To do -list

Summer classes are over, not happy me. But there were some other ballet related things I had to do, to get ready for Autumn. Here are some clues.

One inner sole piece ripped off, also the smaller one was  to be replaced.

First there was some superglue, but it's not here :P Then some thread, needle, scissors and tape.

Another pair of softies, in desperate need of elastics. As they had only one piece with them and I like to have 2 pieces (crossed over the foot), I put some black that I had left from other shoes. Not pretty but okay for classes.

New babies needed elastic And ribbons. Loving the sole here already ;)

Not my own living room :)

Stuff. (Recycled ribbons!)

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Tomorrow I might take one tourist class. Not sure yet. Will report on that later! :)

Only 2 classes left!

This was kind of an extra week, as we weren't suppose to have classes - but eventually we did! :) Next week there's still one on Monday, one on Wednesday. After that? It's just waiting for the end of August. Fall semester begins on 20th.

Today's class was as intense as Monday, with a horrible-ish weather outside (warm, raining, oppressive...). Barre-combinations were the same, except streching (Monday: talon a la main / today: whole body in use).  I was a bit on the slobby side, but didn't give up.

In the center we had a new tendu-routine, with a pirouette en dedans starting from 4th but efface! Those we have really seldom. Other stuff was familiar / same as before. But fun :)

The thought that really hit me as I came home was this:

I've taken classes from 9 (NINE) different ballet teachers this year!

During Autumn I had 4 of them regularly, during Spring only 2. But 3 more every now and then (in Helsinki). Plus one who was a substitute couple of times (in my hometown). Aaaaand one whose class I tried (for "fun") in October in our town. It's all quite funny and also very interesting, as I had only one teacher as a kid/teen. All these teachers have been different, more Russian styles but also one French school. Some others somewhere in between. I really have to empty my brain in the class and focus on who's teaching and what are her priorities. (And yes, they've all been women. Would be interesting though to have a male teacher sometimes.)

I'm a bit nervous about the up-coming year. There's going to be only a few chances for adults and ballet in our town, Friday evening and Saturday morning. The only other possibility is to take the "advanced teenagers/youth" classes, but the Monday class is 8-9.30 pm (ends quite late.......) and on Friday it's the same time as the one I took this year. Probably will try to take some tourist classes in Helsinki again, but can't decide them now. 

About equipment -> As I wrote earlier, my favorite pair of soft slippers are right on the edge of death :D Well, one could still use them after next week, but I think there's a limit of how much one wants to put tape in them. And I've got some pairs waiting, so it's like starting school as a kid - every Autumn you get new pens and stuff, now it's new slippers! :)

...and tomorrow we're going to Helsinki with 2 of my brothers. Shall pay a visit to 2 dance stores, maybe the 3rd one also. But just maybe. New pointes are on my list, but have to figure out some little details first. Anyway, hoping that it's not raining all day. 

A detail of a statue in Esplanadi Park, Helsinki :)

Ballet slippers and Tiara!

Slippers I've been wearing regularly also this summer, every Monday and Wednesday, but tiara? Not once. Except this week 24/7! :D

The feathers are part of a cat toy :)

Essie: Ballet slippers / Orly: Tiara / Mavala: top coat fixator / Viuhti: the cat.

Lazy summer days on the balcony table... :)

***

I've been adding (again) some color to my dance classes also. I've had a pink day, bright red one, purple (with some black), orange... :) Green one is about to emerge, have to do some laundry first. 

And Finally a pair of soft slippers is about to meet it's end! And of course it's the one that's been my absolute favorite by far (Sansha Pro1). I've decided not to buy new ones, as there are some waiting already (not exactly the same, though). But new pointe shoes I have to, since none of the current ones work for my feet anymore. I'm dreaming (of a white Christmas but also) of Gaynors. They might be the answer to my very different feet (left one bigger). Or not. The first thing is to book an appointment with the fitter. Don't know when I'm able to do that. And when they are available at Footlight's. Make a call, one must.

p.s. For today's class I'm gonna wear the red stuff again, it was fun! :) And today it's been raining at last, so it might be possible to breath in our studio (Monday it was extreme, I tell you). 

Today's collage - The Perfect soft shoe?

As a kid and teenager we only had that one type of soft ballet shoes. The ones you got from the local shop. White ones usually. First with one narrow elastic over the foot, later with white cotton ribbons (like the satins in pointes).

Now I'm a grown-up and the choices are almost endless! Well, mostly 3 colors (white, black, ballet pink/tan-ish), but the types/models are so diverse. As are the brands, too. I've narrowed my testings on three brands, Sansha - Bloch - Capezio. These days we have still only one brand & model in our town, but luckily it's easy to go to Helsinki or Tampere to get what I want. Or just order online! That way it's also cheaper (but one really has to know what size is good, before ordering). (Or at least I have to, it's boring and tiring and everything to send stuff back and get the new size... In my opinion! :D)

Now, here's a collage of what I've tried and what I'm using. 

1* Top left corner -> Sansha - Silhouette

2* Top middle -> Sansha - Pro 1C

3* Top right corner/right side -> Bloch - Pump

4* Below left corner -> Capezio - Juliet

5* Below middle -> Bloch - Prolite II

The perfect soft shoe for me would have qualities from all five types. They do have one thing in common: material (which is canvas). I've never even tried leather ones, probably never will. For some reason I like canvas more. (Frankly I wouldn't be able to say that as I haven't even tried the other option, but let's not care about that. For now.) Let me tell you the other (good) things I've found about these.

1. Silhouettes are a bit more snug fitted than the Pros, but they have a good suede/leather patch under the ball of the foot (the demi-pointe area). It's stiched over the pleats, so I find it more flat and stable. (Some might say that the pleats are uncomfortable there "inside" the shoe, but I don't feel them.) I have to wear a bigger size from Silhouette (12) than from Pro.

2. Pro was the first model I bought after starting ballet over again. Got a pair of black ones, but they were too big, eventually. When fitting in the store they felt good, but after half a year or so I got used to tighter feeling around the foot and heel. To be honest, the black pair is size 13 and the pink pair (I've got now) is 11! But I love how the pinks feel, not squashing my toes or anything. Also I got black cotton ribbons for the first pair, but after that it's been 2 elastics crossed over the foot, always. Feels much more firm. What would I take from this model to my perfect shoe? Maybe the overall fitting. They feel good. (But what I certainly would Not take, is the fairly thick elastic drawstring, just Too thick I'd say.)

3. The newest model for me is the Pump. Some friends have been praising it, so last month I finally got my first pair ;) I've only been wearing them at home, but will try next week as I'll get back to ballet class. But I can tell what I like already: the heel. It's just So comfortable and stays put. Also I like the sides of the shoe, they feel lower than in others - revealing maybe a bit more, but still stay put (like the heel.) I'm a bit iffy about the size. I've had 6,5 on Bloch pointes and 7 felt "quite" snug on the Prolites, so I felt secure enough to get size 7 on Pumps too. But now it seems that the 6,5 could be right on these. 7 isn't too big, but there's some space I probably could live without. Well, next pair smaller then... Maybe :) (Yes, I'd take the whole heel from Pumps to the perfect shoe. Also the sides.)

4. Capezio's Juliets were a quick purchase, they were on sale and I didn't even try them on. How clever is that... Anyway, I'd been wearing Capezio's pointes (Glisse) half a size bigger (and they are too big), so I figured these wouldn't be too small at least. And they were actually okay. What I like about them? The lightness of the material, the middle of the sole is just Lovely (no seam there, me likey), inside sole has fabric under the heel and ball/toes, but not in the middle, so it gives a nice look for the arch. What I don't like? The fabrics I just mentioned, well, they tend to rip off very easily. But if you put some glue in there or sew them with few stiches, they'll be okay. (For the perfects -> the middle of the sole. No seams.)

5. ProliteII's are the ones I can get from the "local dealer". The only problem is that they seldom have my size. But they'll order when asked to. And as I go to the local dance school (my "alma mater"), there's a small discount, yay! At first I got one pair of blacks and one pair of ballet pinks (more like tan), later on a pair of whites. They come with only one elastic (not pre-sewn), so I always have to buy or have at ready some extra. (Silhouettes, Pumps and Pros have 2 elastics, probably Juliets too, if I remember correctly, some even pre-attached.) Good things are as follows: the overall feeling/fitting - very comfortable, also the inside sole - which is sofffft suede leather. And that's what I'd take for the perfect shoe.

A short summary:

* Leather patch (outside) under the ball of the foot -> Silhouette
* Overall feeling of the shoe -> Pro and Prolite II
* Back and sides of the heel -> Pump
* The "slim" elastic drawstring -> Bloch models
* Sides of the shoe (and probably the vamp, too) -> Pump
* Middle sole (especially outside) with No middle seam -> Juliet
* Insole/sockliner (soft suede leather) -> Prolite II (or Juliet, if they'd stay put better ;))

That's it. Almost. The canvas material could be something between the stuff they use in Sansha and in Bloch models. Padding/leather patch under the heel (outside) something between Juliet and Pump. Maybe.

Anyway, it would be so great and Interesting to get a shoe with those features. But I never will, so it's just dreaming and varying between models :)

***

p.s. The color would be between Bloch and Sansha (ballet pink).