OK, this is a really tough question. Pointe shoes are a very personal, and very serious thing for a dancer. First off, the wrong shoe can really cause serious and permanent damage. It is imperative that you get a professional fitting from a reputable place. Next, we have to look at the type of foot you have and the stage you are at. Most beginners start off in
Capezio or
Grishkos which tend to be harder and much more supportive for the developing foot. If you are Russian trained they may prefer you wear a Russian shoe, so you have to take that into consideration. If you have been on pointe for a while and your feet are stronger, many people switch over to
Freed because they are softer and break in much faster. When you go for your fitting, they will talk about whether you have low arches, high arches, or, somewhere in between.
I wore Freeds most of my life and had them Special ordered to my liking. You can do this as a student, but you will need to contact Freed of London in NY to see how this is done. Most professionals have shoes made for them to accommodate their foot. It used to be Freed was the "it" shoe. However,
Bloch is now taking over. I switched to Blochs later in my career because my cobbler at Freed retired. I loved my Bloch shoes. They lasted longer than Freeds and looked just as nice, if not better. Of course this is all subjective. Some people will say they love their Grishkos or, even the dreaded
Gaynor Mindens ( a shoe I personally despise, but that is another post!) From personal experience, Freed is a good shoe. If you are on pointe a lot, expect to got through a lot of them. I would suggest giving Bloch a try. They are just as nice ands will save you some money in the long run because they will last a little longer. In the long run, it is about trying lots of shoes and finding the ones that look the best, feel the best, and most importantly fit the best. Sorry this isn't more clear cut, but like almost everything in Ballet, it is all subjective! Good luck!
