Ballet shoes are beautiful and professional when you see them on a shelf or the feet of ballerinas practising or performing on stage and they look spectacular.
However, ballet shoes are sometimes prone to slipping off of a ballerina’s feet even during an important performance on stage which has a negative consequence on her career and her ballet company as a whole.
In this article, we will walk you through why ballet shoes are slippery and the methods you need to adopt in other to prevent it from happening to you or a member of your team.
Why are ballet shoes slippery?
Ballet shoes are slippery as a result of either wetness or dampness in the shoes or on the floor, wearing out, excess sweat from a ballerina’s feet, and lack of resin among others contribute to this negative issue.
Moreover, the reason ballet shoes are slippery is important for people to understand to be equipped with the right information that can help prevent it from happening.
Another factor contributing to the slippery aspect of ballet shoes is the person wearing the shoe itself.
If that person has experience, he will not allow the shoes to get loose to the extent of slipping out of his or her feet even with the availability of ribbons.
The floor (how clean, polished and dry it is).
The condition of the surface of a ballet dancing studio is a factor contributing to the problem of ballet shoes slipping out while ballerinas are using it.
How clean is the floor, what type of polish was used and how dry is the studio floor is.
Always go for a studio floor that is well-maintained and in good condition.
Damp sole.
The dampness inside the sole of your ballet shoes is also a factor in why ballet shoes are slippery when they are being used.
Dampness on a ballet shoe can come as a result of different perspectives such as sweat from a ballerina’s feet, rain drops staining the interior as well as when water is accidentally dropped on the shoes.
Lack of using resin.
The absence of resin in many ballet shoes when it is needed contributes to the slippery nature many ballet dancers face every day.
The use of resin will help give the ballet dancers no issues or fears that his or her shoes are slippery.
Lack of loop at the back
You are supposed to have a loop attached to the back of your ballet shoes to help hold it in place firmly on your feet.
When the loop is no longer there or when it becomes loose and the elasticity is no longer standard, it will cause your ballet shoes to turn slippery, especially in the middle of your performance.
However, not every ballet ballet shoe has that loop, it depends on the design by the manufacturers or the customisation made by a ballet dancer.
Wearing out.
Ballet shoes are to be discarded when they start to show symptoms of wearing out.
You are supposed to replace your ballet shoes as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of injury or poor performance occasion to worn-out shoes.
When a ballet shoe is worn out because of usage combined with other factors, it will start turning slippery when you wear it because it is easier for the shoe to retain sweet, damp, water and particles from the studio floor.
Excess sweat from ballerina’s feet.
When the feet of a ballerina emit sweat rapidly when performing in a ballet program, the possibility of her shows becoming slippery is very high.
The sweat from her feet can be deposited and trapped into the ballet shoes which will turn slippery with or without the knowledge of the ballerina herself.
Lack of experience by the wearer.
The apparent lack of experience by a person wearing a ballet shoe can help in making the shoe slippery because the person may not be aware of the necessary customization needed to be done by him or her in other to make the shoe as comfortable as possible and prevent the chances of slipping out of a ballet’s feet.
Also, the ability of the ballet dancer to take care of his or her ballet shoes is very low due to the absence of experience in handling ballet shoes.
How to prevent ballet shoes from becoming slippery?
The following are the simple methods you can adopt to prevent your ballet shoes from becoming slippery and get them to maintain their shape for your comfort:
Clean the floor of your studio.
To prevent your ballet shows from having a slippery effect when using them.
The first method to adopt is to always clean your studio floor and ensure it is dried before the commencement of any training or performance session.
This will ensure that any chance of dampness or dirt from the floor is avoided.
Always avoid damp ballet shoes.
If your ballet shoes are damp or a little bit wet, always avoid them and ensure that they are dried before you can them on your feet.
Wearing a ballet shoe will make you discomfort but also affect your overall performance as a professional ballerina.
Use resin when necessary.
Whenever the need arises, apply resin to the shoes to keep them in good condition which will get rid of the chances of having a slippery ballet shoe.
Get extra pairs of ballet shoes.
Using only one, two or three pairs of ballet shoes will not give them room to dry especially if you are training with them daily.
The best alternative that you should adopt to prevent your feet from wearing slippery ballet shoes is to get more ballet shoes in your closet which will allow you to be changing whenever it is necessary.
Get experience.
Lack of proper ballet experience is also another factor that you need to pay attention to when dealing with slippery ballet shoes.
For you to avoid a situation of getting your feet in slippery ballet shoes, you need to get some experience on how to avoid a particular shoe, when to keep it aside, how to get it to dry, and what type of place to keep your ballet shoes among others.
Always get rid of sweat from your feet.
Having sweat on your feet is the most common cause of having a slippery ballet shoe.
Take care of your feet, train in a well-ventilated environment and clean your feet regularly to avoid sweat getting into your ballet shoes.
Conclusion.
From the above-detailed explanation, you now clearly understand why ballet shoes are slippery and the method you can adopt to prevent it.
The reasons for them being slippery include:
- The floor(how clean, polished and dry it is).
- Damp sole.
- Lack of using resin.
- Lack of a loop at the back.
- Wearing out.
- Excess sweat from ballerina’s feet.
- Lack of experience by the wearer.
While means of preventing it consist of the following :
- Clean the floor of your studio.
- Always avoid damp ballet shoes.
- Use resin when necessary.
- Get extra pairs of ballet shoes.
- Get experience.
- Always get rid of sweat from your feet.