Have you ever wondered why ballet pointe shoes get soft after wearing them in pointe class or after many on stage performances? If you ask any ballet dancer she will tell you why. But since you want to know why now, here goes.

Let us begin at the beginning of how pointe shoes are made or put together. (A bit difficult to give you a blow-by-blow description, technique or making them, but take my word, they are very difficult to make).

In its simplest form the shoe consists of a leather sole and shank, a casing holding the drawstring, pink or light-pink satin material covering the shoe. And the most important part of the shoe is the BOX. Ah yes, the BOX. This is the part of the shoe that either you love as a dancer or hate. Why? Because this is where it all happens, taking all other parts of the shoe in consideration.

Basically the BOX is made with a mixture of material, glue and/or paper in such a way that when the shoes dry, the BOX becomes very hard, permitting support of the feet when on pointe. When the shoes are worn to the point that the dancer begins to feel uncomfortable, that is when the BOX starts to become soft losing the support the dancer needs. What to do?

Pointe shoes are very expensive and don't last very long. So, you use JET-glue (following their directions)or clear Shellac (no color) that can be bought at a nearby hardware store.

Using a small paint brush, you actually paint the inside of the BOX with the Shellac. Let it dry out completely before putting your feet into the shoes. It may take a few days for the Shellac to dry. You should have at least a minimum of two pairs of pointe shoes. Oh I know. Pointe shoes are expensive, anywhere from 50-70-90 dollars a pair! So you must take care of your pointe shoes.

There are a few tips on taking care of them on www.ballet-feetfirst.com.

Nick Polajenko

NICHOLAS POLAJENKO A native of New York City, Nicholas Polajenko was trained by the famed Russian teachers Anatole Vilzak & Ludmilla Schollar. Soon recognized as dancer of exceptional technique and acting versatility, he rapidly rose to the rank of Principal Dancer with such companies as the Metropolitan Ballet, Ballet des Champs Elysees, Ballet Roland Petit, London?s Festival Ballet and the International Ballet Marquis de Ceuvas.

Before going to Paris France in December 1948 he was in two Broadway Musicals. Music In My Heart and Annie Get Your Gun.

Between 1951 and 1968 he performed every major classical role, partnering such outstanding ballerinas as Tamara Toumamova, Marjorie Tallchief, Alexandra Danilova, Toni Lander, Yvette Chauvire, Svetlana Beriosova and Rosella Hightower. He has worked with such brilliant choreographers as Anton Dolin, Nicholas Beriosoff, Harald Lander, Roland Petit, Leonid Massine, Serge Lifar, Bronislava Nijinska and Alvin Ailey.

Mr. Polajenko also made numerous guest appearances with companies around the world. As a Guest Artist with the Harkness Ballet of New York, he was invited to perform at the White House before President Johnson. His biography appears in a number of dance books and in the International Who?s Who.