How to choose the best ballet shoes in 4 simple steps?

With the grace of a ballerina

The ballerina's movements are extremely light, subtle and graceful. All thanks to the right appearance, delicate clothes and properly fitting shoes. If you want to move so gracefully and airily, it's worth paying attention to the footwear you wear to ballet lessons and performances.

However, are you wondering how to choose the best ballet shoes and which aspects to consider? You've come to the right place! Our guide will tell you everything you need to buy the perfect ballet shoes and enjoy graceful movements while dancing. Let's get started!

Step 1. Choose the material

The key challenge faced by every beginner ballerina looking for the perfect shoes is the choice of the material from which they are made. You will usually see ballet flats made of leather or canvas. Both leather and fabric ballet shoes have a lot to offer. However, if you don't quite know what to expect from them, making the right decision may prove to be quite a challenge. To make your choice as easy as possible, we have collected the advantages and disadvantages of both materials.

Leather ballet shoes

Leather is a clear favorite when it comes to maximum strength and unrivaled durability. Moreover, the leather material adapts much easier to the foot, making it look more elegant. Leather also guarantees greater support, which is why it is recommended for children and beginner dancers. 

On the other hand, such ballet shoes are much more expensive than their canvas counterparts. What's more, they take much longer to dry after washing or sweating heavily. For these reasons, many ballerinas decide to buy fabric ballet shoes. 

Fabric ballet flats

Canvas ballet shoes are a hit for people who want to keep them clean without any problems. Just wash them by hand or throw them in the washing machine and you're done! Best of all, this material dries much faster than classic leather. The price is also worth noting - compared to leather ballet shoes, it is significantly lower. An additional advantage of such shoes is their lightness. Additionally, they are thinner than leather shoes, so they better highlight the graceful movements of the feet while dancing. This solution will also work for people who, for moral reasons, avoid purchasing products made of animal skin.

Step 2. Pay attention to the sole

In addition to the material from which ballet shoes are made, the specificity of their sole is equally important. Basically, you will have to choose between a full or split sole. Are you wondering how to actually tell them apart? It's simple!

A full sole is nothing more than a suede piece of material placed on the bottom of a ballet shoe, whose function is to provide support for the arch of the foot. This type of shoes is usually chosen by beginner ballerinas who are just learning to use their feet properly while dancing. The full sole will allow you to build strength and muscles. While it won't give you much flexibility, it will provide more resistance under the arch of your foot. 

Ballet shoes with a split sole are recommended for more advanced people. In this case, the suede material located on the bottom of the shoe is divided into two parts. One of them is located on the instep and the other on the heel. In this way, an extremely aesthetic foot line is achieved, which all ballerinas strive for. The lack of padding under the arch of the foot makes the shoe significantly more flexible, thus emphasizing your movements and making it easier to maintain proper technique.

Step 3. Take care of the fit

Remember that fit is key if you don't want the grimace caused by unbearable foot pain to distract from your graceful movements. To avoid this, just choose the correct shoe size. Keep in mind that properly fitting shoes should be comfortable, but not too loose or too tight. They should fit practically like a sock. 

When trying on ballet shoes, make sure you are wearing the tights or socks you will be dancing in. Before classes, it is worth wearing them several times at home so that your feet can get used to them. This will prevent any discomfort. Additional fit will be provided by attached, single or crossed elastic bands or ribbons.

Step 4. Choose a color

Although the color of ballet flats seems to be a completely subjective matter, if you have a hard time making one choice, you will certainly need some advice. If you plan to perform in a conventional form, choose traditionally adopted colors. As a rule, pink is recommended for women and black for men. This way you will achieve a professional end result. However, if you dance purely for fun, don't worry about convention at all. Choose the color of the shoes that you like best.

See how simple it is?

As you can see, buying ballet shoes is not a particularly complicated task. However, before you finalize the transaction, make sure that the shoes you choose comply with the rules applicable in the dance studio. Also pay attention to whether you are a beginner or an advanced dancer. Leather ballet shoes with a full sole will certainly prove useful for people who are just starting their adventure with dancing. If you are already able to safely maintain the correct technique, more flexible shoes with a split sole will certainly prove to be a great choice.