Ballet shoes

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Not all ballet shoes have reinforced tips for dancing en pointe, exercises on the barre are done wearing light, soft shoes.

Ballet shoes, or ballet slippers, are specially designed lightweight shoes for ballet dancing. Ballet shoes are soft shoes worn by ballet dancers until their bones are ossified and their muscles strong enough for them to use pointe shoes, which allow them to stand on the tips of their toes (en pointe). Male dancers almost exclusively wear soft ballet shoes, as they very rarely go en pointe.

Occasionally, dancers wear ballet slippers to begin a lesson at the barre (la barre) then wear their pointe shoes for the floor or center exercises, or "milieu". Most often, though, dancers take a regular class on flat (in soft ballet shoes) or a pointe class en pointe.

[edit] Materials

Practice and performance ballet slippers can be made of leather or canvas, while pointe shoes are typically made of satin or canvas. The fabric choice a dancer makes in terms of ballet slippers depends mostly on personal comfort, however, there are definite advantages to each material type.

Leather shoes are long-lasting and keep the feet warm even on a cold day in the studio. High grain leather shoes are typically the most flexible and comfortable, albeit more expensive.
Canvas shoes, typically worn by men, are very popular for their cost and fit. They allow the foot to breathe while offering maximum comfort and flexibility. On the downside, canvas shoes wear out much quicker than leather, especially for full-time dancers.
Satin pointe shoes are usually the preferred option for performance since they look professional on stage and can easily be dyed to match the ballet costumes if needed. In terms of rehearsal, the material a dancer chooses is mostly aesthetic.

Ballet shoes come in several color choices including pink, peach, black, or white.

[edit] Construction

Ballet slippers, like most dance shoes, use either split sole or a full sole construction. A split sole allows the dancer more flexibility in the foot and a better arch. Most intermediate and advanced dancers prefer a split sole shoe for their daily ballet slipper. A full sole is mostly desirable on a pointe shoe because it provides proper arch support when dancing en pointe.