17
A Dancer’s Torture Device
Filed Under (Commentary, Fashion History) by Heels.com on 03-17-2009
Pink satin. Pink satin is destined to forever change a dancer’s feet.
Those pretty little lily petal shaped satin slippers that appear to be gliding across the dancefloor, are actually quite deceiving. While it may appear that they are actually assisting in the graceful production of “Swan Lake” or “The Nutcracker,” they are actually physically tearing the dancer’s feet apart.
As someone who danced for most of her life, I can attest to the wear and tear pointe shoes have on a dancer’s feet. You can stretch the shoe, burn the shoe, wet the shoe and cushion the shoe until you are blue in the face (or the toes), but the fact of the matter is, they are meant to be torture devices. And never did a torture device appear so lovely.
Why is it that as women, we are willing to hurt our own feet for the greater good? The same goes for all of us ready and willing to slip our feet into that hot new pair of stilettos we saw at Bloomie’s last week. Are we as women masochists? Trend setters? Or risk takers?
Pointe shoes, like stilettos, leave many women with an endless list of foot injuries. Take your pick; from toe dislocations, bunions, blisters and even breaks. But damn, don’t we all look good while wearing them?
Many shoes have been inspired by the dancer’s pointe shoe. Ballet flats have become an everyday favorite amongst many women. The alternative to a high heel is most popular, because of its comfort level.
A huge difference from their inspiration. Many designers, even the most glamorous names, have fulfilled their line with many dancer inspired shoes. From Jimmy Choo to Stuart Weitzman, “ballerina flats” have completed many of their collections.
So, the next time you purchase a pretty new pair of ballerina flats, be sure not to forget where the idea first came from. While your feet may appear to be as beautiful and graceful as that of a dancer’s, you hardly share the secret pain that many go through with the original.
dancer(: says...
I so agree with everything on here! And must we not forget the awesomelyyy lovelyyy pointe-shoe-feet stink? (;
Posted on 7 Dec 2009 at 4:16 pm
Taylor says...
this is ridiculous let ppl do wat they want dancing is soo worth it even if ur feet look bad u probably wouldnt know cause u have two left feet so there are many ways to cover up bad feet IF u get bad feet from pointe long story short ballet is sooo worth it and u only have one comment because all the others were bad and u didnt want to post them
Posted on 21 Dec 2009 at 7:22 pm
Kali says...
Did somebody say the pointe-shoe-stink!?
Let’s not forget the if-I-hadn’t-taped-them-most-of-them-would-be-falling-off pedicure! XD
Posted on 6 Jan 2010 at 12:40 am
Yuki says...
True to this article. But Ballet is SOOO worth it. My feet looked bad and smelled even worse when wearing the pointe shoe. Kudos! <3
Posted on 14 Jan 2010 at 7:01 pm
balletgrrl says...
heyy wait a sec…
dancing is sooo worth it!! it is sooo fun and great, and dancing on pointe is almost overy ballerinas dream so dont crush it! i read this open-mouthed!
Posted on 17 Jan 2010 at 10:48 pm
balletgrrl says...
btw….
i love dancing!!
Posted on 17 Jan 2010 at 10:49 pm
Hip-Hop queen says...
Dancing is my life!!! I do have to agree with this website though.
Posted on 4 Mar 2010 at 12:24 am
Dance24/7 says...
Omg I <3 dance soooo much no matter how much it hurts. My teacher said in our tendues the box should be on the ground then came over and said "Janelle might be able to do it" she came over and pushed my foot into the ground. O well, keep on dancing.
Posted on 4 Mar 2010 at 12:33 pm
Richard says...
Dear Ballerinas,
Please do not whine here, but go to do more pointe exercises!
I love the beauty of the classical ballet and the pointe work is an essential part of it.
Thank You,
Richard
Posted on 17 Mar 2010 at 9:47 am
jess says...
heyy dancing is mint i do sooo many how come so meany people put out your fire !! xxx
Posted on 24 Mar 2010 at 9:41 am
dancerlover says...
omg ive been dancin since i was 3 and i have just been told im allowed to go on pointe im so excited but now im not so sure…
who cares!!!!!!! LOL
Posted on 27 Mar 2010 at 12:45 pm
Franky says...
wow touching article and oh so true. even though my feet look gorgeous on pointe I agree, I only go on pointe cause ballet is my life and if I had not I would not have been able to go on to a higher class level. My motto is “suffer in silence, do it for the love of dance”
Posted on 2 Apr 2010 at 12:56 pm
Linda says...
I have been taking pointe for four years now. I wear pointe shoes barefooted as they are most comfortable that way. I just turned 50.
Posted on 29 Jan 2011 at 4:27 pm
Carla says...
Great post! Personally, I love pointe shoes and the way they make my feet look. I never had much of a problem with injuries like my dancing comrades had, but I don’t deny that as a general rule – if a foot looks great inside a pointe shoe, it probably doesn’t look so good once it comes back out of the shoe.
Posted on 13 Feb 2011 at 6:17 pm
katie says...
I have been a dancer all my life i love it. I totally disaggrey with yuo i have been on pointe for two years and i have no injureys. dancing is my life and i say that no matter what it is worth is.
Posted on 22 Mar 2011 at 4:19 pm
Linda says...
I wear my pink pointe shoes barefooted except for toe pads. I find that they are more comfortable that way.
Posted on 4 May 2011 at 7:04 pm
jewellery daily says...
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Posted on 19 Nov 2011 at 10:16 am
jewelry world says...
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Posted on 20 Nov 2011 at 8:21 am
Nadinetheballetdancer says...
im 12 and just got my 1st pair fri… boy are you right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my feet hurt so bad after the first class my mom took me to the doctor!
Posted on 4 Oct 2012 at 8:26 pm
Nadinetheballetdancer says...
im 12 and just got my 1st pair fri… boy are you right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my feet hurt so bad after the first class my mom took me to the doctor!
Posted on 4 Oct 2012 at 8:26 pm
Sophie says...
I am soooooo scared now you guys!!!!! I might get pointe shoes today!!! Now i do not want them!!!! I am totally crushed now!!!!:( :( :(((((((((((((( i want to quit i am really scared now…………*sniffle*
Posted on 15 Feb 2013 at 7:31 pm
Sophie says...
i m twelve btw
Posted on 15 Feb 2013 at 7:31 pm
Sophie says...
Hopefully pointe shoes wont ruin my life………
Posted on 15 Feb 2013 at 7:32 pm