Skip to main content

Returning to Pointe

Good news, everyone!

Despite my complete lack of blogging (merp), I have actually been dancing. I've even performed in my home studio's winter and spring shows!

Back in January I did a pointe assessment with my dance PT and managed to pass. She's been having me do relevés in pointe shoes on a reformer (and later at a barre) as part of my PT for awhile now, but it was still surprising to get the official "OK."

That being said, I wasn't taking enough classes at the time (we're required to take three technique classes each week to do pointe), so I've been slowly adding to my class load, and only started doing pointe in class this month.

The ankle is not 100%--it still gets quite grumpy from time to time, but its definitely better. It's been a very (painfully) slow process for sure.

Anyway: the pointe shoe saga continues, more or less. When I started doing pointe as part of PT, I went and got a fitting, and was put into a Capezio Aria. This was not even remotely the right shoe for me, and I knew it, and I should have NOT purchased them but I'd made a long trip to that shop in particular and was in a rush (long story) so I decided to give it a whirl.

I had to cut the vamp down by hand because it was far too long for my itty bitty toes, and the square box was not ideal for my slightly tapered toes, so ultimately I got some nice big toe pain.

My vamp sewing skills leave something to be desired...

More recently I went elsewhere and got a new fitting, this time into a Suffolk Stellar. I like this shoe, but am now thinking the 5 I'm currently in is just a hair too short (I think I'd technically be between a 5 and 5.5). I think I'd also prefer the Stellar Light, because my right ankle (of doom) is still not quite as flexible as the left.

The Stellars. You can tell how lopsided I am here--my lower legs are very different!



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Elevé Dancewear

Last week, Poets & Pirouettes reviewed a custom leotard she ordered from Lone Reed Designs , and sparked my interest in trying an independent designer the next time I want a custom leotard.  We started having a conversation about my experience ordering from Elev é Dancewear , and I realized, "Duh, Jackie! You have a blog now! You should review and talk about those leotards in detail there instead of hijacking the comments section of this post!"  (Sorry m'dear!)  Also, I've determined that P&P and I could be horrible enablers for each other (in the best possible way). (As an aside, you should go follow her blog , she is an amazing writer and fabulous to boot). Now, let's get down to business and talk about Elev é . 
4 comments
Read more

Final Challenge Update

Slightly delayed due to my being out of town! Apologies. I finished all three of my 30 day challenges, and only missed one day the entire month (my shoulder was bothering me and I didn't want to push it), which I'm pretty proud of.  Things I realized: Planks are still evil. The longest I was able to hold one was 1:20. Ugh. Lunges are evil but also kind of awesome? I hurt for a couple of days but in that weird good-hurt kind of way? (I may be slightly insane) I can't seem to do back flies without making my shoulder grumpy, so I stopped doing them and just did the others instead. My butt seems perkier (?) but everything else looks the same. All in all, I want to continue doing strength work (both arms and legs), but maybe as more of a circuit type deal, which I'll try to do every other day (as I keep seeing recommended). We'll see how THAT goes. I think blogging about these challenges was good motivation because I felt accountable SOMEWHERE. I'll try to k...
4 comments
Read more

The Very Latest in the Pointe Shoe Saga

I mentioned back in May that my Grishko Novas had started giving me problems because they were twisting (especially on my left foot). I changed my elastics (used something heavier and criss-crossed them) and that helped some, but not completely. My AD thought I might want to try something with a higher wing. So, when I went on a family vacation at the end of May/beginning of June, I did my usual and looked up all the dance shops in the areas I'd be visiting and ended up being fitted at two. First, can I just express my annoyance that, when I called these shops looking for specific shoes, I was informed that yes, they carried them, only to get there and they had ONE pair that was not in my size? That doesn't count as carrying them, people! Capezio Airess Anyway, at the first shop the fitter was REALLY into the new Capezio Airess (in fact, I think the girl before me was trying them on too), and I was subsequently fit into the 1133 (tapered) model. I haven't tried a...
3 comments
Read more