Grishko DreamPointe pointe shoe review

Grishko’s latest innovation in pointe shoe technology has not been talked about too much.  Available in Europe since spring/summer 2015, this new shoe melds Gaynor Minden’s futuristic plastic shank design with traditional paste boxes and classic Grishko appeal into what really has potential to be “the perfect pointe shoe.”  (The DreamPointe is now my shoe.  I have replaced my Novas.)

Let’s start with basic specs.  The design is based on the Grishko 2007.  The DreamPointe has a tapered shape, but it is slightly less tapered than the original 2007 (the DreamPointe is shaped more like the Triumph).  The glue used to form the box is the new flexible quiet glue used on Novas and Miracles, not the “crackly brittle glue” of the original 2007.  The crown is higher than that of the original 2007, and the platform is larger all around (again more like the Triumph).  The wing is medium, and the vamp is medium-high.

For sizing, the DreamPointe is on the same sizing scale as the 2007, Miracle, and Nova (about 1.5 sizes down from US street size).  It is available in sizes ½ (fits approximately children’s size 11 to 12) to 8 (fits approximately women’s size 9.5 to 10) and widths X to XXXXX.  I felt most comfortable in a 4 XX, the same size I wear in Grishko Nova and 2007. 

The shanks offered are a little different.  “LM” or light medium is approximately the same as the “soft” shank offered for the Grishko Nova (or between the super soft and medium shanks offered for the 2007).  “LH” or light hard is harder, approximately the same as the medium shank offered for the Nova and 2007.  “LS” or light soft is available as a special order.  I assume this is somewhere between the ProFlex and super soft shanks in terms of hardness.

The big deal innovations with this shoe are the materials in the shank and platform.  Instead of a compressed particle board covered in glue, plastic mesh (think about what casts for broken bones are usually made of) forms the hard supportive layers in the shank.  The same stuff is in the platform of the shoe, so technically neither can wear out.  The box of the shoe is made with paste (albeit more flexible and advanced paste), so the shoe performs just like a regular Grishko shoe, not like an extra-springy Gaynor Minden.  The huge advantage to this shoe over one with a traditional cardboard shank is that it cannot be worn out.  The shoe does not get softer and softer with each wear; the shanks and platforms stay has hard as they were they day they were purchased.

Now, this does not mean an indestructible shoe.  The boxes can be worn out, though the paste seems to hold its shape for a pretty long period of time.  The satin can still rip off the platforms of the shoes, which can lead to deterioration of support and balance.  The plastic mesh material in the shank can snap, which leads to a decrease in support.  Pointe shoe glue can hold a snapped shank for a short amount of time, but it is not a long term fix.  My Grishko DreamPointes have lasted about 3.5 months during performance season, compared regular Grishko 2007s which last about 1 to 1.5 months during performance season.

If you are comfortable in a Grishko 2007, Nova, Triumph, or Maya in a soft or medium shank, I think you could be comfortable in a DreamPointe.  The semi-tapered shape makes the DreamPointe a fairly generic shoe, although dancers with super narrow or super wide feet probably will not find a perfect fit.  Also, dancers who need a very high wing or low vamp will not like the DreamPointe.  However, a high vamp with a medium wing and soft shank is a great combination to promote control and security, and a large platform makes balancing easier.  This shoe is also very lightweight, so it is easy to dance in.  An unfortunate drawback to such a light shoe is that it is delicate.  Larger dancers and dancers who “sit” in their shoes and put a lot of pressure on their shanks will snap them. 

I adore the DreamPointe.  I find it very easy and comfortable to dance in.  My ankle issues have left me crushing shoes on one foot and barely getting over them on the other.  The DreamPointe gives me a gentle, yet supportive and resilient shoe that lasts a long time and only costs about $2 or $3 more than any other Grishko shoe.  For me, it really is perfect. 

The DreamPointe is not yet available in the US.  As far as I know, no local retailers or US based websites stock it.  Grishko does stock the DreamPointe on their website (grishkoshop.com).  They will ship to the US, but all packages come from Russia and take about 4 weeks to come in the mail (no shipping charge or sales tax, though).  Bestpointe.com also ships the DreamPointe to the US, and they mail from Greece and the Czech Republic (also with no sales tax or shipping charge).  Packages from bestpointe take about 2 weeks to arrive.  I am currently ok with this because I am sure of my size (although I HATE driving to the post office to pick up foreign packages).  However, I do wish the DreamPointes would become available so that more dancers can experience this wonderful shoe!