Take My Money

For most dancers, the prospect of getting their first pair of pointe shoes is a highly anticipated event.  In the wonderful world of ballet, it typically means that a teacher has observed some signs of readiness in her young student.  A combination of maturity, technique, and commitment need to be demonstrated for the instructor to give the go-ahead, and young dancers are eager to prove that they have what it takes to go en pointe.

For years, my daughters have watched their older friends reach that milestone with admiration and just a trace of envy.  They couldn’t wait for the day that their dance teacher would tell them to make an appointment for a fitting.  Last year, they firmly believed that they were on their way to joining their friends.  But then, a global pandemic derailed their progress (and their hopes as well); their journey to be pointe-ready came to a screeching halt.  They were disappointed, of course, but hoped that they would have the chance once dance classes resumed in the fall.

Here It Comes…

They were right.  Last week, their teacher told them to go home and ask mom (that would be me) to make the appointment.  They were absolutely giddy with excitement and anticipation, and could hardly contain themselves when they burst into the car after class.  Ear-to-ear smiles threatened to split their faces in half, and their voices took on that high-pitched timbre unique to preteen girls.  

Before this year, I knew next to nothing about pointe except that it looked beautiful; while my sister did get the opportunity to go en pointe while she was in dance school, I never did (I only took jazz and tap classes growing up).  But mixed in with my excitement for my girls were a few misgivings.

The Financial Factor

As much as I wanted to see my daughters reach that all-important milestone, I was also a little concerned about the impact it would have on my monthly dance budget.  Based on the feedback and wisdom from experienced dance moms, pointe shoes are fairly high maintenance and expensive.  From what I’ve heard, they almost become disposable if not properly taken care of.  

Now, I love my girls and know they’re good kids.  But neat freaks, they are not.  When they come home after school, they tear off their uniforms and blast through the house with the force of a natural disaster.  So I had little faith that they would invest any real time or energy into caring for their new pointe shoes.  

But when we went for the fitting today, my perspective changed a bit.  When the store owner sat them down to talk about what pointe shoes should feel like, how they should take care of them, and all that, my girls listened attentively and asked intelligent questions.  They advocated for themselves as well, intently concentrating on the fit and feel of the shoe, and providing thoughtful feedback to find their best option.  When handed their bags at the end of the transaction, they were absolutely beaming with pride.

So sure, throw those toe pads, mesh bags, ribbons, sewing kit, and everything else in there. To have this important moment with my daughters is worth every penny.

Work hard, have fun! – Danielle

For the real deal on first pointe shoe fittings, go to A Good Pointe, Part 1.