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Feet
& Fitting > Check Your Fit
A
pointe shoe cannot be fitted like a street shoe. Street shoes are fitted
so that they are roomy and comfortable, often with "room to grow". This
is disastrous in a pointe shoe. A pointe shoe should fit the fore
foot like a fine leather glove: snug, yet with enough room to allow the
dancer's foot to lie flat and function properly.
To check your fit, we'll take you through fitting step-by-step.
1.
Plié in second position.
Stand in second position and grand plié. This will put your
foot in its longest position - as in landing from a big jump. The grand
plié should be lower than what is normally performed in class.
For this fitting, do not be concerned with turnout or perfect technique.
If your toes are just barely touching the end of the box, without feeling
crunched or smashed, then the length is correct. If your toes do not
just touch the end of the box the shoe is too long. If there is painful
pressure on the tips of your toes then the shoe is too short or too
wide. Confirm the length in the next step.
 2.
Pinch at heel.
Set your foot en pointe with no weight on it. Because Gaynor
Mindens do not break down or stretch out as other pointe shoes do, they
should be fitted with a little extra material at the heel when the foot
is in this position. You should be able to pinch 1/4" at the top of the
heel near the drawstring casing to ensure that there is enough room
for the toes when rolling up through pointe and when standing flat. If
you can fit a whole finger in the back of the shoe it is almost certainly
too long. If you cannot pinch any material it is too short. Do not
fit your Gaynor Mindens too short!
3.
Check the box and width.
The front of the shoe should be sleek and snug,
but not so tight that bunions bulge or the edge of the hard part of the
box digs into the bunion from underneath it. With a perfect fit the edge
of the hard part of the box does not show through the satin. The shoe
should be so snug that it is impossible to slide a finger into the shoe
along the sides or the top of the foot.
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| Box
Too Small |
Still
Too Small |
Good
Fit -
Sleek & Smooth |
4.
Adjust cushioning in the box.
Even dancers who wear no cushioning at all in other pointe shoes may find
that they need at least a cushion or two. Gaynor Minden makes a variety
of cushions that enhance comfort and fit without taking up a lot of room
in shoe. For more information on our cushions and suggestions on when
to use them , see Fitting Cushions and Problem
Solving. If you find that you are sliding down or dropping into the
box despite using our cushions, you might need a narrower box
size.
5.
Check heel fit.
If the shoe feels wide or gaping, be sure that the drawstring is pulled
snug. If the heel is baggy but the length is correct, you might try our
Sleek Vamp and Sleek Heel (see GM Shoe Styles
for more information). Also remember that ribbon and elastic will usually
eliminate any bagginess or excess material in the lower part of the heel.
6.
Check placement, vamp height, and shank stiffness.
When standing en pointe, you should be "over" the platform, not
held back. The arch of the shoe should conform to the arch of your foot.
Balancing en pointe should be wonderfully easy. If you find that
you are being held back, you might try a shorter vamp height (making sure
that the knuckles and bunions are totally covered) or a more flexible
shank. If you feel that you are "going over too far", you might try a
deeper vamp height or a stiffer shank. Also, see Heat
Forming for more information on changing the spot where the shank
bends in Gaynor Mindens.
7.
Final check!
Comfort. The shoe should hug, not pinch. It should be entirely
comfortable standing flat and on full pointe.
Appearance. The shoe should look sleek and snug, but still allow
the 1/4" pinch at the heel. It should flatter the foot, enhancing its
natural arch. The upper (box and vamp area) should be smooth and pretty,
and not so tight that bumps, bunions, or the shoe's internal structure
is visible.
Of
course, if you have any questions at all about the fit of your Gaynor
Mindens, please do not hesitate to call us at (800) 637-9240 or e-mail
us at fitters@dancer.com. Our
fitters will be happy to help you find the best fit.
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