Russian ballet goddess and China dancing shoes: wear out 500 pairs to become a swan.
The mystery of dreamlike ballet is based on pointe shoes, but the life span of a pair of pointe shoes is regrettable, and it can only be played for 2-3 times, so the production technology of ballet shoes is particularly important. Every ballet performance contains not only the hard and perfect performances of the actors, but also the ingenuity of the craftsmen behind those small ballet shoes.
Every ballet dancer has a pair of unique feet, the length and shape of toes, the flexibility and strength of the arch are different. Therefore, most manufacturers in pointe shoes will produce many types of shoes, and each type will provide a different fit. However, no matter how the manufacturer and model change, all pointe shoes has two important components that enable dancers to dance on their toes：
- l Shoe box for wrapping and supporting toes at the front end of shoes
- l A piece of hard shoe bone used to strengthen the sole and provide more support.
Composition of pointe shoes:
Pointe shoes is different from ordinary training shoes with soft soles. The front part of the shoe is a hard and sturdy shoe Box, and the toe of the shoe is a platform; The inner sole has a rubber Shank, and the outer sole has a leather sole. Ballerinas stand up with the help of shoe boards and fix their center of gravity with the small plane of the toe.
LAST is a model for making pointe shoes. The shape of the shoe last is made according to the shape of the actor’s foot. The usual shoe last is the most important factor for the comfort of the toe cap and the inside of the shoe. Different shoe lasts are suitable for the size and width of a specific model.
The exterior of pointe shoes is covered with satin, so the internal structure of dancing shoes such as shoe boxes are hidden, which can make pointe shoes more beautiful. Most of pointe shoes is covered with satin, but some canvas wrapped in pointe shoes. The most common color in pointe shoes is light pink, while black or white is rare. Usually pointe shoes also has other customized colors to choose from.
The “shoe box” hidden in the toe is actually a hard cover made of six layers of the most common gunny cloth or other textiles (some use corset fabrics), which covers the toes and part of the foot surface. This “shoe box” is the biggest mystery that enables actresses to dance on tiptoe. The front end of the shoe box must be made into a flat shape, in order to provide a platform for dancers to balance themselves. Relieve the pressure on your toes.
BOX (toe cap) is the part that wraps the toe tip and helps the actor to stand on the toe tip.
The PLATFORM is at the front end of the toe cap. The actor stands on his toes on this plane.
SHANK (inner sole) is the “backbone” of the whole pair of shoes. Located under the “sock line”, the bottom plate in the shoe is mainly used to support the ballet dancer to use the toe technique. Usually printed with the brand LOGO, its role is to provide support for the arch. Shoe bones are usually made of plastic, leather, hard paper, and cloth layers reinforced with glue to make a solid hard board. In the new pointe shoes, the insole is straight and does not stick to the sole of the foot, so dancers must take some measures to “soften” it, that is, moderately bend the bone of the shoe to improve the fit.
VAMP refers to the part from the front FLATFORM to the instep lacing.
The edge of DRQWSTRING/BINDING at the instep of the upper provides the upper with toughness. Tightening the lace can make the toe cap fit the foot shape better.
THROAT (throat of shoes), this part, as seen from above, is the part where the feet are raised and laid flat to show the instep.
And after such a complicated production process, how long is the life of ballet shoes?
The use time of pointe shoes is generally determined by the support of the shoe bones. Because the toe technique is used for a long time, the shoe bones will gradually lose their elasticity and support, so shoes should be changed at this time to maintain the safety of the feet. In addition, the shoe box will increase with the use time, and the moisture brought by the sweat on the dancer’s feet will gradually soften. Usually, the life span of pointe shoes varies according to the eating severity of the dance code. A pair of dance shoes can be worn for weeks or even months for ballet students who have just learned toe skills, but for advanced students or professional dancers, the life span of a pair of shoes is about 20 hours. Pointe shoes can only use one dancer who plays the main role in the whole dance drama. Pointe shoes is a consumable, but the price is not low, so most professional ballet companies provide dancers with a shoe allowance to meet the cost of replacement.
