Oh, I love that tape. As a regular kinesiology taper, I've got more tips. 1. Never stretch the first or last couple of inches; these are your anchors. 2. Never touch the adhesive with your fingers as you're placing the tape, keep the backing on to manoeuvre. 3. Rub the tape once it's in place - the heat activates the adhesive. It should last several days at least. Great video, thanks!
Anja Dücker There's some difference between brands. You can get really cheap ones that tend to be more flexible and less supportive, eBay is good for those. The more supportive ones I've liked are rocktape, ares and KT which are available in the UK. KT is definitely in the US too. There's no difference in the colours/designs - I'm a particular fan of my red & black leopard print! Hope that helps!
I’m a last year physical therapy student, and I don’t recommend the brand KTape, because the adhesive is not that great. Take the brand LeukotapeK (NOT LeukotapeP).
The warm up before a fitting thing is actually very important I was wearing the wrong shoes for over a whole semester and I couldn’t get over my box the whole time because once we warmed up my feet shrunk
@ber1779 Dancer en pointe and heels is my thing. Yes, with heels your feet most likely will swollen but it is unlikely that they will shrink: pointe work and ballet use different muscles that with use may become shorter once "in action" and stay that way until they cool down so they might shrink when warmed up to their pointe motion. Heels motion is more restrictive and there isn't all the movement that there is in ballet aiding the blood flow, therefore i have never seen someone's feet shrinking in heels as poor circulation caused by heels will do that. The best thing is to go and try on your heels after walking quite a lot and maybe when you have your period as they will be a bit more swollen :)
No hate at all, but if you’re wondering the style and brand of a pointe shoe because you wanna try it out without getting fitted, please don’t, it’s as everyone says, dangerous. If you wanna know just cause why the heck not, then ofccc!
Kathryn, I have been dancing since I was 3 (intensively since i was 7) and I am now 17. I stopped dancing in May 2017 and it is now march 2018. I trained with teachers who immigrated to America from the USSR. They had studied at the Vaganova school and had been principle dancers with the Kirov ballet for about 8 years. Somehow, they ended up in a small little town about an hour outside Philadelphia, PA. That is where i met them. I studied so hard for so many years and for some reason, i stopped loving ballet as much. I loved performing still though and so I kept going. My teachers came from a whole different world from us (me and the girls i danced with) and were very very strict with us which I appreciate because i was getting better and better, but it got to a point where i felt more abused. My instructors marriage was not in an amazing place and my female instructor abused alcohol. That coupled with the body shaming and constant pressure, I just could not handle it. For the first about 8 months after I stopped, I did not want anything to do with ballet. I felt like i just didn't want to think about it probably mostly because i was afraid of blaming myself for leaving and thinking I made a mistake. Then, about a month or two ago I started to miss dance more than anything. Finally today I decided to dance again. I went online for a class and found yours. Thank you for giving me a wonderful class. I am so rusty and I have a lot of work to do in order to get better, but I hope to keep up with this. I am missing dancing and performing so so so so so so so much its incredible. Thank you again Kathryn. - Isabella
I have always taped my toes before class and while I'm wearing my pointe shoes and I've only had blisters on my heel (because the shoes were to small) so yea that works!
Your videos have been teaching me so much and inspiring me for years now, I discovered your channel when I was recovering from an appendectomy! Thank you for everything you share with us, allowing even dancers like me in Australia to learn from you! Your method of how to put a pointe shoe on correctly has CHANGED MY LIFE!
I have been dancing for a awhile, but am only on my second pair of pointe shoes. A lot of those tips I didn’t know like the taping your toes before blisters and didn’t know where to tape either. Thank you for that video it was so helpful. Those tips are wonderful please keep them coming!
A topic I would love you to visit is about teaching and becoming a teacher. I began as a student dancer, which I still am (even as an "older" dancer - age 33), but have gradually begun to grow also from this, to helping in a class for beginning adults, to now sometimes teaching it on my own and I tell ya what, I feel like such an imposter sometimes!
Best fitting guide to soft ballet shoes and what is the most attractive elastic positions, best way to change them if they are already pre sewn. Just coming back to ballet after 15 years of not dancing. It’s so much fun but hard to not see the lines I used to have. I’ve been doing your foot stretches and strengthening warm ups and am seeing a difference already! Thanks for the content!
Hello everybody! :) I just got pointe shoes today and I used some of these strategies and they were so helpful! I am so excited to be dancing on pointe! Thanks a lot Kathryn, you're my favorite!
I don’t do ballet or dance at all for that matter but I find your videos interesting and since I suffer from bunions as a result of never caring for my flat footedness I’m going to give your KT tip a try ! I’m on my feet all day so hopefully it helps with the pain !
Can you please do an updated version on the audition guide? I'm going to a ballet audition on late April and I'm really nervous. Thank you I love your videos 💓💓
About taping your toes to prevent blisters, I have been on pointe in classes last semester and this semester, and I have been taping my toes, and I haven’t gotten a blister from my pointe shoes yet.
I have three: 1) keep working at it, because it HAS to get better and better if you keep doing it. It feels super wonky and overwhelming at the start, that's normal. 2) Take care not to confuse a ballet class with a "barre fitness" class - as they are nothing the same. Barre "fitness" or barre "workouts" are mainly designed for exercise, are targeted towards adults, and mimic ballet in some regards. But they are not ballet at all. Actual ballet is done completely differently from "barre fitness." 3) many adult (actual) ballet classes are "recreational" in nature - where you will get lots of lots of steps and combinations to do but will get little to no help with how to do anything correctly (because that would make the class too hard and everyone would quit). So it is important to let the teacher know, early on, that you wish to make a proper study out of it and want to learn all the correct techniques. There are "secrets" to getting ballet to look the way it does - and you may never hear about them if the teacher believes you are just there to have fun. Love!
YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER I HAD A BUNIONS FOR A MONTH AND MY MOM SAID I COULDNT DANCE TIL IT WENT DOWN. BUNIONS DONT GO DOWN.Thank you for telling me that medical tape takes bunions down. 🙏
Hey Katie, I love your video. I usually use hairspray on my heels instead of rosin, works really well. Could you maybe do a video on do's and dont's before and during a performance/show. Maybe tell us how you warm up before a performance?
Jet glue can help if you don't already use it. I know this comment is old but if you have a few shoes left over that you can't afford to sell or replace yet adding glue before each class in the areas that tend to break down for you. Using tinted lip balm on your toes or red spots (on your feet) will imprint in your shoe where they tend to break down.
keeley the kiwi Fruit I know I'm not Kathryn but One thing I can tell you, massage your calf muscles! My favorite stretch is one where you go on a step then let your heels hang off and bend one leg to get a better stretch, it helps a lot. Also after class always stretch out your calves or after doing lots of foot strengthening exercises, because your calves can get very tight. Of course, tight calves = tight achilles. Make sure you are relaxing that muscle on the top of your ankle when standing in first position, landing your jumps with the heels fully on the floor, and you aren't rolling inwards, too!
Kendall Spring The Achilles tendon is a tendon, not a muscle. As far as I know, nothing can be done to change the tightness of a tendon... Sorry, I've lived (and danced) with them my whole life. ALSO: if you happen to get a tip that does help you, please tell me too!
Can you make a video for how to point feet properly 💕💕 - Thank you so much for making these videos! They help me so so much! I haven’t been able to take ballet classes recently and your videos have been my resources 💝💝 Thank you so much
Katie's Daily Struggle she has a video on injuries but not particularly about exercises. What she recommended in the video is that, for example, you've got a foot injury, you should do more upper body exercises or exercises that don't put pressure on your foot so that when you come back from your injury you don't have to start from zero, but instead only work on your feet or whatever part is injured.
Many thanks for your hacks about bunions! I do Highland dancing and we dance on the half-points, almost on the tip of the toes, it press on the bunion and it hurts. Your hacks should help me!
You know that the video is great when you can use the hacks even if you're not a ballet dancer) I do competitive irish dancing, and even though I got some great tips from the video) I'd also love to see some hair hacks, as having long hair as a dancer is a constant struggle)
I tried putting on my pointe shoes like you said in the last hack, and it definitely worked. However, when I dance on pointe, the shoes seem to sickle again. Do you know how I can fix this?
Whenever I’m on pointe, my right big toenail bruises. I tried taping it, and that’s helped some, and I’m going to get it drained after my recital, but I was wondering if there’s any way to prevent bruising, because it’s very painful. I talked to my ballet teacher, and she says I’m not knuckling (which is the only cause I can find online). So I’m wondering what I can do to prevent toenail bruising in the future.
Hi Katie! I have been on pointe for a while, and I am clearly the worst in the class. I try to maintain a positive attitude, but the others make it hard because they are so much better than I am. First, my legs never straighten, no matter what I do. This is especially noticeable en pointe. Second, I can never get over my box. My teacher thinks it’s just a phase or something, because she doesn’t pursue the issue. I am trying my absolute hardest and I can still not master pointe work. I am worried for my Achilles and my feet. Third, EVERY girl has the same style pointe shoe(Suffolk) than me(Bloch).I know that every foot is different and that I shouldn’t care, but every now and then, they get kind of judgmental. If anyone has any support or help they could provide, it would be deeply appreciated. Thanks from a worried teenager! ( it also doesn’t help than I am-how do you say-wider. My self esteem has plummeted. )
Try some leg strengthening excersizes, it may be your legs aren’t very strong at the moment, also you wear the same type of shoe as Misty Copeland, while there shoe is named after a rainy british place
If you are bending your knees to get over your box, you need to stretch the tops of your feet and ankles. I sprained an ankle a long time ago and didn’t do the stretching exercises the PT gave me. Stable releves are much harder for me on that side. Wear the shoe that is right for your foot. Some of those girls may regret their choice of shoe later if it causes them problems (and if it doesn’t fit right it probably will).
This is kinda a late reply, but have you considered going to a physical therapist/chiropractor? It might be that you have a physical limitation that's making it hard to straighten your legs properly, and they can either adjust your body or giving you exercises specifically targeted to help strengthen those muscles. I personally have one arch that didn't use to extend all the way - I could never get fully over my left box. I knew it wasn't a strength issue - my right foot works fine after all - so I went to a physical therapist. He noticed that something (I think a muscle) was preventing my instep from stretching, so he did a technique called dry needling (kind of like acupuncture, but for only a couple seconds instead of 30+ min) and all of a sudden my foot could stretch! It's possible that your quad muscles aren't working properly, making it hard for you to straighten your knees.
Hey, this is a little late, but I'm struggling with same thing you are right now. I've been en pointe for over a year and a half now, and I still can't get all the way over my box without bending my knees, so it obviously isn't a problem that's just going to solve itself over time - I think it's just the way our particular feet are. It's like you can't get any further than where you are now, and when I look at all the other girls en pointe around me, I feel frustrated and emberrased, because the rest of them practically mastered it after half a year on them, and I'm still not close to reaching their level (that's why I clicked on this video). But it may not be your fault - It could be the pointe shoe you're wearing. I've been continually modifying mine, and I've found that I'm way better off than before. One of the things I did was 3/4 my shank, and now it's forcing me to go over my box, and strengthening my legs to be better suited to pointe. I really hope you find help from this, whatever situation you may be in now.
Hi Kathryn!! I was wondering if you have any tips for summer intensive and what might be helpful to bring. I going to my first summer intensive and I would like to be as prepared as possible. I would like to know some of your favorite products for muscle pains and small injuries. Thanks so much!! I love your videos!!!❤😊
I’m a big fan of k-tape. I have hallux limitus where the joint of my big toe is fusing together. K-tape takes the pressure off. But I’ve also used it for PF, pulled quad etc.
Hi! Thank you for this video. I know this is random, but is there a certain way you are supposed to clip your toe nails? Thanks again and I love your channel!!!
Hi Katie! I would like to know your opinion on Gaynors. I normally use grishkos or freeds. I have very hyperextended knees and hypermobile hips but my feet are not super arched to counteract. I can’t complain they are ok and very strong (I go through shoes like crazy) but recently a teacher recommended Gaynors as the best shoe for my “characteristics” however there is so much controversy around them that I would like to know your opinion about it. Thanks a lot! Love from Europe xx
Hi, Cris O.! Katie has a Q and A video on her channel where someone asked her opinion of Gaynors. She has never worn them before, but she did say to be cautious because they are a harder shoe to transfer from if they don't work for you (since they're plastic). Also, she mentioned that a select few companies don't want dancers who use Gaynor pointe shoes, but that's about all she knows/has revealed regarding them.
Katie's Daily Struggle thank you so much. I didn’t know she had already answered that. It’s very nice of you to let me know her thoughts regarding Gaynors. Xx
As s girl that alternates brands depending on what I'm doing (so I'll wear freeds for class, capezios for variatoins and gaynors for my corps work in sleeping beauty) as long as they work for you, don't be embarrassed. I'm the only girl in my school that wears demi-pointes for normal barre work but guess who is improving? Don't be afraid to stand out, and use what works for you.
The success of Gaynors depends entirely on them being fit correctly! I absolutely love mine but the first couple pairs I had were awful because the fitter didn't know that you have to fit them differently from a traditional shoe. See if you can find someone who really has some experience with them. I'd also recommend checking out GM's channel because they have some nice tips on what to look for in your fitting. Mine are great!
I started pointe last October. At my fitting, my fitter gave me spacers because I already had bunions. As I've been dancing en pointe (keep in mind I'm still only at the barre), I've noticed that my big toes become numb. My teacher told me to stop using the spacers and see how that works. I can actually feel my toes! So I guess numbness would also be a factor in deciding whether or not you need spacers. :)
that stretchy stick on tape is so useful. I have a messed up some from hammering it several times doing stuff around the house and I use it 2 apply gentle pressure by wrapping around my thumb. I've also used it on my toes on occasion even though I don't dance. I'm trying to find a body safe adhesive to reuse it because it's kind of expensive. Need to go to my local theatrical supply and cosmetic store and find some. It'll probably be in the same aisle as the zombie prosthetics. LOL
Absolutely love the tips about toe spacers and the bunion. I have a huge gap between my big and second toes. The gap is so big that normal dancer toe spacers won't help. I don't have a physical bunion, but bunion pain really bothers me. 1. I inserted my drug store toe spacer in my toes while wearing soft shoes. It works as a magic. I can balance so much better that my teacher is surprised. 2. I taped my feet as the video. I feel so much better on my bunion. I think non-dancers who have bunions should know this trick.
So much info and work! In your videos.😳 mind blown! Thank you very much and those earrings are stunning!!! Do you have any tips to help brand new feet? From getting bunions and such or is it just a come with the territory thing? No teachers around here. 😣 Also, I would love ❤️ a knee pain relief hack video like the person below. 👏
I would love to see a video with foot exercises helping a beginner achieve their highest releve and a video on how to breathe during basing barre exercises. I feel like I'm constantly holding my breath and no matter how hard I push, I can't seem to get as high as my feet allow on my big toes :( p.s Love all your videos, I hope one day I will use all those hacks on my own pointe shoes
i think this would work as well; my pointe shop is like a mile away by walking so i walked to the store so by the time i arrived, my feet have been doing some work already
Oh, I love that tape. As a regular kinesiology taper, I've got more tips. 1. Never stretch the first or last couple of inches; these are your anchors. 2. Never touch the adhesive with your fingers as you're placing the tape, keep the backing on to manoeuvre. 3. Rub the tape once it's in place - the heat activates the adhesive. It should last several days at least.
Great video, thanks!
Fabulous! Thank you so much for the tips! Pinning your comment to the top!
Kathryn Morgan Thanks so much!
Fantastic tips. I think the bunion aspect will benefit me forever❤️
Anja Dücker There's some difference between brands. You can get really cheap ones that tend to be more flexible and less supportive, eBay is good for those. The more supportive ones I've liked are rocktape, ares and KT which are available in the UK. KT is definitely in the US too. There's no difference in the colours/designs - I'm a particular fan of my red & black leopard print! Hope that helps!
I’m a last year physical therapy student, and I don’t recommend the brand KTape, because the adhesive is not that great. Take the brand LeukotapeK (NOT LeukotapeP).
The warm up before a fitting thing is actually very important I was wearing the wrong shoes for over a whole semester and I couldn’t get over my box the whole time because once we warmed up my feet shrunk
Absolutely! And people tend to think that everyone's feet swell as they warm up. But not everybody!
Kathryn Morgan my feet expands when they warm up
@@kathryn_morgan Would this apply to heels as well? (feet shrinking or swelling during wear)
@ber1779 Dancer en pointe and heels is my thing. Yes, with heels your feet most likely will swollen but it is unlikely that they will shrink: pointe work and ballet use different muscles that with use may become shorter once "in action" and stay that way until they cool down so they might shrink when warmed up to their pointe motion. Heels motion is more restrictive and there isn't all the movement that there is in ballet aiding the blood flow, therefore i have never seen someone's feet shrinking in heels as poor circulation caused by heels will do that.
The best thing is to go and try on your heels after walking quite a lot and maybe when you have your period as they will be a bit more swollen :)
Do a once upon a pointe about your first pointe shoe fitting and what brand your first pair was
Lizzy Kitty31 ommggg yessss
Yess that's a good idea
BUT I THINK (GIRISHKO) IS THE BEST ONE
No hate at all, but if you’re wondering the style and brand of a pointe shoe because you wanna try it out without getting fitted, please don’t, it’s as everyone says, dangerous. If you wanna know just cause why the heck not, then ofccc!
Grigishko 2007
Omg same they were very hard I had to buy another pair (merlet) because they were so dang hard 😂
Kathryn, I have been dancing since I was 3 (intensively since i was 7) and I am now 17. I stopped dancing in May 2017 and it is now march 2018. I trained with teachers who immigrated to America from the USSR. They had studied at the Vaganova school and had been principle dancers with the Kirov ballet for about 8 years. Somehow, they ended up in a small little town about an hour outside Philadelphia, PA. That is where i met them. I studied so hard for so many years and for some reason, i stopped loving ballet as much. I loved performing still though and so I kept going. My teachers came from a whole different world from us (me and the girls i danced with) and were very very strict with us which I appreciate because i was getting better and better, but it got to a point where i felt more abused. My instructors marriage was not in an amazing place and my female instructor abused alcohol. That coupled with the body shaming and constant pressure, I just could not handle it. For the first about 8 months after I stopped, I did not want anything to do with ballet. I felt like i just didn't want to think about it probably mostly because i was afraid of blaming myself for leaving and thinking I made a mistake. Then, about a month or two ago I started to miss dance more than anything. Finally today I decided to dance again. I went online for a class and found yours. Thank you for giving me a wonderful class. I am so rusty and I have a lot of work to do in order to get better, but I hope to keep up with this. I am missing dancing and performing so so so so so so so much its incredible. Thank you again Kathryn. - Isabella
Amazing.
If you don’t mind, are you still dancing? If not that’s totally fine, just curious! Blessings to you!
OMG THANK YOU FOR THE SICKLED SHOE TIP BC THATS WHY I CAME TO THIS VIDEO!
I have always taped my toes before class and while I'm wearing my pointe shoes and I've only had blisters on my heel (because the shoes were to small) so yea that works!
Your videos have been teaching me so much and inspiring me for years now, I discovered your channel when I was recovering from an appendectomy! Thank you for everything you share with us, allowing even dancers like me in Australia to learn from you! Your method of how to put a pointe shoe on correctly has CHANGED MY LIFE!
I have been dancing for a awhile, but am only on my second pair of pointe shoes. A lot of those tips I didn’t know like the taping your toes before blisters and didn’t know where to tape either. Thank you for that video it was so helpful. Those tips are wonderful please keep them coming!
When you talked about the disappearing heel, I’ve never related to something more in my life 😂
Same! 😁
A topic I would love you to visit is about teaching and becoming a teacher. I began as a student dancer, which I still am (even as an "older" dancer - age 33), but have gradually begun to grow also from this, to helping in a class for beginning adults, to now sometimes teaching it on my own and I tell ya what, I feel like such an imposter sometimes!
Best fitting guide to soft ballet shoes and what is the most attractive elastic positions, best way to change them if they are already pre sewn. Just coming back to ballet after 15 years of not dancing. It’s so much fun but hard to not see the lines I used to have. I’ve been doing your foot stretches and strengthening warm ups and am seeing a difference already! Thanks for the content!
Always look forward to these pointe shoes videos! They are a huge help for me.
Yaaaay! I just got back in my shoes yesterday after about three months of not dancing en point, so the timing of the video is perfect!!
Summer intensive and packing hacks!!!
Alexa Dollar I think she already did videos about summer intensives and what to pack ages ago. Check her uploads.
nessagirl1911 Oh thank you !! I will have a look😘
THAT RIBBON HACK IS AMAZING OMG
Hello everybody! :) I just got pointe shoes today and I used some of these strategies and they were so helpful! I am so excited to be dancing on pointe! Thanks a lot Kathryn, you're my favorite!
I don’t do ballet or dance at all for that matter but I find your videos interesting and since I suffer from bunions as a result of never caring for my flat footedness I’m going to give your KT tip a try ! I’m on my feet all day so hopefully it helps with the pain !
Can you please do an updated version on the audition guide? I'm going to a ballet audition on late April and I'm really nervous. Thank you I love your videos 💓💓
About taping your toes to prevent blisters, I have been on pointe in classes last semester and this semester, and I have been taping my toes, and I haven’t gotten a blister from my pointe shoes yet.
I love hack videos so any ballet hack videos will be amazing
Suffolk have been a game changer for me!
Can you do a video about knee pain
I will add it to the list!
Kathryn Morgan this would be so useful! My knees give me a lot of trouble 😖
Gracie Johnson yes please 🙏🏻
Try lightly foam rolling your IT band and quad muscles on both legs.
Thank you for the winging tip, I actually asked my teacher about not sickling, but she didn't know. You are a lifesaver!
Thank you for thissss....
My feet always hurt when I put on my pointe shoes
I just got my first pair of pointe shoes do this is helpful
Thanks 😊😊
What is on your nails?? They look amazing in the demos!!
Those pointe shoes in the back round are so pretty 😍💖
I’ve got a dance show tomorrow and I’ve got a pointe solo I don’t train in pointe very often but this really helped! Thank you :)
Ugggg I love this! This was perfect for me!
Do you have any hacks/tips for adults beginners? I have been in class since September and I love it!!
I have three: 1) keep working at it, because it HAS to get better and better if you keep doing it. It feels super wonky and overwhelming at the start, that's normal. 2) Take care not to confuse a ballet class with a "barre fitness" class - as they are nothing the same. Barre "fitness" or barre "workouts" are mainly designed for exercise, are targeted towards adults, and mimic ballet in some regards. But they are not ballet at all. Actual ballet is done completely differently from "barre fitness." 3) many adult (actual) ballet classes are "recreational" in nature - where you will get lots of lots of steps and combinations to do but will get little to no help with how to do anything correctly (because that would make the class too hard and everyone would quit). So it is important to let the teacher know, early on, that you wish to make a proper study out of it and want to learn all the correct techniques. There are "secrets" to getting ballet to look the way it does - and you may never hear about them if the teacher believes you are just there to have fun. Love!
This is great because I'm not on pointe yet, but now I know what to do! Thanks!💖
YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER I HAD A BUNIONS FOR A MONTH AND MY MOM SAID I COULDNT DANCE TIL IT WENT DOWN. BUNIONS DONT GO DOWN.Thank you for telling me that medical tape takes bunions down. 🙏
Thank u so very much Kathryn for yr helpful hints. Yr so brave and courageous for helping others where no one else would. 🎈💕💐
Idk Im not in ballet and stuff but These Pointe shoe vids Are Satisfying 😂
I am getting my pointe shoes in March, so I am watching a bunch of videos about pointe shoes!
Thank you for your light!
Tutu hacks!
Brilliant!
Yes please!
Prophylactic toe taping. Genius!
Hey Katie, I love your video. I usually use hairspray on my heels instead of rosin, works really well. Could you maybe do a video on do's and dont's before and during a performance/show. Maybe tell us how you warm up before a performance?
I have very high arches and strong feet. I broke my first pair of classes in 3 weeks with 45 minute classes once a week. Any advice?
Try a different styles of pointe shoe and keep trying until some last a tiny bit longer than others 💙
Jet glue can help if you don't already use it. I know this comment is old but if you have a few shoes left over that you can't afford to sell or replace yet adding glue before each class in the areas that tend to break down for you. Using tinted lip balm on your toes or red spots (on your feet) will imprint in your shoe where they tend to break down.
I love this video! so very helpful!
This is really helpful, thanks so much
I'm so glad!
Love all of your videos! Can you do an updated adult beginners ballet video, I just started taking classes 2 months ago. Thanks!
my 8 yr old daughter loves your videos
Yay! These hacks are really helpful cause I'm going to get my pointe shoes in 2 weeks!!
Can you make any hacks for tight Achilles
yes please,
keeley the kiwi Fruit I know I'm not Kathryn but One thing I can tell you, massage your calf muscles! My favorite stretch is one where you go on a step then let your heels hang off and bend one leg to get a better stretch, it helps a lot. Also after class always stretch out your calves or after doing lots of foot strengthening exercises, because your calves can get very tight. Of course, tight calves = tight achilles. Make sure you are relaxing that muscle on the top of your ankle when standing in first position, landing your jumps with the heels fully on the floor, and you aren't rolling inwards, too!
Thanks for the tip:)
Kendall Spring The Achilles tendon is a tendon, not a muscle. As far as I know, nothing can be done to change the tightness of a tendon... Sorry, I've lived (and danced) with them my whole life. ALSO: if you happen to get a tip that does help you, please tell me too!
oh okay:( thanks for the info. :) if i find anything ill be sure to let you kniw!
Yes i love these kinds of videos!
Thank you so much for sharing this! This helped me so much. I'm hoping for more videos like this!
im going to try most of these hacks when i get my first pair of point shoes tmmw i cant wait
I'm not a dancer but I am ABOUT that bunion tapeing hack! Thanks Katie
SO helpful! Thank you!!
Just starting pointe. These are so helpful
This is such a helpful video, thank you so much!
Can you make a video for how to point feet properly 💕💕
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Thank you so much for making these videos! They help me so so much! I haven’t been able to take ballet classes recently and your videos have been my resources 💝💝
Thank you so much
I’m surprised that she just learned the “tracing your big toe” hack. When I had my first pair of pointe shoes, the lady who fitted me taught me that.
I’m getting my first pair today!! 😁
i got really lucky when I got fitted. the shoe i went home with is perfect for my foot and they’ve put me in the same pair again and again.
Does anyone know if she has a video on injuries and exercises to do when you're not taking class? I would love to see that! :)
Katie's Daily Struggle she has a video on injuries but not particularly about exercises. What she recommended in the video is that, for example, you've got a foot injury, you should do more upper body exercises or exercises that don't put pressure on your foot so that when you come back from your injury you don't have to start from zero, but instead only work on your feet or whatever part is injured.
Loveeee theses hacks!!! Why didn’t anybody tell me this before ???? Super helpful thx!!!
Thank you so much, lots of love from England x
Many thanks for your hacks about bunions! I do Highland dancing and we dance on the half-points, almost on the tip of the toes, it press on the bunion and it hurts. Your hacks should help me!
You know that the video is great when you can use the hacks even if you're not a ballet dancer) I do competitive irish dancing, and even though I got some great tips from the video) I'd also love to see some hair hacks, as having long hair as a dancer is a constant struggle)
I tried putting on my pointe shoes like you said in the last hack, and it definitely worked. However, when I dance on pointe, the shoes seem to sickle again. Do you know how I can fix this?
Whenever I’m on pointe, my right big toenail bruises. I tried taping it, and that’s helped some, and I’m going to get it drained after my recital, but I was wondering if there’s any way to prevent bruising, because it’s very painful. I talked to my ballet teacher, and she says I’m not knuckling (which is the only cause I can find online). So I’m wondering what I can do to prevent toenail bruising in the future.
im getting pointe shoes soon im so excited
Hi Katie!
I have been on pointe for a while, and I am clearly the worst in the class. I try to maintain a positive attitude, but the others make it hard because they are so much better than I am. First, my legs never straighten, no matter what I do. This is especially noticeable en pointe. Second, I can never get over my box. My teacher thinks it’s just a phase or something, because she doesn’t pursue the issue. I am trying my absolute hardest and I can still not master pointe work. I am worried for my Achilles and my feet. Third, EVERY girl has the same style pointe shoe(Suffolk) than me(Bloch).I know that every foot is different and that I shouldn’t care, but every now and then, they get kind of judgmental. If anyone has any support or help they could provide, it would be deeply appreciated. Thanks from a worried teenager! ( it also doesn’t help than I am-how do you say-wider. My self esteem has plummeted. )
Try some leg strengthening excersizes, it may be your legs aren’t very strong at the moment, also you wear the same type of shoe as Misty Copeland, while there shoe is named after a rainy british place
If you are bending your knees to get over your box, you need to stretch the tops of your feet and ankles. I sprained an ankle a long time ago and didn’t do the stretching exercises the PT gave me. Stable releves are much harder for me on that side.
Wear the shoe that is right for your foot. Some of those girls may regret their choice of shoe later if it causes them problems (and if it doesn’t fit right it probably will).
This is kinda a late reply, but have you considered going to a physical therapist/chiropractor? It might be that you have a physical limitation that's making it hard to straighten your legs properly, and they can either adjust your body or giving you exercises specifically targeted to help strengthen those muscles. I personally have one arch that didn't use to extend all the way - I could never get fully over my left box. I knew it wasn't a strength issue - my right foot works fine after all - so I went to a physical therapist.
He noticed that something (I think a muscle) was preventing my instep from stretching, so he did a technique called dry needling (kind of like acupuncture, but for only a couple seconds instead of 30+ min) and all of a sudden my foot could stretch! It's possible that your quad muscles aren't working properly, making it hard for you to straighten your knees.
Hey, this is a little late, but I'm struggling with same thing you are right now. I've been en pointe for over a year and a half now, and I still can't get all the way over my box without bending my knees, so it obviously isn't a problem that's just going to solve itself over time - I think it's just the way our particular feet are. It's like you can't get any further than where you are now, and when I look at all the other girls en pointe around me, I feel frustrated and emberrased, because the rest of them practically mastered it after half a year on them, and I'm still not close to reaching their level (that's why I clicked on this video). But it may not be your fault - It could be the pointe shoe you're wearing. I've been continually modifying mine, and I've found that I'm way better off than before. One of the things I did was 3/4 my shank, and now it's forcing me to go over my box, and strengthening my legs to be better suited to pointe. I really hope you find help from this, whatever situation you may be in now.
Can you do a video about Italian fuettes? I can’t quite get around on my pointe shoes ❤️❤️
Brinly Lewis do you mean fouettes?
kirstyn witt no I meant Italian fuettes. They are two different things :)
Never heard of that I was going to give you tips on fouettes if that's what you meant. Good luck :)
Thank you for such a great video! I am going en pointe soon and this was really helpful!
I dislocated my knee two weeks ago. So devasted. Don't know when to go back on pointe :/ But this was a brilliant video for when I'm back :)
Great tips! Thank you!
Can you do a video on how to save or make money as a non adult for dancers?
Hi Kathryn!! I was wondering if you have any tips for summer intensive and what might be helpful to bring. I going to my first summer intensive and I would like to be as prepared as possible. I would like to know some of your favorite products for muscle pains and small injuries. Thanks so much!! I love your videos!!!❤😊
I’m a big fan of k-tape. I have hallux limitus where the joint of my big toe is fusing together. K-tape takes the pressure off. But I’ve also used it for PF, pulled quad etc.
Hi! Thank you for this video. I know this is random, but is there a certain way you are supposed to clip your toe nails? Thanks again and I love your channel!!!
Hi Katie! I would like to know your opinion on Gaynors. I normally use grishkos or freeds. I have very hyperextended knees and hypermobile hips but my feet are not super arched to counteract. I can’t complain they are ok and very strong (I go through shoes like crazy) but recently a teacher recommended Gaynors as the best shoe for my “characteristics” however there is so much controversy around them that I would like to know your opinion about it. Thanks a lot! Love from Europe xx
Hi, Cris O.! Katie has a Q and A video on her channel where someone asked her opinion of Gaynors. She has never worn them before, but she did say to be cautious because they are a harder shoe to transfer from if they don't work for you (since they're plastic). Also, she mentioned that a select few companies don't want dancers who use Gaynor pointe shoes, but that's about all she knows/has revealed regarding them.
Katie's Daily Struggle thank you so much. I didn’t know she had already answered that. It’s very nice of you to let me know her thoughts regarding Gaynors. Xx
As s girl that alternates brands depending on what I'm doing (so I'll wear freeds for class, capezios for variatoins and gaynors for my corps work in sleeping beauty) as long as they work for you, don't be embarrassed. I'm the only girl in my school that wears demi-pointes for normal barre work but guess who is improving? Don't be afraid to stand out, and use what works for you.
That's how I am too, and I just got gaynors and I LOVE them!
The success of Gaynors depends entirely on them being fit correctly! I absolutely love mine but the first couple pairs I had were awful because the fitter didn't know that you have to fit them differently from a traditional shoe. See if you can find someone who really has some experience with them. I'd also recommend checking out GM's channel because they have some nice tips on what to look for in your fitting. Mine are great!
I really needed this
I started pointe last October. At my fitting, my fitter gave me spacers because I already had bunions. As I've been dancing en pointe (keep in mind I'm still only at the barre), I've noticed that my big toes become numb. My teacher told me to stop using the spacers and see how that works. I can actually feel my toes! So I guess numbness would also be a factor in deciding whether or not you need spacers. :)
that stretchy stick on tape is so useful. I have a messed up some from hammering it several times doing stuff around the house and I use it 2 apply gentle pressure by wrapping around my thumb. I've also used it on my toes on occasion even though I don't dance. I'm trying to find a body safe adhesive to reuse it because it's kind of expensive. Need to go to my local theatrical supply and cosmetic store and find some. It'll probably be in the same aisle as the zombie prosthetics. LOL
Omg I just got a pair of Suffolk’s today!
Can you do a warm up vid?
Could you do travel hacks? No matter how careful I try to be with diet/exercise/water I have such a hard time feeling good when I get home.
I loooove you `hacks`!!! Thanks a lotttt!!xoxoxoxoxxo
In between my big toe and my second to there is a gap so I have to have spacer. When I went to my new studio my teacher was so happy I had them!!
Tysm! i am a beginner at this bc my birthday was oct 7 and i got pointe shoes and need some tips
Absolutely love the tips about toe spacers and the bunion. I have a huge gap between my big and second toes. The gap is so big that normal dancer toe spacers won't help. I don't have a physical bunion, but bunion pain really bothers me. 1. I inserted my drug store toe spacer in my toes while wearing soft shoes. It works as a magic. I can balance so much better that my teacher is surprised. 2. I taped my feet as the video. I feel so much better on my bunion. I think non-dancers who have bunions should know this trick.
OMG love herrrr this video is perfect timeing because i am strugling at point an now this video😊😊😊❤❤❤
number 7 so helped me, thank you!!!!
You are awesome. Thank you so much
So much info and work! In your videos.😳 mind blown!
Thank you very much and those earrings are stunning!!!
Do you have any tips to help brand new feet? From getting bunions and such or is it just a come with the territory thing?
No teachers around here. 😣
Also, I would love ❤️ a knee pain relief hack video like the person below. 👏
Which point shoes are these? They are really nice😊 thank you for the helpful hacks Kathryn💕
Thanks for the tips!!!
this is amazing
I would love to see a video with foot exercises helping a beginner achieve their highest releve and a video on how to breathe during basing barre exercises. I feel like I'm constantly holding my breath and no matter how hard I push, I can't seem to get as high as my feet allow on my big toes :(
p.s Love all your videos, I hope one day I will use all those hacks on my own pointe shoes
Great idea!
Loving the intro! ❤️
Thank you! I needed something, so just trying it out! xo
Huh, what a coincidence. Just got refitted the other day and chose a Suffolk shoe. It feels quite different, but in a good way. Anywho...great vid.
could you do like performance hacks? love u!!
Great hacks
I have a question, about the bunion taping can you do the same thing but in your pinky toe bunion? I love your videos!
i think this would work as well; my pointe shop is like a mile away by walking so i walked to the store so by the time i arrived, my feet have been doing some work already
Hello Kathryn and thank you for your interesting video ! You always wear beautiful earings, where do they come from ? :)