Pointe shoes: Hard shank? Soft shank? Part I: Flexibility and strength

This is one of those topics that gets tossed around a lot.  There are a lot of differing beliefs.  For example:

"That's why Bloch shoes are for beginners.  People with strong feet kill them too fast.  You need hard shoes because your feet are strong."

This obviously suggests that hard shoes are for advanced dancers, and soft shoes are for beginners.  But what about:

"Her feet were so strong that she didn't even need shoes to go en pointe.  She would demonstrate for us when teaching and relevé all the way up in bare feet.  It was so crazy!"

This statement is completely the opposite from the first--it suggests that dancers with very strong feet don't need support from the shoe at all.  Then there's the now-pervasive argument about Gaynor Mindens:

"My studio doesn't allow Gaynor Mindens.  They don't make you work because they hold you up."

"I knew a girl that wore Gaynor Mindens, and once she switched to a Grishko and she couldn't even get up on the shank."

Gaynor Mindens are tricky.  I have some thoughts about them, but I'll save them for later.  For now, I'm going to write about "traditional" shoes in hard and soft shanks.  Is it true that strong dancers should get hard shanks?  Or is a soft shoe the true hallmark of strong feet?

I have to admit, one of the reasons that I'm writing this is because I was (quietly) a little offended by the first statement, that Blochs are for beginners.  I wear Bloch Aspirations.  These are actually the shoe I've worn since my first (quickly killed) pair of pointe shoes, which were Gambas.  I had a brief diversion into a pair of Gaynor Mindens, but they didn't fit quite right, so I ended up going back to Aspirations and am pretty happy with them.  They're also cheap.  So that's a bonus.

(My sister, on the other hand, never seemed to really find a shoe that she liked, and bounced around between lots of different shoes.)

I would not consider myself a beginner.  But, recently I've uncovered a secret love of soft shoes. I like softer shoes because they let me really articulate through every millimeter of the relevé.  I like softer shoes because I don't get thrown up to the top of the platform.   I like softer shoes because when I'm jumping I don't sound like a grandfather clock being thrown down the stairs--and it takes FAR less effort to get the same height in softer shoes!  I like balancing in softer shoes because I can consistently negotiate just where my weight is, instead of being encouraged in a certain direction by a harder shank.  I just wish I could get my shoes to the perfect malleable wonderful softness and have them STAY there, instead of wearing out.

Also, here's the real reason I originally started looking into pointe shoe shanks: in high school, I had my hard shoe on my right (stronger) and my soft shoe on the left (weaker), but these days I have the soft shoe on my right, and the hard one on the left.  The right foot just breaks the shoe in faster, so I don't have to do anything special (I actually used to soften up a shoe on my right foot and then switch sides).  

~*~

When considering shank strength, there are multiple factors to consider.  In Part I, I'm not going to talk about everything--I'm going to limit myself to the first three points, and how they apply to getting over the shoe properly. 

1.  Do you have high, flexible arches that are prone to falling over the pointe?  Or do you have an ankle that makes a straight line and a moderate arch (like mine)?  Or do you have inflexible ankle that doesn't go fully vertical, and a tendency to not get over the box?  (I imagine you could have combination flexible arch/inflexible ankle, but I have to admit I have not met many folks like this.)
2.  Do you have strong feet, or weak feet?  Strong ankles, or weak ankles?  Often, but not always, natural flexibility and natural strength are in inverse relation.
3.  Are you tall?  Broad?  Heavy?  Tiny?  
4.  Do you have strong or weak hips, quads, and core?
5.  What are you trying to do in your shoe?  Fast relevés that you need to pop up for?  Hops on pointe?  A soft adagio?  Long balances?  Jumps?  Repeated pirouettes?  Les Sylphides?  (That's the ballet that always comes up when people mention wanting a softer shoe...)
6.  How badly do you not want to buy another pair of shoes in two days?  (This, and this blog in general, applies to amateurs, not professionals, of course!)

Getting over on the pointe is the most important thing, and is intimately paired with maintaining the proper position.  They're the salt 'n' pepper of pointework.  Or maybe the bread and butter. 

There are three general categories: too far over, correctly over, and under.  Let's consider point 1, foot/arch/ankle flexibility:

- Those ballet-blessed with high, flexible arches and ankles have wonderful lines, but a tendency to go too far over the box (risking injury).
- Those with middlingly flexible arches and ankles look less "idealistically" pretty, but have less of a tendency to fall over the box.
- Those with a less flexible ankle have the tendency to not get properly on top of the box (high risk for falling and skidding).

(I've seen this graphic floating around a lot--it's not mine!  But I don't know its origin.  Also, the over-the-box shoe is really unflattering...)

Basically, a hard shank lends its stiffness to the highly flexible foot, and a soft shank lends its flexibility to the less flexible foot.  The shank is the equalizer.  Those with high and flexible arches are often encouraged to go with a hard shank in order to lower the risk of going too far over and breaking important pieces of anatomy. 

Let's continue to point 2: strength of foot.

- Stronger feet achieve the point; stronger ankles can maintain correct position;
- Weaker feet/ankles are lacking in these areas.

So, say you are completely blessed and have very strong, very flexible feet and ankles.  You will likely still want a shank on the harder side, so you have a little more room for error, but strong technique and muscles will also prevent you from going too far over the shoe and, of course, breaking important pieces of anatomy.  Or perhaps a higher vamp will help you stay in the shoe and over the box, and you can use a softer shank.  Strong and flexible feet with weak ankles will almost certainly want a stronger shank to support the ankle and help maintain position. 

On the other hand, say you are cursed with weak, inflexible feet and ankles.  Not only will you have a hard time getting over the box at all, but maintaining the position will be difficult.  My educated guess is that a medium shank would be best here---enough flexibility to encourage getting on top of the box, but enough support to be able to use the shoe to maintain the full point, as the ankle muscles are not yet available. 

I don't want to do all the permutations, but the other two "extreme" cases are weak but flexible, for which I would definitely suggest a hard shank, since the muscles are not available to maintain correct position and the shoe is needed for support.  Meanwhile, strong but inflexible would likely do better with a medium-soft to soft shank. 

Point 3 actually doesn't really have much to do with achieving and maintaining position, except that you need strong feet relative to your build.  I'm 5'8" and 140 pounds, and all else being equal, would do better with a harder shank than someone at 5'5" and 105 pounds, OR, I need much stronger feet.  Just extra weight being on the dancer puts more stress on the shank.  I've also seen very slender dancers (especially young, short ones) have a hard time getting the arch to show up in the shoe at all, just because there's nothing pressing down on the shoe.

~*~

These different factors explain why there are various thoughts that "hard shoes are for beginners" "soft shoes are for beginners" (but nobody says anything about the lonely, neglected medium shoe).

- For beginners with average to inflexible feet, it's easier to get over the box on a soft shank.  Even if beginners are strong for technique class, they do not yet have the strength in the muscles required for pointe.  (And, as I think I've mentioned before, pointework just amplifies all your flaws!)  Thus, just getting up on the box at all is extremely difficult with a hard shoe--even if it'll hold you there when you do get up.
- On the other hand, lots of flexibility or more weakness in the ankles really does need a harder shank to avoid injury.

At the same time, some teachers require hard shanks for everyone.  This covers the extra flexible people, and also puts new pointe feet through a boot camp (pointe camp?) of getting stronger--as long as the students are ACTUALLY working the shoe, and not just hanging out behind the full pointe.  I'd be surprised if people recommended soft for all, since that puts the flexible people at risk. 

I wish I could make a 3D table on here, with dimensions of flexibility, ankle strength, and foot strength, and figure out what each would need. 

So, there you have it.  Whatever you have to say about Gaynor Minden, their shank advice is spot on, though does not address the dancing part of the equation, which is what I will get to in Part II.  There are also other discussions on forums that pick apart these issues.  I'm really not making stuff up and throwing it out there because someone said soft shoes were for beginners!

The British are coming!

The girls at my studio are abuzz because the Royal Ballet is coming to the US for a summer 2015 tour.  They're performing in Washington DC (June 9-14), Chicago (June 18-21), and New York* (June 23-28).  In the first two cities they're doing Don Q and in New York they're doing a bunch of other repertoire.

In some comment somewhere I saw that someone apparently really, really didn't want the RB to perform Alice.  I have to say, I really don't understand not liking the RB production of Alice in Wonderland!  When you have tapping...




And this pas de deux...



Though personally, I like the pas de deux better with Lauren Cuthbertson and Sergei Polunin.  It's not quite as technically smooth (partner-wise) but it feels more genuine.  And softer?  Younger?  More innocent and Alice-like?  But, still, I do really like that pas.  How can you hate Alice?!

The summer in New York is just full of ballet. In addition to the Royal Ballet tour, ABT has an amazing lineup for June.  La Bayadère, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, and Cinderella.  Swan Lake and Cinderella are in the same time period as the Royal Ballet tour if you want to pack full a week in NYC!  ABT also happens to be saying good-bye to a couple of my favorite dancers: Xiomara Reyes and Paloma Herrera.

My parents may or may not be coming to visit me/NYC around that time (their last visit to NYC was disappointing, because their companions didn't want to walk around much), so hopefully some ballet will be in our trip.

*Look, I've fallen into the very NYS habit of calling New York City "New York."  When I first got here, I was always slightly annoyed by people calling NYC "New York."  "Where are you going for break?" "New York."  ("But you're already HERE!!")

Challenge of the week: February 16th, 2015

Location: From the corner

Combination: Corner turns (en pointe, but I'm sure that's not what makes this difficult--in fact, it may be easier en pointe than in technique shoes)

Step: Piqué en dedans (single), piqué en dedans (single), double piqué turn en dedans with arms on the hips, taking up the same amount of time for this double as you did for both of the singles combined. 

I'm pretty sure the arms on the hips don't really matter either, but it does bring your "circle" inward and make it harder to turn slowly---like when you're on the twirly chair as a kid and you spin around really fast when you bring your legs in? 

Challenge: Stopping your turning momentum just enough to take up the full four (three, not counting the final plié) counts for two pirouettes without stopping it SO much that you don't get around.  It also helps if you alter the timing a little.  Usually for double piqué en dedans, the timing is to get AROUND right away.  USUALLY, the combination is single, single, double, single, and the challenge is getting your back around fast enough to do both turns before the 7, 8.  In this case, you almost have to piqué without turning, and then using your balance, spot, turnout, back, etc. to get around. 

Success?: It took me a couple of runs on both sides before I was able to consistently get it (to the right) and mostly get it (to the left).  

Tip: A. use your plié; B. do NOT let your turnout fail in the takeoff.  Nailing the turnout will help you both balance and time the "body pirouette."  C.  Timing thusly (counting a fast 8, rather than a 1 and 2 and):

1 pique pirouette 2 plie, 3 pique pirouette 4 plie,  5 pique 6 pirouette 7 pirouette 8 plie

In the "5 pique" it is kind of a slow half-turn, or at least it is the way I'm doing it.  I got this method to work on the left side (though not as consistently as on the right), so it can't be something I'm just "ramming through" on my strong side.

Challenge of the week: February 9th, 2015

I'm going to start a "challenge of the week."  The classes I take with the company usually have one truly difficult thing (for me... lol) per week, which THEY all work on all week and then I come in on Fridays and am the one flapping around.  The Saturday class usually goes better, haha. 

I actually want to give one from two weeks ago, because it's the one that made me want to do this. 


Location:  Center

Combination: Adagio

Step:  Sousu in croise, arms a la seconde.  Slow port de bras forward while on full demi (or 3/4, whatever your studio calls it) point, moving arms to fifth as normal at the bottom.  Come back up.
 
Challenge:  Holding your glutes and quads firm enough to balance while changing your center of gravity quite drastically.  Coming back up is much harder, though I'm not sure if that is due to the fact that your muscles are tired, or because it's merely the switch in momentum/direction. 

Success?:  We did the adagio twice on Friday and twice on Saturday.  I got it the second time on Saturday on both sides. The first time on Saturday I made it down but had to fling myself back up instead of doing it slowly. 

Tip: Keep your eyes focused more or less as you would for a penche.  That is, in a straight line out, or perhaps a little above where a straight line from your eyes would be.  At the barre, we normally do pdbras with our face turned to the side, but that just makes it unreasonably difficult.

Pirouettes

Good day in class today.  I actually did a perfectly balanced quadruple en dehors pirouette from fourth to the right (phew, that's a lot of qualifiers!).  I attempted two more, but both times I hopped at about the 3.5 mark.  I also did in our adagio a very nice slow double "adagio pirouette" (en dehors from fourth also) that was smooth and balanced, arms in fifth, AND the teacher saw it and commented.  So yeah, a good day!

I've recently been experimenting with different preparation stances for en dehors pirouettes from fourth.  When I was in Spain, I took classes at a Balanchine (and Bournonville, but mainly Balanchine) school, and they weren't of the philosophy that adult/open class people could do whatever technique they had learned.  Thus, I had to learn the straight back leg preparation, which was not what I had learned as a kid. 

I didn't like it much at the time, but it didn't have much effect on me.  Then I did modern instead of ballet for a year, and when I came BACK to ballet, my turns were all wonky and I couldn't do quadruples anymore.  (I unfairly attribute this to having become accustomed to turning in bare feet.)  But, I had the best luck with a straight back leg preparation.  I'm not entirely sure why this is.  I don't actually know why Balanchine preparations are that way---I don't know if he liked the aesthetic, or the physical effect.  I've seen one source that says it's because it provides an element of surprise (i.e., you don't necessarily know that they're about to pirouette if their back leg is straight). 

What I'm actually doing now is a bit of a mix.  I think the girls at my studio mostly do the whole fourth position with both legs bent, but I start in a lunge-like fourth and the draw the foot in the half beat before.  Now, if we're doing the crazy petit allegro that one of the soloists in the company gave, that landed in the fourth IN the half beat before a double turn in one count (a FAST count), obviously there's no time to switch, and I just start out with both legs bent. 

Anyway, this new prep gives a deeper plie for me, which helped me get that quad today.  I think it also helped me really secure the turnout on the standing leg. 

However, the ACTUAL recent improvement to my balance in pirouettes is knitting my core as I push off for the pirouette.  Whenever I have a bad turn combination, I usually realize afterward that I was being lazy in the core. 

In sum, technique.  It works again.  It really isn't just a look. 

That "duh" moment

I recently noticed that my port des bras side to the left (so the right side is stretched) is MUCH less flexible than the other way.  I wondered if it was because I sleep funny (my right shoulder is also stiffer, stronger, but has weird pain at certain angles with certain pressure---specifically those that occur if I scrub a countertop with my arm stretched too far).

I had a modern class on Monday that used a lot of upper body strength and flexibility, and I was really sore in these particular side spots.  Yesterday I realized I am probably stiff on one side because I have a cross-body messenger bag with the weight on the right.  Duh.  So it's back to the backpack, which has the added bonus of holding more things and not looking so dingy---the messenger bag is a bright yellow, or at least it is for the day after it's washed.

I don't know if this change will affect any of my 12 goals for 12 weeks, but perhaps it will at least have a positive effect in general moving life. 

12 goals for 12 weeks

My left foot (Ankle? Hip?) is my weak one.  I think it's both physical and mental.  I get a little nervous every time I have to do something en pointe on my left leg.

In any case, the best demonstration of this is that I can do fouettes to the LEFT en pointe, but not to the right.  This is the opposite as in technique shoes, where I am better to the right.  My dominant rotational direction is clockwise (when viewing from above), or to the right.  But, en pointe, the weak foot trumps and my weaker turning direction is the only way that works (because it's on my stronger leg).

I'm supposed to be Summer Fairy in Cinderella this spring and it was described to me as a part that was "beautiful" and that needed a "STRONG" dancer, so now I'm really nervous that she's overestimated me.  So, I've made a resolution.  I made a PVC DIY barre, and I have wood floors at home, so I have no reason to not do this.

Conveniently, I have 12 goals for 12 weeks.  

General body goals for April 25 (performance date):

1.  Splits in both directions (I actually recently regained my ability to do splits to the right!!  I haven't been doing that since I was like 15.)
2.  Stronger iliopsoas for better extensions.  I might have to work on my dancer's hip on the left hip (it's more severe on that side)
3.  Get my modern abs back... I used to have pretty decent core strength.  No longer. 
4.  More flexible back.  The first thing I have to do is figure out my mattress problem.  I think I've got it sorted now, but I need more nights sleeping like this to be sure.
5.  I know this is not a big deal for ballet, but I want my modern triceps back, too...
6.  Work my stamina up.  I nearly died after that Dewdrop role.  

Leg/foot-specific goals:

7.  There's an upper inner quad muscle that I don't really have.  It comes from pulling up in balances.  I have them sufficiently to balance well in technique shoes but en pointe, those muscles fatigue very quickly.  I would like that muscle.
8.  Get my left foot to stop sickling in the passe.  I don't know why exactly it does this... I think it has to do with my left hip being weak/stuck from dancer's hip, and I'm kind of digging into my knee to hold it up.
9.  Strengthen both feet.  I want to be able to do bourrees and pas de courus for real and for long distances.  I mean, look at them.  Just look at them.     
10.  ESPECIALLY strengthen the left and make sure that I get into the mental habit of doing releves on it to full power.  I don't know if it's just that my right leg always does a full, strong releve and my left doesn't, or if my right leg actually gets away with a bad one too but is better formed/stronger/etc. and so it doesn't matter.
11.  I want to be able to do one-footed eleves on both legs...
12.  I want to be able to do at least 8 fouettes in both directions (consistently).  I'm almost there for the left side but obviously to the right, on the left leg, is much weaker.  It's not that I can't do ANY fouettes.  I just lose it faster.

Most of these will take daily work, though I'm a fan of alternating days so that muscles don't just get tired and worn out.  I don't know exactly what to do about iliopsoas strengthening.  I did a couple of exercises two weeks ago, and the next day I had class, and the adagio KILLED.  I don't want to be that sore for class.  Perhaps I need to do exercises with less intensity. 

Today I started on my leg/foot goals by putting on my dying pointe shoes and doing the exercise we start pointe class with: grand plie, roll up to full pointe IN the grand plie, straighten up, roll down, do three times each in first and second, plus a normal releve and balance; two times in fifth (the hardest position) with two releves and a port de bras forward and back in sousu.  My hips and upper inner quads scream at me every week for this exercise.  So... I'm going to do them more than once a week. (Stop screaming, or I'll give you something to scream about?)