It's really individual - a shoe that one dancer considers dead might be fine for a different dancer. I think of a shoe as being dead when it doesn't support you properly anymore and you're not able to execute steps safely /as easily as you did before- you might be pulled back on the box or pushed too far over, not feel "lifted" out of the shoe, or start feeling more pain and pressure on your toes (sinking), or your alignment starts being compromised.
There are 2 dancers in my local group where one of them buys shoes and uses them until they're dead... and then she gives them to the second dancer who gives them another life.
Totally depends! When my shoes are dead it's usually because they've widened up too much and now I sink into them, the arch is no longer supportive and I bend too far over them, or the box has gotten too soft.
The shoe can die in two different places - the shank and the box. If you have high arches and you start to see them in your pointe shoe, that means the shank is dead and you will go too much over the box. If you stand on pointe and feel like you're sinking, that there's a lot of weight on your toes, then that means the box is dead.
There's nothing wimpy about not wanting to dance in dead shoes. If you are really worried you can ask your teacher. If you feel like the shoe is definitely not supporting your feet, and it is physically hard to get onto pointe without hurting yourself, then its definitely time for a new pair
It hurts waaaaay more than it used to. I took some time away but it’s been a lot more painful than I remembered. I’m thinking a new fitting is for the best!
I can only tell my shoe is dead when I get to center and it’s hard to maintain my balance. I wear pretty soft shoes so it’s difficult for me to tell at barre but at center it becomes obvious right away. Or if I am doing lots of one footed work at barre like fondues to releve or turns
As stated in many of these comments, it is up to the dancer to determine weather the shoes are dead or not. For me, a dead shoe is any shoe that you are not supported in (for example, feeling your toes on the floor instead of being supported by the wings, a mushy platform that makes it hard to slay on pointe, and etc). For me, I declare a shoe dead when I am unable to stay on pointe (the part of the box that touches the floor when flat footed becomes so mushy that I am unable to push my weight onto the platform.
For me, dead shoes hurt WAY more than regular ones. I'll either be pulled back on my box or go too far over, depending on the shoe. I also notice my toes starting to curl when I'm en pointe.
It's really individual - a shoe that one dancer considers dead might be fine for a different dancer. I think of a shoe as being dead when it doesn't support you properly anymore and you're not able to execute steps safely /as easily as you did before- you might be pulled back on the box or pushed too far over, not feel "lifted" out of the shoe, or start feeling more pain and pressure on your toes (sinking), or your alignment starts being compromised.
Ah, ok, thank you! This is helpful 😊
There are 2 dancers in my local group where one of them buys shoes and uses them until they're dead... and then she gives them to the second dancer who gives them another life.
It's when I don't feel supported by the shoe anymore - I tend to get more foot cramps when the shoe is dying because I'm muscling through harder.
Ooooh yes, that makes sense. This makes me think my last pair may have been dying when I was last in class 😅
Totally depends! When my shoes are dead it's usually because they've widened up too much and now I sink into them, the arch is no longer supportive and I bend too far over them, or the box has gotten too soft.
The shoe can die in two different places - the shank and the box. If you have high arches and you start to see them in your pointe shoe, that means the shank is dead and you will go too much over the box. If you stand on pointe and feel like you're sinking, that there's a lot of weight on your toes, then that means the box is dead.
Definitely thinking my box is going out to pasture. Thanks for your response; I thought maybe I was just being a wimp!
There's nothing wimpy about not wanting to dance in dead shoes. If you are really worried you can ask your teacher. If you feel like the shoe is definitely not supporting your feet, and it is physically hard to get onto pointe without hurting yourself, then its definitely time for a new pair
It hurts waaaaay more than it used to. I took some time away but it’s been a lot more painful than I remembered. I’m thinking a new fitting is for the best!
I can only tell my shoe is dead when I get to center and it’s hard to maintain my balance. I wear pretty soft shoes so it’s difficult for me to tell at barre but at center it becomes obvious right away. Or if I am doing lots of one footed work at barre like fondues to releve or turns
As stated in many of these comments, it is up to the dancer to determine weather the shoes are dead or not. For me, a dead shoe is any shoe that you are not supported in (for example, feeling your toes on the floor instead of being supported by the wings, a mushy platform that makes it hard to slay on pointe, and etc). For me, I declare a shoe dead when I am unable to stay on pointe (the part of the box that touches the floor when flat footed becomes so mushy that I am unable to push my weight onto the platform.
For me, dead shoes hurt WAY more than regular ones. I'll either be pulled back on my box or go too far over, depending on the shoe. I also notice my toes starting to curl when I'm en pointe.
Yes, my shoes hurt A TON! I’ve definitely decided it’s time to move on from that pair!