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On average, pointe shoes last about 10-20 hours, so some professional dancers could “kill” their pointe shoes in one day, while for beginners taking an hour-long pointe class once a week, find their shoes could last for 3 months. At around $100 a pair, it’s a good idea for bunheads to know a few tricks to try to make them last a little longer.
1. Make Sure They Fit
It’s always a good idea to start with a good fit. You should be professionally fitted for your pointe shoes to determine the right shoe for your feet. If your shoes seem to “die” quickly, it could be an indication that you don’t have a good fit. Having a good fit, where your feet are properly supported and in alignment, can actually help the shoes last a little longer. If your shoes fit well and you are concerned about how long your shoes last, you should ask your fitter for advice. They may have some additional tricks that work for your specific brand.
2. Keep Them Dry
Pointe shoes are made of layers of fabric, cardstock and/or paper hardened with glue or paste. As you dance and your feet sweat, the moisture can break down the glue and paper so the shoe will become soft and lose its integrity. After class or rehearsal, you should never store your wet pointe shoes in your dance bag. Instead, put them in a breathable mesh bag and store them outside of your dance bag so they are fully dry after use.
3. Rotate Shoes
It can take around 36 hours for pointe shoes to completely dry in between uses so dancers who use pointe shoes every day should have multiple pairs they can rotate. For example, a bunhead might have a Monday, Wednesday, Friday pair and a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday pair. You can mark each pair so that you are sure to use the right pair on the right day. Rotating your pointe shoes so that they dry completely between uses can extend their life by 50%.
4. Stuff Them With Paper or Cedar Blocks
Some bunheads find it helpful to stuff their shoes with paper or cedar blocks in between uses. The paper or cedar can absorb some of the moisture. The paper can help the shoes keep their shape while the cedar can help the shoes smell a little better. You could use cedar blocks like these: , or cedar shavings in little 100% cotton pouches like these:
5. Glue Them
Most dancers find that the box and the shank are the first places on a pointe shoe to get soft and break down. To slow down this softening and to extend the life of the shoes a little longer, a special kind of glue can be applied to harden up soft spots. Jet Glue is a thin, professional-grade glue that dries super fast and hard. You can buy it here on Amazon: Another kind of glue, similar to Jet Glue called Satellite City Hot Stuff glue, dries a little harder and is the preferred pointe shoe glue of the New York City ballet. You can buy this glue here: . You should apply the glue after you’ve worn your shoes and broken them in. Glue should be applied only to the inside of the box, not the outside since it can make your shoes slippery if applied on the outside. You can find a video on how to apply glue here:
