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The Daily Insight

How many pointe shoes does a ballerina go through?

Author

David Jones

Published Apr 12, 2026

How many pointe shoes does a ballerina go through?

A professional ballerina can dance through 100-120 pairs of pointe shoes in one season. At a cost of about $80 each, PBT spends close to $100,000 on pointe shoes per year.

How many pairs of pointe shoes do ballerinas go through per week?

I would say on average, I go through two pairs of pointe shoes a week. Some weeks my schedule isn’t very heavy, so I might only use one pair. Other weeks are extremely busy and then I may even need three or four pairs of shoes!

How often do ballerinas replace pointe shoes?

every 10 to 20 hours
Most pointe shoes made from traditional materials need to be changed after every 10 to 20 hours of use, depending on your level of training. Feel your shoes before and after dancing: Check for any asymmetries, soft spots or areas of excessive wear.

How many pairs of ballet shoes does the Royal Ballet company get through each year?

A large company such as the Royal can get through 6,000-7,000 pairs a year, depending on the choice of ballets.

Why do ballerinas break their shoes?

The purpose of breaking in a new pair of pointe shoes is to mould them to the shape of your foot. Breaking in your new ballet shoes will make them more comfortable when you wear them. You can break in pointe shoes by simply starting to dance in them.

Why do ballerinas hit their pointe shoes?

Pointe shoes allow a dancer to spin, balance and perform at their best. The purpose of breaking in a new pair of pointe shoes is to mould them to the shape of your foot. Breaking in your new ballet shoes will make them more comfortable when you wear them.

Why do ballerinas burn their shoes?

Unfortunately, many dancers destroy their brand new pointe shoes before dancing in them for the first time by not breaking them in properly. The purpose of breaking in a new pair of pointe shoes is to mould them to the shape of your foot. As each foot is different, each dancer breaks in their shoes a bit differently.

Why do ballerinas alter their shoes?

She would modify her shoes by sanding off the slippery tips (to avoid falling), breaking the shank (a hard wooden piece along the sole), and beating the shoes against concrete until they loosened enough for her. It’s quite a hassle to break in new shoes, and once you get them just right…you want to hold onto them.

How many pairs of pointe shoes does a ballet dancer wear?

Not long — and sometimes for just one performance (or part of a performance!), depending on the difficulty of the ballet. A professional ballerina can dance through 100-120 pairs of pointe shoes in one season.

How many pairs of Shoes does The Nutcracker wear?

Each year, the dancers go through 500 to 800 pairs of shoes performing George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. But, surprisingly, Nutcracker isn’t the biggest shoe-killer.

Why do ballerinas dance on the tips of their toes?

Pointe shoes are specially made shoes worn by ballerinas to allow them to dance on the tips of their toes. What are pointe shoes made of? Pointe shoes look dainty, but they really aren’t.

How many pairs of pointe shoes are made each year?

To ensure that all dancers have enough shoes, the company orders about 8,500 pairs every year. The shoes are handmade in London, and the dancers are able to pick who makes their toe boxes (the portion of the shoe that they stand on).

Not long — and sometimes for just one performance (or part of a performance!), depending on the difficulty of the ballet. A professional ballerina can dance through 100-120 pairs of pointe shoes in one season.

Each year, the dancers go through 500 to 800 pairs of shoes performing George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. But, surprisingly, Nutcracker isn’t the biggest shoe-killer.

Pointe shoes are specially made shoes worn by ballerinas to allow them to dance on the tips of their toes. What are pointe shoes made of? Pointe shoes look dainty, but they really aren’t.

To ensure that all dancers have enough shoes, the company orders about 8,500 pairs every year. The shoes are handmade in London, and the dancers are able to pick who makes their toe boxes (the portion of the shoe that they stand on).