Ever Since I was Little

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Ever Since I was Little

Since I saw a ballerina dance.I wanted to be a dancer . My mom had other Ideas. She never wanted her son to be in tights. So, my dream of dancing ballet died! In my late teens I took up ballroom to my mom it was a respectable dance. Since my partner was my cousin it was even better .....for her. So I drew dancers and studied books on the subject. When a question on toetap came my way . I was intrigued, I never thought of the journey to would bring me on . I just was curious about it.
The subject seemed to relight my passion for ballet and pointe . I meet people on line who had knowledge and similar view point as myself. Also, they was willing to share there knowledge to educate me .Not only in casting of metal .Also in pointe shoes. I could not have gotten where I am with out them and there support.
I have been losing weight for a few years now. I started at 368 and as of yesterday I am 206. A few weeks ago I was curious . I had a pair of Sansha 202's. They was my X's. So, I tried them on While the width was ok the length was like a half inch too short . They was a 13X shoe size for a 10 street shoe.Which was ok for her. Since, I only wore them as a bed shoe they where ok. Over a week the shoe was producing some red marks on my feet and toes . I had asked a dancer friend if I was allergic to the shoe. She said no if the red marks go away ,over the course of the day. My dear friend said why don't you get fitted for a pair. This idea I dreaded. I had been trying to crack the sizing and pointe shoe code for a few years now .With no real direction or recourse. They was nothing I could not figure out with enough information . I knew my foot was a Greek peasant with a very small morton toe. I join dance sites saw there information on the different types of feet VS shoe types. It is still a blure to me . I finally coincided to my friends advice and went down to a local dance shop . I deal with to get shoes . For dancers who want tap and shoes . Without sending me there shoe's .So, the owner sort of knew me . I told her I wanted to know more about a pointe shoe fitting. After some misunderstanding . She understood that , I was going to buy and most likely put a pair of taps on them. Then scheduled me an appointment for Tuesday the 8th. at 12:15. She wanted to see some toetaps and, some of the pictures of the Tapperinas. I said Ok . We parted with some reservations about the appointed time on both parts. As I was leaving She said, I am thinking of a Sonata. That I think will work for you. I thought SONATA?! I tried to look up the shoe on line for its box size. With no luck. The days dragged on like years. I thought Tuesday would never come . After Monday , I thought I would have to cancel it all together.
I was waiting at a light when another driver decided to meet me with there car ! Into my drivers door!. I am in great back pain from the impact. Once I make up my mind I really don't change it. Unless someone has a really good point.
Tuesday cometh : As the time approached I became really nervous. Yet , I was not going to show her. I was not serious about this lesson. I showed up at the dance shop . (Pirouette 51 Green Street Huntington NY)At a good time no one in the shop. The little voice inside me went YAE!. She looked at me and said ok .Your here for a fitting. Come back to the stage . Before you go on the stage take off your shoes. Ahh shit! I have men's feet and ,been walking all morning . They really smell. Oh why didn't I wash them before coming here . I made sure . I ask her and the socks ? She replied Yup! Oh damn it . I took them off and hope the smell would dissipate before she got back. She came out of the office . Then sort of pointed .Ok over there . Over there was a wooden stool with a red velvet seat cover. It looked kinda nice. I did, still hoping she would not notice .My now less smelly feet. She sat down upon a shoe salesman stool . Asked me to roll up my pants and , raise my foot and, with the speed of a bull roper. She put on and quickly tied a knot in the back of each nylon . I don't know foot sock for a lack of a better term. She did not ask my foot size just looked at them. Said you really don't have a big foot . Then went into the stock room . Before she came out. She asked are you going to toetap with socks on. I said "if I am going to do this ...no. Do you need pads...Mmmm if I am going to do this ahh yes.Came back with a box with a set of toepads and two shoe box's. took out a pair . Broke the back and the box a little and put them on. Ask me to put the platform on the floor and felt the material at the heel. Then went down in size to the next one . Then repeated the procedure with that shoe. Then went in the back for another. When I tried on that one and put the platform on the floor . She was satisfied (Satisfied was when there was a finger worth of material when pointed)to move on to the next part. She asked me to move over to the mirror. Then stand in first position. I was so nervous .I forgot what first position was. She showed me with her hands . I ask ,what I should be feeling . She said , You should be feeling your toes tight and not able to freely wiggle around.If that is happening that is a no no! Also, You should feel your toes sung against the platform and, not compressed(Knuckling). Then she asked me to plie`.Do you feel anything ?. I replied besides my calf muscles screaming. She replied (with holding a smile back) yes. I said no. With a ok, she ask me to step back and roll on to pointe. Which I did, almost perfectly. I really need to work on getting my feet and ankle to stretch out to a full 90 degrees.
I asked why she choose a Sonata? She replied " The Sonata has a wide box and does not have long wings .Also, it does not have a high vamp . So, when you go on to pointe your not fighting the shoe. You don't need a high vamp also,because you don't have a high arch.Also ,you have a very insignificant morton toe. So, in the Sonata's you should not feel it. Wow! To get all that just by looking at someones feet. She knows feet and shoes like I know toetaps! I told her if I was going to the next step I would need a teacher. I damn sure not going to self teach pointe work. I got back on my sock and shoes. Payed for the dance Items. We talked about toetap .Showed her some pictures and some taps. She said If I make a flyer .She would put it up in the shop to advertise my toetaps . I must say she is a very kind and good soled person . Made me feel very calm and important. Then she told me about a possible teacher . Wrote down her address .Then handed it to me on her business card. Before I left. I said, I thought you was going to choose a shoe like the Elan for its wide box. She Just shook her head no . Not a shoe for you.I learned a lot from her . One thing is for sure a fitting is like ballet to get it right. You need to get it from someone who knows! Oh yea the shoe size came out to be a Bloch 7 E. Who woulda thought?