How to Tie Pointe Shoes

Co-authored by Geraldine Grace Johns

Last Updated: March 7, 2023 Approved

Ballet dancers pirouetting on pointe always look so elegant and graceful. The pointe shoes they use to balance on their toes are very durable at the tips of the shoe, but are also strongly secured by the wrapped ribbons around their ankles. Tying pointe shoes sturdily is very extremely important for any ballet dancer, but fortunately, it’s fairly easy to do. With time and experience, even a beginning pointe dancer can learn how to securely tie their pointe shoes every time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Prepping to Tie Your Pointe Shoes

1
Put on your pointe shoes. Make sure you have some proper fitting pointe shoes with the ribbons sewed on.^{[1]
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Research source} Make adjustments to your shoe as necessary (slipping your foot through elastic straps, tightening the pointe shoes’ drawstring, etc.).
- Be sure that you are wearing your toe pads and any other accessories that you use while wearing your pointe shoes.
2
Position your foot. When tying pointe shoes, sit on the ground and have your foot flat on the floor. Your leg should be bent at the knee, creating a 90° angle between your ankle and your leg.^{[2]
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- This ensures that when you tie your pointe shoes, your ankle is flexed, giving the ribbons slack when you actually stand up on the pointes.
- That way, you don’t initially tie your pointe shoes too tight, hurt yourself with the taut ribbons, and cut off circulation when you come down from pointe with you feet flat on the floor.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Tying Your Pointe Shoes

1
Wrap the inside ribbon. Bring the ribbon on the inside of the pointe shoe across the top of your foot. Wrap the ribbon across the top of your foot so the ribbon lies just on top of your protruding outer ankle bone. Bring the ribbon across the back of your ankle (over your Achilles tendon), and back to the side of your inner ankle.
- Make sure you pull tight enough on the ribbon so there aren’t any folds or gaps when the ribbon crosses your foot.^{[3]
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- The inside ribbon is going to be wrap around your ankle more than the outside ribbon. This will give your ankles added stability.
2
Wrap the outer ribbon. While holding the inside ribbon in place on the inside of your ankle, use your other hand to cross the outside ribbon over the top of your foot to the opposite inner side of your ankle. Bring the outside ribbon over the inside ribbon you are holding in place, and wrap it around the back of your ankle (across your Achilles tendon). Then bring it back to the front of your foot (staying above your outer ankle bone), and bring it straight across the front of your ankle. You should bring it all the way over the front of your ankle, to meet with the inner ribbon you have been holding in place on the inside of your ankle.
- Again, make sure that you are wrapping the ribbon tight enough that there are no gaps or folds in the ribbon, and then ribbon is taut against your skin.
3
Make a knot. With both ribbons at your inner ankle, bring the outer ribbon under the inner ribbon that you had been holding in place, loop the outer ribbon over the inner ribbon, and feed the outer ribbon down through the hole between the crossed ribbons and your ankle. Pull both ribbons taut. Then repeat that same looping and pulling motion with the outer ribbon to make a tight knot.
- The knot should fall on the side of the ankle, in the divot between the inner ankle bone and the back of the ankle on top of the Achilles tendon.^{[4]
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  Research source} This is the perfect spot for the knot to be placed so the pointe shoe ribbons can still keep a relatively flat profile on the ankle.
4
Tuck the ribbons. Once the knot is made, turn the remaining ribbon strands into the inside of the wrapped ribbons around your ankle. Use your fingers to push the remaining ribbons down into place.
- You can use hairspray or even sew the knot into place with the ribbons for added security.
- If there is way too much extra ribbon after you have tied the knot, consider trimming the ends of the ribbon. However, leave enough ribbon that you can easily tie your pointe shoes in the future. This is especially important if you alternate which foot you wear your pointe shoes on, because the ribbon lengths need to be longer depending on which foot the pointe shoe is worn.^{[5]
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- Trimming the ribbons on a slanted angle may help with reducing the fraying of the cut ribbons.^{[6]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

How many years of ballet does it take before going on pointe?

Geraldine Grace Johns
Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor
Geraldine Grace Johns is a Professional Ballerina and the Owner of Grace Ballet in New York and Los Angeles. Geraldine toured through New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Korea as Jammes in Ken Hill's Original Phantom of the Opera. She has studied with the Royal Academy of Dance in London to become a teacher and taught for the Kudo School of Ballet in Yokohama. Geraldine also ran her own Royal Academy of Dance School in New Zealand before studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. Geraldine was a guest coach and Master Class teacher in Toronto for the Canadian Royal Academy of Dance's Dance Challenge in 2018, 2019, and 2020. She was also a guest coach and Master Class teacher for the USA Royal Academy of Dance Challenge in Long Beach, California in 2019 and 2020. Grace Ballet Los Angeles has won recognition as one of 13 Best Ballet Schools in Los Angeles since opening her school. Geraldine is a contract Practical Teaching Supervisor for the Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies for the Royal Academy of Dance.

Geraldine Grace Johns

Professional Ballerina & Ballet Instructor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Going on pointe requires many, many years of training and strengthening your footwork, calves, and feet. It's a wonderful thing to strive toward. There are many factors that determine when you can go on pointe, including your age, the size of your feet and toes, your level of strength, and whether your teacher thinks you are ready.
Question

I have flat feet, can I go on pointe?

Community Answer

Most certainly, it just takes more time to get that arch in the back of your foot, but you will get the hang of it!
Question

Can I use flats instead of pointe shoes?

Cecilia Flores

Top Answerer

No. It is not safe to go on your toes in ballet flats. Only go on pointe in the shoes that are made for standing on your toes: pointe shoes. Let your teacher show you how to properly, and safely, go into pointe.

Warnings

Don't tie your ribbons too tight around your ankle. Otherwise, you will get tendinitis in your ankles, which will put you out of dancing for a while. You can prevent this by tying your ribbons while your ankle is flexed.

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Never try pointe without ballet experience and permission from your teacher; you could seriously injure yourself.

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Can damage health if not careful

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