Pointe shoes, jet glue and darning. Making the most out of your shoes.
Did you know that your pointe shoes last longer if they get 48 hours to dry out? In dry Colorado, we can scale that amount back to 36 hours yet that still may not leave enough time for you to wear your shoes as much as you need. You probably already knew this from the last time you slid on slightly damp (and possibly cold) pointe shoes. Adding Minwax, Jet Glue and other hardeners help keep moisture out but nothing works as well as good old dry air and rest. (Minwax is a great hardener that can be reapplied when shoes are dry. It can be purchased at any hardware store or big box store that carries paint supplies. Jet glue is great for hardening shanks, platforms and certain areas of the wing of the shoes. Be careful with this option - it’s runny like water, dries super fast and can be quite smelly. BBW carries Jet glue behind the counter. Fun fact - unused Jet Glue lasts longer if kept in the refrigerator!)
Darning shoes can help the shoe platforms last longer, but the real beauty behind this skill is the stability of placement added to the shoes. Just like most cups or jars that you have in your cabinet, the bottom is not flat rather it is concave, allowing the lip around the center to even out the carried weight, stabilizing the object (in our case, a dancer en pointe). Darning can also help shoes sound better on stage. If you want your audience to pay attention to the dance your feet are helping to produce and not the sound, this is a good trick to use.
What does all this mean for your shoe allotment as you dance into high gear for Nutcracker and holiday performances? Just as it sounds, lots of pairs of shoes. Before your parents faint on the floor, make sure they know we have a bulk order program that will not only save the day on back order shoes, but also save them money! In order to make this program work for you, act fast and get your orders in for your rehearsal and performance pointe shoes. You can call or email in your order (we ship!) or stop by. If you are thinking you need an adjustment on your style or size, make a 30 minute appointment with one of our fitters and place your order once you are comfortable with your new shoes. Worried you might outgrow your shoes before you use them all? We agree that it is better to have too many shoes versus too few, so we will exchange any unworn pair for new sizing within 3 months of your order.
Our motto? Worry about dancing, not your shoes!
Shop for jet glue and other pointe shoe accessories at Boulder Body Wear or at our online store.