The pointe shoe saga continues
I haven't checked in since last week Wednesday, I had an absolutely bananas weekend with my Grandpa's funeral. It was 3 hours away and I had to put a lot of things together, so I didn't have much time to check the blogosphere. I also get zero cell reception up where I was (the "thumb" of Wisconsin, if you are looking at it on a map) so all of that was out.
I've been wearing the Grishko 2007's in pointe the last two classes, ever since I fixed the ribbons/elastic and swapped feet. The shoes offer more support than the GM's, but my instructor has discovered a couple fatal flaws.
1. The shoes force me to stand in a winged position, which is really bad for the ankles.
2. The Super Soft shank is way too weak. I can't roll through them and they don't offer enough support in the heel area. The shank bends in the wrong spot on the arch.
The shoes will be fine until I get another pair, and that fitting is scheduled for Saturday morning in the Chicago area. I'm going to the same place that fitted my 2nd pair, the Capezio Aria meant for a square foot. Even though I ended up buying a pair from them that was the wrong shape, I am comfortable with my own evaluations of my feet enough now that I'm sure I can find a better shoe. They also happen to have the largest inventory of different makes/models to choose from within a 100 mile radius, so the odds are in my favor.
Ideally I'm looking for a shoe with the following characteristics:
Medium/Hard to Hard Shank
Somewhat to fully tapered box
Medium/Narrow to Narrow box
Low Profile
Medium to Long V shaped Vamp
Aside from pointe shoe drama, classes are going well. I've missed several of each class in the last few weeks, but now that the rest of my life has calmed down, I can get back to focusing on dance with 4 classes a week.
My teachers are really bumping up the emphasis on technique. Where last year you'd see people continually sickling their feet or forgetting to do something without regular reminders, you have bad habits being shut down right away. I like being called out in class, I think it's the most helpful thing for my learning process.
I feel like things are coming together for me. Transitions between movements need work, but I feel improvements. Yesterday for fun we were learning/practicing fouette turns. I don't know that I'll ever become amazing at them, but if I've learned anything this year it's not to put limits on myself.
Oh! And last night I conquered a major fear I had throughout pointe last year-- springing into passe en pointe in the center without the barre. I only did it with the right foot supporting, but I wasn't scared and it worked out! That feels great.
I'll report back later when my mind is done un-scrambling itself from the weekend.
Happy Dancing,
RB
I've been wearing the Grishko 2007's in pointe the last two classes, ever since I fixed the ribbons/elastic and swapped feet. The shoes offer more support than the GM's, but my instructor has discovered a couple fatal flaws.
1. The shoes force me to stand in a winged position, which is really bad for the ankles.
2. The Super Soft shank is way too weak. I can't roll through them and they don't offer enough support in the heel area. The shank bends in the wrong spot on the arch.
The shoes will be fine until I get another pair, and that fitting is scheduled for Saturday morning in the Chicago area. I'm going to the same place that fitted my 2nd pair, the Capezio Aria meant for a square foot. Even though I ended up buying a pair from them that was the wrong shape, I am comfortable with my own evaluations of my feet enough now that I'm sure I can find a better shoe. They also happen to have the largest inventory of different makes/models to choose from within a 100 mile radius, so the odds are in my favor.
Ideally I'm looking for a shoe with the following characteristics:
Medium/Hard to Hard Shank
Somewhat to fully tapered box
Medium/Narrow to Narrow box
Low Profile
Medium to Long V shaped Vamp
Aside from pointe shoe drama, classes are going well. I've missed several of each class in the last few weeks, but now that the rest of my life has calmed down, I can get back to focusing on dance with 4 classes a week.
My teachers are really bumping up the emphasis on technique. Where last year you'd see people continually sickling their feet or forgetting to do something without regular reminders, you have bad habits being shut down right away. I like being called out in class, I think it's the most helpful thing for my learning process.
I feel like things are coming together for me. Transitions between movements need work, but I feel improvements. Yesterday for fun we were learning/practicing fouette turns. I don't know that I'll ever become amazing at them, but if I've learned anything this year it's not to put limits on myself.
Oh! And last night I conquered a major fear I had throughout pointe last year-- springing into passe en pointe in the center without the barre. I only did it with the right foot supporting, but I wasn't scared and it worked out! That feels great.
I'll report back later when my mind is done un-scrambling itself from the weekend.
Happy Dancing,
RB
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