Breaking In Pointe Shoes | Pro Tip from Jessica Lohr

Our current Featured Guest, Jessica Lohr, is a Solo Artist with Ballet 5:8. Follow along each week as Jessica shares tips on how to care for your body, ballet life hacks, and more. Read below as Jessica explains how she likes to break in her pointe shoes.

Jessica says:

No one likes breaking in brand new pointe shoes! The first class or rehearsal I wear a new pair they always feel a little clunky and like I cannot quite roll through my feet in the way that I want to. This used to be such a problem for me that I would avoid wearing new shoes and instead wore ones that were way too dead.

Several years ago, I began wetting the box of my shoe with a little water the first day I wore them, and I have been doing this ever since! This allows the shoe to mold to my feet as I dance in them and makes them feel so much more comfortable and danceable. It only takes a little water applied with a paper towel and makes a huge difference!

Note: Each dancer is different, so breaking in pointe shoes may look different for each dancer.