May 2017 Favorites: Pointe edition

May Favorites: Pointe Edition
I've mentioned some of my pointe favorites here and there over the years, but I haven't laid them all out to discuss what I like about each product.  Remember that all feet are different and all dancers have different needs, so what I like best may not work for you at all.  I am always experimenting with different pointe shoes, toe pads, etc. (I'm working in a new brand now), but what I'm listing here includes my long-time ride or die pointe faves.

Shoes

Grishko 2007 Pro

Even though I've tried numerous different brands, Grishko is my favorite.  I bounce a little bit among Nova, DreamPointe, and 2007 (regular), but the vast majority of the shoes I've used in the past year are 2007 pro.  They differ from the regular 2007s in the length of the vamp (just slightly lower) and the construction of the box (a leather-like material is layered beneath the satin to make the shoe quieter and less slippery).  I tend to get pain across the tops of my toes (not the tips, the knuckles and nails) if they move around inside the box, and this tends to happen if the box is too wide or narrow.  Because my toes are quite tapered, my metatarsals are medium width, and my heel is very narrow, it's challenging to find a shoe that fits all parts of my foot.  I like the 2007 Pro's relatively short vamp, since it allows only my toes to be contained in the tapered box while my wider metatarsals are less constricted.  This is one of Grishko's harder-to-find models, but you usually find it at discountdance.com and bestpointe.com.

Toe Pads

Pillows for Pointe Super Gellowes (customized with Perfect Fit Pointe insert materials)

Like with most of my pointe supplies, I've used Super Gellowes for years.  They are made of clear gel sandwiched between two layers of soft cotton fabric.  These are some of the thicker toe pads out there, but they work well for me since my toes are very tapered and bony.  I used to use gel spacers since I have slight bunions, but about a year and a half ago I switched to Perfect Fit Pointe inserts to better support my feet (in addition to bunions on both sides of my feet, my second toe is longest, which causes some alignment issues).  See my full review of Perfect Fit Pointe inserts here, or check them out at perfectfitpointe.com.  Super Gellows can be found at discountdance.com and at some local dancewear stores.

Ribbon

Body Wrappers Angelo Luzio S-T-R-E-T-C-H Ribbon

I've used elasticized ribbon for a long time, and I've tried multiple brands.  The option from Body Wrappers is my favorite because the entire length of the ribbon is stretchy, not just a little piece.  Because of this, it's easier to cut the ribbons and sew shoes without carefully measuring where the stretchy piece will end up when the ribbons are tied.  I like the color of these ribbons as well.  They're a matte light peach, which matches my tights well and doesn't need to be pancaked with calamine lotion when I perform.  I also find that these ribbons hold up well without getting too dirty or tattered, so they can be re-used a couple of times.  Find it at discountdance.com and at some local dancewear stores.

Elastic

Russian Pointe elastic

I prefer this elastic because it's so soft.  Back when I wore Russian Pointe shoes, I got a ton of RP elastic fromdiscountdance.com.  (Here's a tip:  If you wear RP shoes and order them from disocuntdance.com, you can get free basic ribbon and elastic.  If you need extra, such as for criss-crossing elastics, you can increase the quantity of the free items when you view the items in your cart.  You will not be charged for them.)  The elastic does tend to stretch out after a while, but I can still re-use it at least once before it goes dead.  Find it at discountdance.com.

Tape

Nexcare Waterproof Tape

This peach-colored foam tape is great for two things: protecting skin from blisters and keeping the heels of shoes from slipping off.  Because the tape is soft and slightly squishy, it increases friction between the shoe and the skin, which in turn keeps the shoe fabric from moving and slipping, which in turn keeps the skin from getting abraded.  I usually place small pieces on my pinky-toe-side bunions and on my heels each time I put on my pointe shoes.  It makes my feet so much happier!  Find this tape at most grocery or drug stores.

Plastic Band-Aids

I tend to get bruised toenails and pain in the nail bed on my big toes if I'm en pointe for a long time (think marathon Nutcracker rehearsals).  I like to use Band-Aids to prevent the pain.  The gauze piece on Band-Aids is the perfect amount of padding without adding bulk.  I prefer plastic Band-Aids (such as printed children's ones) because they don't bend and break down as easily as fabric or foam options.