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 is worth paying attention to the footwear you wear to ballet lessons and performances.

However, you are wondering how to choose the best ballet shoes and which aspects to follow? You've come to the right place! In our guide you will learn everything you need to buy the perfect ballet flats and enjoy graceful movements while dancing. Let's start!

Step 1. Choose a material

The key challenge every aspiring ballerina faces when looking for the perfect shoes is choosing the material from which they are made. You will usually find leather or canvas ballet flats. 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 can be quite a challenge. To make your choice as easy as possible, we have summarized the pros and cons of both materials.

Leather ballet shoes

Leather is a firm favorite when it comes to maximum strength and unparalleled durability. What's more, the leather material adapts to the foot much easier, making it look neater. Leather is also a guarantee of greater support, which is why it is recommended for children and beginner dancers. 

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

Fabric ballet flats

Canvas ballet flats are a bull's-eye for people who care about keeping 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. Noteworthy is also the price, which is significantly lower compared to leather ballet flats. An additional advantage of such shoes is lightness. In addition, they are thinner than leather shoes, thanks to which they better expose the graceful movements of the feet during the dance. This solution will also work among people who, for moral reasons, avoid buying 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 have a choice between a solid sole and a split sole. Wondering how to properly tell them apart? It's easy!

The full sole is nothing more than a suede piece of material placed on the bottom of the ballet shoe, the function of which is to provide support for the arch of the foot. This type of shoes is usually chosen by novice ballerinas who are just learning to use their feet correctly 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. 

In turn, 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 of the foot, and the other on the heel. In this way, an extremely aesthetic foot line is obtained, which all ballerinas strive for. The lack of padding under the arch of the foot means that the shoe significantly gains flexibility, which emphasizes your movements, and also makes it easier to maintain the correct technique.

Step 3. Take care of the fit

Remember that the fit is essential if you don't want the grimace on your face caused by unbearable foot pain to distract attention from your neat movements. To avoid this, all you need to do is choose the right 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're wearing the tights or socks you'll be dancing in. Before classes, it is worth wearing them a few times at home so that your feet can get used to them. This will prevent discomfort. Attached, single or crossed elastic bands or ribbons will provide you with an additional fit.

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 just one choice, you will certainly need some tips. If you plan to perform in a conventional form, choose traditional colors. As a rule, pink is recommended for women, and black for men. This way you will get a professional end result. However, if you're just dancing for fun, don't worry about convention at all. Choose the color of the shoes that you like the most.

See how easy 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 that apply in the dance studio. Also pay attention to whether you are a beginner or an advanced dancer. Certainly, leather ballet shoes with a full sole will pass the exam among people who are just starting their adventure with dance. If you are already able to safely maintain proper technique, surely more flexible shoes with a split sole will prove to be a hit.