Pointe shoes are a dance slipper with a thick, reinforced toe to enable the ballet dancer to dance en pointe (on the tips of their toes) for extended periods. They are manufactured in many varieties of colors – most commonly in a light shade of pink.
Every dancer’s foot is unique. Variations include toe length and shape, mechanical strength, and arch flexibility. Therefore, most pointe shoe manufacturers produce several models of shoes, with each model offering a different fit. However, all point shoes have two critical structural features; a box, and a shank, which enable dancers to dance on the tips of their toes.