I think more meaningful than her words was the expression on her face; I’ve almost never seen her so happy!”
Ella says: “My dreams have finally started to come true!”
Laura Rookstool: Since Grace is my 5th daughter to go “en pointe”, I’ve noticed some similarities in their approach. First and foremost, they all looked at getting those first pointe shoes as a rite of passage; they became one of the “big girls” at dance. Each one was excited to take the next big step in their ballet training. And for all of them, it brought a renewed enthusiasm – fueling their passion for ballet to the next level.
Emily (17) says this about going en pointe: “It was an accomplishment; something I worked really hard for.”
Katie Alice (16) says: “I was really excited and it made me feel like I was moving up. But at the same time, I didn’t want to wear them and get them all dirty. When the first pair were dead, I felt like I had accomplished something.”
Grace (11) says: “It means a lot to me because I’ve always wanted to go en pointe for as long as I can remember. I remember watching my sisters and looking forward to dancing en pointe too.” Laura adds: “Grace got to try out the older girls’ shoes. She would stuff the ends with socks, prancing and leaping around the house!
“Isabelle (7) is looking forward to her turn too,” Laura continues. “She couldn’t tell me why, but said she really wanted to do it. Something about those shoes; they’re so irresistible to little starry eyed girls.”
Are you looking forward to your first pair of pointe shoes? Do you need a little fitting expertise to help guide you along?
Well, you’re in luck! We’ve rounded up a 7-part video series by Russian Pointe’s very own Aleksandra Efimova, explaining everything you need to know about wearing those oh-so-dazzling pointe shoes. {Pretty sweet, right? 
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Here’s part one:
* Part Two – Size
* Part Three – Width
* Part Four – Choosing a Vamp
* Part Five – Choosing Your Shank
* Part Six – Challenges & Solutions
* Part Seven – Shoe Care Guidelines
To those of you who have received your first pair of pointe shoes this year – Congratulations! You’re well on your way to becoming one of the next generation’s most beloved ballerinas!
Tags: Aleksandra Efimova, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Russian Pointe
