Choosing your first dance shoes well

The dance shoe is a dancer's first real purchase. To avoid a mistake, or buying too soon, here's what to know, discipline by discipline.

First, don't rush

Before buying anything, a word of advice: wait for the first class, or even for the teacher's opinion. For a trial class, socks or bare feet are enough. Investing before you are sure of the discipline, and of the exact size, is the surest way to get it wrong. A dance shoe is not a gift you choose in advance: it is a working tool, which has to match a particular foot and a particular practice. Better, then, to start empty-handed and let yourself be guided.

Understanding what a dance shoe is for

A dance shoe is nothing like an ordinary shoe. It fits the foot like a second skin, lets you feel the floor, follows the roll of the foot and protects just enough. This is why fit comes before everything else: a shoe that is too big floats about and spoils placement, one that is too small pinches and hurts. The right shoe is forgotten as soon as it is on; all you feel then is the dance.

Ballet slippers, for ballet

In ballet, you start in ballet slippers: soft shoes, in canvas or leather, that fit the foot closely. Canvas, cheaper and breathable, suits beginners very well. The key is still the fit, for the shoe must sit close to the foot without pinching the toes. Leather, more hard-wearing, takes on a patina with use; canvas dries quickly and washes easily. In both cases, you are looking for a precise hold that lets the foot work without hindrance.

Jazz shoes

For modern jazz, dancers often wear jazz shoes, low and supple, sometimes open-toed, when they are not dancing barefoot depending on the class. Here again, fit matters more than the brand. In street jazz, habits vary from one class to another: better to ask before buying. For contemporary, dancers are usually barefoot, direct contact with the floor being part of the discipline.

Pointe shoes: patience

Pointe shoes are a case apart. You never buy them on your own initiative: the model is chosen after the teacher has assessed the foot, generally not before the age of 11 to 12, and always with her agreement. Buying pointe shoes too soon means risking injury. Pointe work is a sub-discipline of ballet, which calls for years of technique and a foot strong enough for it; no pair, however beautiful, can replace that preparation.

A good fit, more important than the price

A poorly fitting shoe hampers learning and can hurt. Plan to try shoes on at the end of the day, when the foot is a little swollen, and beware of "room to grow" sizes: in dance, the shoe must fit now, not in a year's time. A shoe bought too big forces the child to compensate for the slack, which distorts the placement of the foot. Better to buy a new pair in the right size next year than to hamper a whole cycle of learning.

Caring for them and making them last

A well-cared-for shoe lasts longer. Air it after class rather than leaving it at the bottom of the bag, keep it clean, and check the seams and elastic regularly. For children who grow quickly, a size check midway through the season avoids nasty surprises. A well-kept shoe also means a better-protected foot.

When in doubt, ask

Brand, size, material: the teacher is the best adviser, as she knows the classes and her pupils' feet. A question before buying? Contact us: better a phone call than a bad purchase. And for everything to do with kit beyond shoes, the article "What to wear when you start dancing" answers the most common questions.