From the Grishko Homepage
An introduction to pointe shoes: A reader, Mark, asked: “you have given occasional hints, but would it be possible to write an intro to toeshoes for your less knowledgeable readers?”
Fortunately, one has already been written. The Pointe Book, revised edition 1989, has chapters on: The history of pointe dancing, The foot and the pointe shoe making process, The pointe shoe fitting process, preparing and caring for pointe shoes, Custom ordering pointe shoes and other chapters about pointe shoe makers, training methods, and pointe related injuries among other topics. The pointe shoe book is a good place to start for someone unfamiliar with pointe shoes as it will provide a basic understanding of the support a good pointe shoe must provide and the difficulties in making, fitting and wearing pointes.
What I try to do with my pointe shoe quizzes is to put up an image that has clues, things like: a sole pattern or vamp stitching that is unique to a model or style of particular maker or a logo of a maker whose shoes aren’t particularly well known. I’m fortunate to have several readers who are quite knowledgeable about pointe shoes and/or have good investigative skill and are adept at using the resources available on the Internet to come up with an answer. Two books that are full of information about pointe shoes are:
The Pointe Book (revised edition 1989) Janice Barringer and Sarah Schlesinger
Pointe Shoes Tips & Tricks 2007 (English edition 2008) Angela Reinhardt
Another book that anyone curious about the technical side of ballet might enjoy is: The Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant.
Another source of information about specific maker’s pointes is their websites: Capezio, Bloch, Freed, Gaynor Minden and Grishko to name a few have details about their styles in on-line catalogues as do large dance supply houses that carry wide selections of makers pointes.
I hope this will give my non dancer readers interested in learning more about pointe shoes a place to start.
An introduction to pointe shoes: A reader, Mark, asked: “you have given occasional hints, but would it be possible to write an intro to toeshoes for your less knowledgeable readers?”
Fortunately, one has already been written. The Pointe Book, revised edition 1989, has chapters on: The history of pointe dancing, The foot and the pointe shoe making process, The pointe shoe fitting process, preparing and caring for pointe shoes, Custom ordering pointe shoes and other chapters about pointe shoe makers, training methods, and pointe related injuries among other topics. The pointe shoe book is a good place to start for someone unfamiliar with pointe shoes as it will provide a basic understanding of the support a good pointe shoe must provide and the difficulties in making, fitting and wearing pointes.
What I try to do with my pointe shoe quizzes is to put up an image that has clues, things like: a sole pattern or vamp stitching that is unique to a model or style of particular maker or a logo of a maker whose shoes aren’t particularly well known. I’m fortunate to have several readers who are quite knowledgeable about pointe shoes and/or have good investigative skill and are adept at using the resources available on the Internet to come up with an answer. Two books that are full of information about pointe shoes are:
The Pointe Book (revised edition 1989) Janice Barringer and Sarah Schlesinger
Pointe Shoes Tips & Tricks 2007 (English edition 2008) Angela Reinhardt
Another book that anyone curious about the technical side of ballet might enjoy is: The Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant.
Another source of information about specific maker’s pointes is their websites: Capezio, Bloch, Freed, Gaynor Minden and Grishko to name a few have details about their styles in on-line catalogues as do large dance supply houses that carry wide selections of makers pointes.
I hope this will give my non dancer readers interested in learning more about pointe shoes a place to start.
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