First time on pointe?
Congratulations!! You have likely spent years working up to this moment in your ballet training, and finally, with your teachers’ say-so, you are ready to dance en pointe! There are just a few more things to do before you get your first pair of pointe shoes.
Two weeks before:
First you need to book your appointment. We have boutiques in Kitchener and Guelph and can even offer virtual fittings (although in person is strongly recommended, especially as a first timer). You will be charged a $40 deposit for the fitting, but this money will go towards your purchase on fitting day!
Appointments are 30 minutes long. Any additional shopping can happen before or after your fitting time.
One Week before:
Talk to your teacher before your fitting. They know your dancing (and your feet) better than our fitters can learn during your appointment, and they may have specific ideas about what you will need. Some teachers also have specific requirements regarding pointe shoe accessories and as these are final sale items, it is important that your fitter knows what to give you!
Examples of what your teacher might say:
“I think you’d benefit from a soft or ¾ cut shank”
“I only let my pointe dancers use pro pads if they want toe pads - no ouch pouches!”
“I trust the fitters at Freestyle to assess and fit you properly - get whatever they recommend!”
3 days before:
Trim your toe nails. Seriously.
Long toe nails are likely to break when going up to pointe (ouch), and trimming sometimes leaves the skin underneath a little bit sensitive, so it is best to trim a few days before your fitting. (If you show up with long toe nails your fitter may hand you clippers and have you get to work - this takes time away from your fitting and leaves your toes more sensitive!)
Day of:
Put on a pair of clean transition tights for your fitting - you need to be able to have bare feet and tights on throughout your fitting. Since you have to wear tights, you may as well put on your favourite leotard too for all the pictures you’ll be taking!
Show up to your appointment time 10 minutes early.
Here for your second pair? (or 3rd, 4th, etc...)
Congratulations dancer, you are no longer a beginner pointe dancer, but a member of the Dead Pointe Shoe Society. (We even have a special key chain just for this occasion!) Before you can hang up your dead pair for good, there are a few things you need to do:
Two weeks before:
First you need to book your appointment. We have boutiques in Kitchener and Guelph and can even offer virtual fittings. You will be charged a $40 deposit for the fitting, but this money will go towards your purchase on fitting day!
Appointments are 30 minutes long, but often returning customers are fit in less time.
One Week before:
Talk to your teacher before your fitting. They know your dancing (and your feet) better than our fitters can learn during your appointment, and they may have specific ideas about what you will need. Ask them what they thought of your current pair of pointe shoes (also consider your own thoughts about your shoes) and decide together if you want the same thing, something similar, or different features in your next pair of shoes. Pro tip: if you want the same shoe and size again it may be worth calling the boutique to find out if that shoe is in stock.
Assess your accessories:
Take stock of all your pointe shoe accessories. Do your toe pads have holes in them? Are you running low on toe tape or lambs wool? Has one (or both) of your toe spacers disappeared? Make a list of the accessories you need to pick up during your fitting!
3 Days before:
You know the drill. Trim your toe nails. While you’re at it, you may as well wash all the accessories you just reviewed so they are clean for your fitting. Your fitter will thank you!
Day of:
Wear clean transition tights!
Bring your current shoes and ALL of your pointe shoe accessories.
Show up to your appointment time 10 minutes early.