I have just a few ‘standards’ for clothing when I’m looking for dance accessories, these being 1) comfort, 2) look, 3) durability, and 4) how easy they are to dance in. (Not in a specific order. )1) Comfort – PROS – These shoes are so comfortable to wear!! Comfort is a huge thing for me wherever I go (especially when dancing), so these shoes were great.
They slide on easily and stay on, and mold softly to the foot, so it feels like you’re not even wearing them. The outside leather is very soft, and the inside cotton isn’t coarse or rough, and the inside sole is very soft.
The cloth insert between the soles only adds to the comfort and easy of pointing and flexing, and adds to the flexibility and range of motion of the foot. The placement of the elastics crossing on the top of the foot add extra support and look really great in any position.
CONS – These shoes were a little loose around the entire foot, so I’ve had to pull and tighten the drawstring multiple times. The string does stay, but it bunches the leather up and ruins the soft and sleek look of the shoe on the foot.
2) Look – PROS – The leather is a beautiful soft flesh-toned pink, and it blends perfectly with the tights, creating a seamless and soft line up the leg. From the side, the pointe is really beautiful and sharp and I think the cut elongates the line of the toe, creating that long pointe all dancers desire.
When flexed, it also accentuates the arch of the foot, and like I mentioned before, the two elastics add to the look. CONS – When I got the shoes, they were kind of bunched up in the package, and the leather was wrinkled and looked old.
I thought that as I danced in the shoes and broke them in to fit my foot the wrinkles would go away, but they’ve stayed. Especially when my foot is relaxed or pointed, the wrinkles really show and mess up the line of the foot.
I mentioned this in the comfort section, but when I tightened the drawstring, the fabric completely bunched up and added to the wrinkles. My pair before this was also leather, but the leather was smooth and not wrinkled, which I enjoyed.
I’ve liked this pair more, except for the wrinkled leather. I don’t know if it bothers anyone else, but I liked the look of the smooth leather. 3) Durability – PROS – I’ve had these shoes for about two years (I think), and they’re great.
The scuff marks that inevitably appear on all ballet shoes have only appeared on the toe and right side of the shoe, and barely around the heel, and they’re not noticeable. The soles have smoothed down, and the level of friction is great.
CONS – The inside sole of the shoes have started to peel up around the toes and a little on the heel, and while I’m dancing, they’ll peel up more and it hurts to dance with them. I’ve glued down the the peeling edges, and that’s helped considerably, but it’s still an issue as the glue gives out and peels off.
4) Danceability – PROS – I guess this kind of ties in to the comfort section of being easy to dance in, but these shoes really are wonderful when dancing. They form easily and quickly to the foot and aren’t slippery or sticky.
They last long and are soft but secure. CONS – While turning, they can sometimes stick and require a little extra effort to get around in, especially while doing pique turns. They’re great for other turns like chaines, but pique turns tend to stick the the floor and make it a little hard to glide around (especially when doing double piques).
These shoes have blown my expectations. I adore the shoes, and will probably be purchasing the same pair when these wear out. These shoes are wonderful!!.