The grace of ballet is not something which happens overnight. The elegance of the dance and the presentation is a product of hard work in training. It is a passion and a vocation. And to ballet dancers, ballet slippers are an integral part of their being.

It is no easy task to dance on one’s toes, but years of training have taught ballerinas to do so. In some schools, to dance en pointe is not taught until after five years of study and hard work. Though the slippers look thin-soled, these are the only equipment a ballet dancer has on stage, everything else is a accoutrement.

Made to be light, the shoes allow the dancers to take flight and jump unhindered. Unfortunately the very same design which allows the dancers to soar may not last too long due to their thin soles and the great amount of damage.

Ballet shoes are typically created from soft leather, canvas or satin. Leather shoes are tough and last long. These also keep the feet warm. Not as durable as leather, canvas shoes are are usually worn by men. Satin ballet shoes are are typically worn by women and can be easily dyed to change the shoe color.

Ballet slippers have elastic bands to secure the shoes to the feet. Ballet shoes may be tiedwith a single band across the foot, or with two crossing bands in an “x” shape.

Very nifty and elegant looking, satin ballet shoes mirror ballet dancers. Looking like slight beings while performing, dancers are some of the most agile artists, spending hours daily to keep flexible and in shape. The same is true of their shoes. These may look like small and flimsy objects but are instead very durable to keep up with the ballerinas wearing them.