Pointe Shoe Fitting

Pointe shoe fittings are available with our trained pointe shoe fitter, after hours, Thursday to Sunday:

Thursday - 5.45pm onwards

Friday - 5.45pm

Saturday - 5.30pm onwards

Sunday - 3.45pm onwards

When our pointe shoe fitting service is in higher demand, for example during school holidays and at the beginning of dance school terms, we also offer many additional pointe shoe fitting slots. Including on some of the days when we’re normally closed. (See our general shop hours here).

We can also bring in an additional pointe shoe fitter.

* Fittings must be pre-booked by phoning the shop during business hours on: 01606 75770

This is our preferred method and the quickest and easiest way for you to make the booking because of important information for the fitting that we need to ask you and to also give to you.

If you can't make a phone booking, please fill out the Pointe Shoe Booking Request Form, at the bottom of this page and press submit. 

Please note that your booking will not be complete until we have contacted you back to offer you some dates and times and then confirmed it.

These are the two most efficient ways to make a pointe shoe booking. Please try not to email us directly or use our general contact form. Or contact us through Facebook, Messenger, Twitter or Instagram, as these platforms are not checked as regularly. Many thanks.

 

About our Pointe Shoe Fitting Service: 

Here at L. J. Little Dancewear, we’re passionate about everything dance!
We provide friendly and knowledgeable pointe shoe fittings, available by appointment only.
Our pointe shoe fitter Rebecca, has been professionally trained by top dance brands and trainers including Karla Bray at Capezio London; Amanda Hill from Ballet Pro, which is based on her work and others including Linda Reid-Lobatto and Esther Juon and Rebecca has also completed the Bloch Pointe Shoe seminar.

Having professionally trained as a performer at the Arts Educational schools, Tring and London she is experienced en pointe herself. She also has knowledge as a trained dance teacher and holds qualifications with Ofqual, CCEA & internationally recognised dance teaching organisations, the IDTA, NATD & ISTD and is enhanced DBS checked.

We also take advice and work closely with Alison, formally of Barnum’s Dance, to provide us with extra help, expertise and knowledge. Alison is a well renowned, long-standing pointe shoe fitter and also a trained dancer and dance teacher, holding qualifications with the RAD and ISTD.

 

What to do before you book with us: 

We have a good relationship with many teachers in the area and normally they have given their authorisation to the student to come to us to be fitted, especially if this is their first pair of pointe shoes.
To avoid injury, the student’s feet, ankles, legs and core muscles must be strong enough and you must be able to turn out correctly from the hips, to be ready to go en pointe. So please make sure you have the go ahead from your ballet teacher before you make a booking. 

 

How to book:
Please call us during shop hours on: 01606 75770 to secure your booking. This is the quickest and easiest way to make your booking.
Or by filling out the pointe shoe booking request form at the bottom of this page, but your booking will not be complete until we have contacted you back to confirm it. 

Making a booking with us affirms that you have been authorised by a qualified teacher to be fitted for pointe shoes, or you are currently wearing pointe shoes.

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What to do when you book with us: 

We’ll ask you to provide us with the following details. Please see our Privacy Policy on our website as to how we protect your information.
For under 16’s please give us the Parent / Guardian details for the following * 

• Name *

• Email *

• Contact number *

Please provide us with the following details of the student who is to be fitted: 

• Shoe Size. 

• Foot Width. If you know it, don’t worry as your feet will be fully assessed at the fitting. 

• Dance School. 

• Ballet Grade. 

• Age. 

• How long they have been dancing. 

• If this is their first pair of pointe shoes to be fitted, or if they have been fitted before. 

• If the teacher has any requirements, such as allowing padding in the shoes or anything else they may want us to know. 

• Any problems the student has currently, or has had in the past. 

 

What to wear for your fitting: 

• Convertible tights or ballet socks. We can provide you with ballet socks if you don’t have either of these as we need to see bare feet and ankles easily. 

• Comfortable clothing that isn’t restrictive. Ideally dance / leisurewear as you will need to be able to plié, rise and pointe the feet and we need to see around the feet and ankles easily. You don’t need to be wearing your best ballet bun and pancake tutu though! 

• Make sure your toenails are cut short and any cuts, blisters etc are healed before hand or covered with plasters.            

• Bring your old pointe shoes and any padding if you have previously been fitted. 

What to expect at your fitting:
We allow about an hour for each fitting, sometimes it can take a little longer. If you have been fitted before we may not need all of this time.
Your fitting will be very thorough to enable us to endeavour to get the correct pair of pointe shoes that fit you beautifully, but it will also be a really enjoyable experience at the same time.

Amongst many things, we will assess your feet including the metatarsals and intrinsic muscles, to make sure they are strong enough for pointe work. Please let us know if you do not feel comfortable having your feet touched. 

Whether it's your first pair or a re fit, we make your fitting very special and give you lots of useful information to go home with, on a FREE helpful tips sheet.

What to do after your fitting:
We like to work closely with dance teachers to ensure the dancer is ready to go en pointe and have a good relationship with many teachers in the area. Many of them usually have been in contact with us first about the student who is coming in for their fitting.
Because of this good relationship, please take your pointe shoes to your ballet teacher first to check that they are happy with them, before you darn your shoes / attach suede tips, sew on your ribbons or break in your shoes. 

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FREE fitting service:

Our Pointe Shoe fitting appointments are free, as long as you purchase your Pointe Shoes with us.

If Pointe Shoes are not purchased with us after our in depth fitting appointment, there is a £20 Pointe Shoe fitting fee.

 
Makes of pointe shoes that we currently stock (in alphabetical order):
Many of the different styles, by the following leading brands:

Bloch
Capezio
Grishko

Merlet - (coming soon)

R Class-RC Collection

Virtisse
If we don’t have in stock what we think is the perfect shoe for the student on the day of the fitting, we can always order in. 

 

Other items available: 

Many accessories including ribbons, elastics, gel pads etc, foot rollers, resistance bands, exercise balls, rosin, drying inserts, breathable pointe shoes bags. 

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Helpful guides – please click the links below:

If you have been fitted for pointe shoes with us at L. J. Little Dancewear,  at the end of your fitting we gave you a FREE helpful tips sheet full of useful information about after care, preparing your shoes, strengthening exercises and much more! Here are the links to some of the info mentioned on our info sheet.

Content is the copyright of the link holder or brand and not L. J. Little Dancewear.

All links open in a new window.

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How to sew on ribbons: 

There are many ways to sew on ribbons (and elastics if you use them as well). It may be worth asking your teacher if they have a preference, as this info is just a suggested approach:

The Bloch way

The Capezio way

The Ballet Pro way. Tab down to their FAQ 7) Sewing on Pointe Shoe Ribbons

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How to darn your shoes:

There are many ways to darn your shoes. It may be worth asking your teacher if they have a preference, as this info is just a suggested approach:

A chain stitch is one suggestion. Start on the outer edge of the platform and darn inwards in a spiral.

Link to film of how to do a chain stitch

Link to photo of chain stitch on a pointe shoe

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Preparing your pointe shoes for wear: 

Your teacher will probably have a preferred method in their class but if not, here is a suggested approach:

Link to Ballet Pro. Tab down to their FAQ 8) Breaking in Pointe Shoes

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Strengthening Exercises: 

Your teacher will probably be working on strengthening exercises in class to enable you to be ready for pointe work. In addition to the strengthening exercises we discussed at your fitting, here are some suggestions for some more:

Link to Ballet Pro. Tab down to their FAQ  2) Why do you need intrinsic foot muscle strength?

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Karla Bray’s insta tips:

Karla Bray is the head pointe shoe fitter at Capezio London:

Info coming soon.