dancinghomeschool.com

24thJune 2008

So the time has come to purchase a new pair of ballet shoes, maybe they are your first ever pair or maybe they are a replacement for the battered old ones you have finally decided to throw away. Either way, with so many different outlets out there selling ballet shoes you are absolutely spoilt for choice.

With this is mind, it makes sense that if you are looking for a new pair of ballet shoes then it’s a good idea to have a look on the web as there are many companies that provide dance accessories and apparel on the internet. When you are buying your new ballet shoes try and go for a company that has a website with a returns policy, this way you will be more confident that you will be dealing with the right kind of company. Plus it means that if for any reason the shoes aren’t right you can send them back or exchange them without any problems.

Obviously every dancer has his or her own opinion on what the best material for ballet shoes is, but leather is normally thought of as more durable and more pleasing to look at than canvas. Generally speaking leather shoes will last much longer than canvas ballet shoes, but it varies depending on the floors you dance on, how much you weigh and what condition your feet are in to begin with.

When it comes to ballet shoes your weight is something that is important to consider because your weight will determine how much friction you will feel between the floor and the shoe. That is why because male dancers tend to be heavier they usually opt for canvas shoes, because wearing leather shoes would cause their feet to stick to the floor rather than gently slide along it. If you are purchasing a pair of leather ballet shoes make sure that you aware that the sticking action caused by leather shoes can result in marks on the studio floor and makes lunges and splits difficult as well as causing more stubbed toes.

As for canvas ballet shoes, they are popular amongst dancers too. Canvas shoes are likely to be cheaper in price and on a vinyl floor, they can last for up to three months of daily lessons. However canvas shoes do not hold up well if you will be dancing on rough wooden floors as the uneven surface tends to rip the canvas. If you do decide to go for canvas ballet shoes and you want them to last then pick the pair made from the heaviest canvas as these will be more resistant to wear and tear.

Both canvas and leather ballet shoes are widely available  and we’ll be offering  sections on how to care for your shoes and useful general information about dancing.

Thanks Collin.

Ingrid

Canvas or Leather..?

 There are so many different kinds of shoes that it is not at all easy to find the right one for you. It is a trial and error process, and an expensive one too! You need to start from what type of foot you have,wide or narrow, well-arched or not, very flexible or not so flexible, etc. Then you have to try different ones to find what works for you and what fits you best. Your teacher should have some recommendations to start with, as she knows your foot type best. Sometimes it is necessary to order certain things in a shoe to make it right for you, for instance the vamp length. A very high instep and arch may need a higher vamp than a foot that is less arched, for instance. The early years of pointe work are generally spent in a search for the right shoe for your foot, and what works well for you might not work so well for someone else.

9th September 2007 

Tendonitis
 Very real. It is not rare to hear that a dancer has developed tendonitis. Many dancers will complain of pain behind their heel and ankle. This is where the Achilles Tendon is located.

Each movement in dance, requires the use of many muscles and tendons in the foot and ankle – this area is taxed especially with pointe work. The tendons tend to strain and can become inflamed if not properly taken care of. This inflammation is called tendonitis.

A number of things can cause tendonitis. If a dancer is dancing several times a week at 3 hour stretches each time, they are prone to tendonitis.

A dancer may also get a flare up if they do not properly warm up before rehearsal or class. A proper warm up includes stretching and light movement until the body is ready to endure the rigors of class.

Dancers with poor technique develop this sort of injury the quickest. And improper turn-out and “rolling in” will most likely lead to improper jump landings and take offs.

If you are landing wrong, your entire body will not be aligned nor supported, and the entire impact will rest on your tendons and feet.

Turn out should be from the hips, and should align all the way down through the knees to the toes. The feet should not be rolled inward. A dancer with inverted knees or “knocked knees” is prone to this and must be the most careful.
The tendons in the foot that are most prone to tendonitis is not only the Achilles tendon, but the flexor hallucis longus tendon as well.

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the lower leg, it attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone. It can become inflamed when movements are repeated frequently such as jump landings and take offs. Also, pointing the foot constantly and releve contributes to this inflammation.

 To determine if you have tendonitis you have to evaluate your foot. If you notice swelling or tenderness and pain, then changes are that tendonitis is developing or is already present.

You may also feel a clicking sound or may feel your foot getting frozen in certain positions as if our tendon has been caught out of place. Tendonitis can become so severe that is has the ability to end a dancer’s career.

Treatment for tendonitis includes large amounts of rest, proper warm up and avoiding pointe work especially.You might take an anti inflamatory.

A heating pad and lots of warm up coverings also ease an inflamed tendon. Use your leg warmers and a heat pad before warm up – and take it easy on jumps during this time. The best thing to do by far though, is to take some time off and rest.9th September 2007 

Tendonitis
 Very real. It is not rare to hear that a dancer has developed tendonitis. Many dancers will complain of pain behind their heel and ankle. This is where the Achilles Tendon is located.

Each movement in dance, requires the use of many muscles and tendons in the foot and ankle – this area is taxed especially with pointe work. The tendons tend to strain and can become inflamed if not properly taken care of. This inflammation is called tendonitis.

A number of things can cause tendonitis. If a dancer is dancing several times a week at 3 hour stretches each time, they are prone to tendonitis.

A dancer may also get a flare up if they do not properly warm up before rehearsal or class. A proper warm up includes stretching and light movement until the body is ready to endure the rigors of class.

Dancers with poor technique develop this sort of injury the quickest. And improper turn-out and “rolling in” will most likely lead to improper jump landings and take offs.

If you are landing wrong, your entire body will not be aligned nor supported, and the entire impact will rest on your tendons and feet.

Turn out should be from the hips, and should align all the way down through the knees to the toes. The feet should not be rolled inward. A dancer with inverted knees or “knocked knees” is prone to this and must be the most careful.
The tendons in the foot that are most prone to tendonitis is not only the Achilles tendon, but the flexor hallucis longus tendon as well.

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the lower leg, it attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone. It can become inflamed when movements are repeated frequently such as jump landings and take offs. Also, pointing the foot constantly and releve contributes to this inflammation.

 To determine if you have tendonitis you have to evaluate your foot. If you notice swelling or tenderness and pain, then changes are that tendonitis is developing or is already present.

You may also feel a clicking sound or may feel your foot getting frozen in certain positions as if our tendon has been caught out of place. Tendonitis can become so severe that is has the ability to end a dancer’s career.

Treatment for tendonitis includes large amounts of rest, proper warm up and avoiding pointe work especially.You might take an anti inflamatory.

A heating pad and lots of warm up coverings also ease an inflamed tendon. Use your leg warmers and a heat pad before warm up – and take it easy on jumps during this time. The best thing to do by far though, is to take some time off and rest.