Ballet is much more than just dancing in tights, leotard and ballet shoes. It is a form of art in which you develop a range of skills through perseverance and dedication. Ballet will help you develop a better posture, boost your confidence, improve your flexibility, build muscle and agility, relieve stress, burn calories and much more. However, being a ballerina requires a great deal of patience, effort, commitment and of course the right pieces of ballet clothing and ballet dance shoes.
Buying the right shoes is vital as they are the starting point for learning the basic ballet moves. There are different models of ballet dance shoes online stores offer for different ages, so it really shouldn’t be a problem finding the right fit for you. Without further ado, here are our tips for buying the best pair of ballet shoes that will help you learn the basics much faster and avoid injuries.
Choosing the right size is of the utmost importance for all types of footwear, not just ballet shoes. They should perfectly fit your feet so you can freely dance without even noticing they are on your feet. Wearing shoes that are loose or baggy will affect your performance preventing you from doing even some of the most basic moves. What you also need to keep in mind is the sizing of the brand as different brands may have different sizes. Reading the “as expected fit” can help you make the right size choice, especially if you decide to purchase your new ballet dance shoes online.
As for materials, the most common ones used for ballet dance shoes are canvas and leather. Canvas is very easy to clean – you can simply throw your canvas ballet shoes in the washing machine and they’ll be good as new. Leather shoes are more durable when compared to canvas, but you need to clean them with special leather cleaning products. The surface of the dance floor is also something you should keep in mind when choosing the material. If the floor is made of vinyl, stick to canvas ones. Leather works great on wooden floors, while ballet shoes made of satin are the best choice if you need to perform in front of an audience.
Ballet shoes for dancing come in two different sole types. The full sole is the preferred choice for ballerinas that need to dance on their toes but they are not recommended for dancers that have not developed enough strength in their calf muscles. The other type is split sole ballet shoes which are quite new in ballet dancing. The main difference is that these shoes do not have any kind of sole in the midfoot area making it easier to point the feet and move. So, full or split sole? Adults and more experienced dancers usually go for split sole models, while kids should opt for a full sole type.
Generally, there are different types of ballet shoes, so before buying you need to get familiar with them. For instance, soft ballet shoes are recommended for beginners as they do not have straps, have a slip-on design and are very soft. Slippers come with one strap over the upper area while the pointe ballet shoes are one of the most popular types as they allow dancers to balance on the tip of their foot. They are usually used by professional and experienced dancers.
