A ballerina’s performance depends on finding the right pair of pointe shoes. With so many brands to choose from, choosing pointe shoes can be difficult.
In this article, we list the 15 best pointe shoe brands on the market based on comfort, durability, and support. This guide will help you find the perfect pair for your next performance, whether you’re a pro or just starting out.
Table of Contents
- 15 Best Ballet Pointe Shoe Brands For Beginners & Professionals
- 1. Bloch
- 2. Capezio
- 3. Gaynor Minden
- 4. Grishko
- 5. Nikolay
- 6. Freed of London
- 7. Russian Pointe
- 8. Suffolk
- 9. Sansha – Best pointe shoe brand for beginners
- 10. So Danca – Famous Brazillian pointe shoe brand
- 11. Wear Moi – Famous pointe shoe brand from France
- 12. Grand Prix
- 13. Siberian Swan
- 14. Chacott
- 15. R Class
- FAQs
- Conclusion
15 Best Ballet Pointe Shoe Brands For Beginners & Professionals
Below is a list of high-quality pointe shoe brands. Let’s take a look at what makes these brands worthwhile to consider.
1. Bloch
Bloch is a well-known dancewear company best known for its high-quality pointe shoes. It is one of the longest-lasting pointe shoe brands in the market. Bloch pointe shoes are designed with comfort, support, and durability in mind to help dancers perform at their peak.
Bloch pointe shoes are a popular choice among professionals because they are made of durable materials and are intended to last longer than other brands. Satin and stretch-satin fabrics are breathable and wrinkle-free when worn, making them ideal for sweaty dancers.
Bloch ballerina pointe shoes stand out because they come in up to five different color tones, from light pink to dark brown. With a variety of product types and a price range between $85 and $150, they are excellent choices for any dancer, from beginners to pros.
2. Capezio
Salvatore Capezio, a famous Italian pointe shoe maker, founded Capezio, a well-known and trusted American pointe shoe brand, in the early twentieth century. With a focus on fit and comfort, Capezio offers a wide range of pointe shoes suitable for both beginners and professionals.
The plush, non-slip microfiber lining in Capezio ballet shoes prevents perspiration and friction blistering. Furthermore, the brand’s Phoenix pointe shoe has a new heel design that relieves excess pressure on the Achilles, making it ideal for people with Achilles tendonitis.
Due to their comfort, stability, and exceptional quality, Capezio pointe shoes are popular among dancers of all levels.
The only disadvantage of Capezio ballet shoes is that they come in only three colors. Thus, it fits those who love “the traditional”.
3. Gaynor Minden
Gaynor Minden is a high-end pointe shoe manufacturer known for its exceptional quality and design. Its pointe shoes are popular among professional dancers because they provide maximum support and comfort.
The brand is well-known for its customizable options, including the ability to choose the width of the shoe. You can easily specify your model, foot length and width, shank type, vamp, and heel when shopping online, and receive pointe shoe recommendations that are the best fit for you.
A pair of Gaynor Minden pointe shoes cost about $150 and is a high-end option for professional dancers.
Check more: Dessous Ballet Definition
4. Grishko
Grishko is a well-known Russian pointe shoe brand known for its craftsmanship and high quality. The brand’s product types include traditional, supportive, and custom-fitted pointe shoes, with prices ranging from $70-$105.
Grishko pointe shoes are popular among dancers of all levels because they provide superior balance and stability. Any adult ballet dancer, student, or child can find the perfect pair of shoes for their needs, from preparatory to professional, thanks to the wide range of sizes, shanks, and widths available.
5. Nikolay
Nikolay is a well-known Russian pointe shoe brand known for its high quality and attention to detail.
The brand’s product types include traditional, supportive, and custom-fitted pointe shoes, with prices ranging from $70-$110. They also accept custom orders for vegan pointe shoes, special color pointe shoes, and pointe shoes with modifications.
Nikolay pointe shoes are popular among professional dancers due to their excellent comfort and support. They have exceptional flexibility and silence due to the innovative sole and silent knot technology.
The company offers a variety of models to accommodate your foot size, arch, shank, and so on. Their Fouette model, in particular, is a good choice if you have narrow feet with a high or medium arch.
6. Freed of London
Freed of London is a well-known British pointe shoe brand with a reputation for high quality and design. Their items are made entirely of natural and biodegradable materials.
The company sells a wide range of items, including bespoke, custom-fitted, and traditional pointe shoes. With prices ranging from $50 to $110, it is an affordable option for any budget.
Freed of London pointe shoes are designed to provide superior balance and stability, uniformity, and consistency. The brand also offers different width fittings, with options for wider or narrower feet, making them a popular choice for those in the early stages of pointe work to advanced dancers.
7. Russian Pointe
Russian Pointe is available in a variety of widths and is intended to fit a wide range of foot shapes. This popular Russian brand is well-known for producing high-quality, comfortable pointe shoes.
Russian Pointe shoes are designed to fit a variety of feet size, vamp, and shank types, and offer less resistance for greater flexibility and an easier break-in. This brand is an affordable option for dancers of all skill levels, with a price tag of around $110.
8. Suffolk
In the dance world, Suffolk is a well-known and trusted brand, best known for its supportive and comfortable pointe shoes.
They call their shoes “Modern shoes for modern feet”. This emphasizes that they are pointe shoe brands for wide feet because the size and shape of women’s feet have changed dramatically
Suffolk shoes are made to exacting standards from the finest leathers and luxurious satins. As a result, paying $120 for a pair of ballet shoes is not out of line.
From the first-time en pointe dancer to the elite professional ballerina, the brand offers many product types in various widths and styles to fit every foot.
9. Sansha – Best pointe shoe brand for beginners
Sansha is the recommended pointe shoe brand for beginners because it has a lot of options at a reasonable price.
The company is dedicated to providing aspiring dancers with affordable, high-quality shoes. The shoes are lightweight, comfortable and are designed with the dancer’s comfort in mind.
Furthermore, the shoes have a one-of-a-kind construction that provides the necessary foot support, making them ideal for beginners who are just getting started.
Sansha ballet pointe shoes are also an excellent choice for those who have flat feet because they provide a more supportive and stable platform.
10. So Danca – Famous Brazillian pointe shoe brand
So Danca is a Brazilian pointe shoe company known for its craftsmanship and high quality. The company is dedicated to providing dancers with the best support and comfort possible by allowing them to customize their shank strength based on the strength and flexibility of their feet.
So Danca’s disadvantage is that there are not many models to choose from. Furthermore, its ballet shoes range in price from $116 to $140, making them unsuitable for beginners.
11. Wear Moi – Famous pointe shoe brand from France
Wear Moi is a French dancewear brand that sells pointe shoes for a reasonable price (around $90). The shank is made of Texon, polycarbonate, and leather, giving the dancer’s feet maximum flexibility.
There are several models of the Wear Moi pointe shoe to choose from, each with a different degree of shank. The brand’s minor flaw is that there is only one salmon color to choose from, making it unsuitable for dancers with dark skin tones.
12. Grand Prix
Grand Prix Dance is a clothing and shoe company inspired by dance and athletics. The brand’s ballet shoe selection is quite limited, but its shoes are all high-quality and reasonably priced (around $120).
Dancers will feel like they can stand ‘en pointe’ all day in a lightweight and flexible pointe shoe with a curved last that follows the natural contours of the foot.
13. Siberian Swan
Siberian Swan is a Russian pointe shoe manufacturer known for its craftsmanship and high quality. Their pointe shoes come in three models and are appropriate for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced.
Pointe shoes made by Siberian Swan cost around $110, which is reasonable for the quality and in line with the market. Students can also order customized shoes at no additional cost.
The brand is distinguished by its one-of-a-kind combination of a plastic shank and a traditional breathable box, both of which were created using modern computer-aided design.
The products are designed with the dancer in mind. The Active Arch Support in Siberian Swan pointe shoes strives for a pain-free feeling, which has won the hearts of many dancers.
14. Chacott
Chacott is the only Japanese ballet shoe brand on this list. All of its shoes are made of natural leather, cotton, rayon, and satin, which provides dancers with a comfortable feeling when standing en pointe.
Charcott’s shoes come in seven different styles that are appropriate for dancers of all levels, from beginner to advanced. However, the shoes are only light in color, making them unsuitable for dancers with dark skin tones.
15. R Class
R Class is a well-known pointe shoe brand that originated in Bulgaria. Its ballet shoes are divided into five distinct lines, with a variety of models suitable for dancers of all levels.
Whether you are a professional ballet dancer, a ballerina who prefers elegance, or a dancer with narrow or medium feet, R class has the right product for you.
R Class shoes, in particular, are extremely durable due to advancements in leather pointe shoe technology. There are also pointe shoes specifically designed for children.
The shoes are priced between $40 and $70, making them very affordable for beginners and those on a tight budget.
FAQs
1. How many brands of pointe shoes are there?
There are over 80 pointe shoe brands on the market. Bloch, Capezio, Gaynor Minden, Grishko, Nikolay, Freed of London, and other well-known brands are mentioned in this article.
2. What foot shape is best for pointe?
There is no “best” foot shape for pointe work. But those with high arches, a pronounced metatarsal arch, and a longer second toe have an easier time. Foot shape is not the only factor that influences success on pointe.
3. What is the average age to get pointe shoes?
The average age at which a dancer begins wearing pointe shoes varies according to a number of factors such as physical ability, training, and experience. Pointe shoes are typically worn by dancers aged 11 to 14, though some may begin as young as 9 or as late as 16.
It’s important to remember that every dancer is different. And the right time to start wearing pointe shoes will depend on their individual abilities as well as their teacher’s recommendations.
A dancer must have strong ankles and feet, good technique, and a solid foundation in classical ballet before beginning to wear pointe shoes. Wearing pointe shoes too soon can harm a dancer’s feet and impede their development as a dancer.
Read more: How Long Do Pointe Shoes Last?
Conclusion
The pointe shoe market includes a wide range of options for comfort, durability, and support. Hope that this compilation of 15 top pointe shoe brands, ranging from traditional to innovative will help you narrow down options to consider.
Try on various brands and styles until you find the perfect pair for you. And always remember that when it comes to pointe shoes, quality should always come first.