Anatomy of a Pointe Shoe
1.Feathers- the pleating under the toe from when the final layer of satin is added to the outside of the pointe shoe.
2.Platform- the very tip of the hard toe box; the part of the shoe that the dancer balances on.
3.Toe Box- the hard tip of the shoe extending from the tips of the toes (Platform) to the metatarsal on all sides of the foot that is made of layers of papier mache, paste, and burlap.
4.Vamp- the top of the shoe from the platform to where the toes join with the foot. Can be U or V shaped.
5.Outer Sole- the suede or leather on the bottom of the shoe that covers the shank and provides traction.
6.Shank- the stiff sole of the shoe that supports the dancer's arch while standing en pointe.The shank can include multiple layers and be made of leatherboard, cardboard, carbon fibre, electrical board, and various other similar materials.
7.Drawstring- an elastic or cotton string cased in canvas ribbon that the dancer can tighten so the shoe hugs her foot and stays on more easily.
8.Waist Seam- the seam of the pointe shoe that separates the wings from the quarters and holds the front and back of the shoe together.
9.Quarters- the back section of the pointe shoe that covers the dancer's heel and keeps her foot from popping out of the shoe.
10.Backseam- the seam behind the heel of the shoe that connects the quarters and holds the two sides of the shoe together.
11.Wings- the stiff part of the box on the sides of the shoe that helps prevent the dancer from sickling or winging their feet and gives lateral support while en pointe.
Hope that helped!
Stay on your toes,
Selly
9 Comments:
thank you sooooo much!!
im doing a report on pointe shoes and this
really helped!!!
You're welcome. Might I ask what subject or class requires you to write a report about a ballet shoe though?
Selly
thank you soo much for doing this! and umm what is the fabric on the inside of the satin? i could never figure out if it was cotton or something else. uhh i guess post another comment here when you get this.
ty!!
Its now time for you to 1.) Do some research on a pointe shoe makers' website, or 2.) Look at a pointe shoe. Sorry, but I'm not gonna do your report for ya ;)
Selly
oh it's for english. i go to a performing arts school. and that last comment wasn't me fyi (:
thxx again (:
Hey Selly :)
this is really interesting :)
i am also doing work on this subject - for my background to choosen Genre essay - for my FDI. i dont know if you've heard of that - but basically im studying to get my teaching qualifications in ISTD dance. In this essay i need to find different sources about pointe work etc and write about the information ive found. i came across your page and it's really interesting! i wonder if you can tell me a abit about yourself because i need to write about where the source came from and weather its biased etc. a pain i know lol - but basically if u have experience in making the shoes or are just an experienced dancer. i hope you can help me!
thanks again :)
Hey Terri! Glad you like the blog. I am in no affiliated with any dancewear brand or any pointe shoe maker. I'm just a committed dancer that likes to rad and write a lot about different aspects of the dance world. Pointe shoes happen to be something I'm particularly interested, especially right now as I'm trying to find a pair that actually works for me.
Selly
Wow I'm getting really frustrated. I'm doing a Technology project for science and i have to redesign the pointe shoe cover for wednesday. i have been researching for days and cannot find the year it was invented and who it was invented by. if anyone knows it could you please tell me ASAP!!!!! btw i really liked the site...THANKS
There's not really a definite inventor or exact date that the pointe shoe was invented. Ballet shoes slowly evolved from wooden clogs to soft shoes to what they are today. Your best bet would be to read "Ballet: How It All Began" and do some research on Marie Taglioni.
Selly
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