The end of the year has brought my biggest challenge yet: dancing en pointe.
I’m not ready. I’ve always believed I shouldn’t dance en pointe until I’m strong enough to hold positions on demi-pointe. But I found myself in a situation where I have to wear pointe shoes for a film performance. Luckily, the character isn’t successful with pointe shoes, and I can lean into what she’s experiencing. Still, I would have preferred to be ready.
Stepping into The Dance Store (2509 S Robertson Blvd) is a rite of passage for any ballet dancer in Los Angeles. The storied dance shop has everything one needs for their ballet journey, from leotards to warming boots. I wandered in like Harry Potter entering Ollivanders, not realizing I needed an appointment to be fitted for pointe shoes. They allowed me to sit and wait while a girl a quarter of my age jumped and glided effortlessly on her toes, testing out a new pair.
The saleswoman asked me to remove my shoes, looked at my feet, and said, “Oh no!”
I was immediately distressed. I’d been relieved I’d had a pedicure and didn’t expect a problem.
“Your feet are long and narrow.” It was true. Being six feet tall, my feet are unusually large, at least for a woman—men’s sizes in regular shoes. But my feet are also quite slender, and my toes are long.
“They have long and they have narrow, but they don’t have both,” she said handing me a sock liner, a gel protector, and the first pair of pointe shoes, “Your feet are like a boat in them!”
I tried to stand on my tiptoes and I could feel the parents’ eyes on me as the shoe slipped off. She would have to special order the largest, narrowest pair she could find. Despite everything, she was supportive and told me she might find several options.
A few weeks later, I was trying on my first pair of pointe shoes. Even though they hurt, I purchased them and they were sewed at the store. A few weeks later, I put them on the for the first time while filming my performance. They didn’t hurt quite as badly as I expected, and we used movie magic to create the illusion of me dancing en pointe.
Maybe in a year, I won’t need movie magic anymore!
2026 Ballet Goals
- Stretch every day; achieve front splits
- Go to class three times per week consistently
- Strengthen my back with this exercise by Maria Khoreva
- Stand en pointe without a barre
- Improved arabesque height
- Improved foot strength and flexibility
What is your dance journey?
