What Type of Ballet Shoes Should I Wear?

• Posted on 27 February 2023
• By Alaina Kimsey
• Posted in Fitting Guides
• 0

Figuring out what shoes to wear might seem a bit complicated, let's talk about it!

Split-Sole or Full Sole

Split sole ballet shoes are made in both canvas and leather. They have a sole that is separated into two parts, providing flexibility in the arch of the foot. Full sole ballet shoes are usually made in leather or an imitation leather. They have a single sole that runs the entire length of the shoe, providing more support and stability for the foot.

When dancers begin taking ballet, they will start out with a full sole to prevent the rolling of their arches, and because it is stiffer than a split-sole, it will force the dancer to work their muscles and build strength.

Once the dancer has progressed in their training, they will begin using split-sole. Because the shoes have a sole that is divided into two parts, it allows the dancer better range of motion and articulation than a full sole.

The Age Old Question: Leather vs Canvas

If you are looking for a shoe with durability, structure and grip to the floor, you may want to choose a leather ballet shoe. We recommend Eurotard Coupe Split Sole Ballet Shoes if you are an experienced dancer and Capezio Lily Full Sole Ballet Shoes if you are a beginner.

If you are looking for a shoe with breathability and a lightweight feel to them (and the ability to wash them!), you may want to choose a canvas ballet shoe. We recommend So Danca Bliss, Bloch Performa, Nikolay X Stretch, Wear Moi Vesta, and Capezio Hanami.

Our local cliental in Sarasota, Florida prefer canvas split-sole ballet shoe to leather; However, every dancer, teacher, and director have their own preferences when it comes to ballet shoes. When you start taking ballet lessons, we recommend checking with your studio for requirements.

Selecting The Right Brand For You

It can be tough shopping for ballet shoes when there are so many brands available to choose from.

Here are my personal recommendations from my experience fitting and wearing ballet shoes:

So Danca Bliss Canvas Split-Sole Ballet Shoes are our most popular shoe and probably the easiest to fit. They will run on street shoe size (I am a US Ladies 7 of average width, and have a broader toe configurement), and I wear a 7.0C. They have a longer vamp, quite a tight elastic binding and looser elastic criss-cross straps. If you have a fuller foot, I recommend this shoe due to the looser straps.

Capezio Hanami Canvas Split-Sole Ballet Shoes run quite small (I wear an 8.5M), they are the thinnest and stretchiest shoes that I've seen on the market. If you are looking for something soft and almost sock-like I recommend this shoe. It has a smaller metatarsal pad, an average tightness in the binding, as well as average criss-cross straps.

Bloch Performa Canvas Split-Sole Ballet Shoes run big (I wear a 5.0C), and they have probably the softest material, a loose binding, very wide metatarsal pad and very tight criss-cross straps. If you prefer a shoe with a wide metatarsal pad, I recommend this shoe.

Nikolay X-Stretch Canvas Split Sole Ballet Shoes are our newest model and run on street shoe (I wear a 7C), and they are the most structured shoes that we carry. They have a low vamp, stretchy and yet because of the toughness of the material, they do not slide side-to-side when dancing. If you are looking for a structured shoe that will not budge, I recommend this shoe.

Wear Moi Vesta Canvas Split-Sole Ballet Shoes use European sizing and run small (I wear a 40M). These shoes have a low vamp, loose binding and loose criss-cross elastics. They are not very stretchy, they have a higher heel, and the straps are place very far back on the heel to show more of the foot. If you are looking for a shoe to really show off your arch, I recommend this shoe.

Every dancer has their own preference on how they like their shoes to fit. Some like them super tight and others like them with a little more room in the toe. When choosing a ballet shoe, always remember that comfort is the key to a great class!

Disclaimer: These are all my personal opinions on the select ballet shoes that we carry at The DanceWEAR Shoppe. One dancer's experience with a shoe may not be the same as another dancer's experience.