What to do When Your Ballet Pointe Shoes Slip off the Heel

A Small Trick, a Big Difference: What to Do When Your Pointe Shoes Slip Off the Heel

Ballet is an art that demands precision, strength, endurance – and reliable pointe shoes. But what if yours keep slipping off your heel? Every dancer knows that uncomfortable feeling during practice or a performance when you're trying to stay balanced while your shoe slowly slides down. Fortunately, there’s a simple and discreet trick that can help. And the best part? You probably already have everything you need on you.

The Problem: Slipping Pointe Shoes

Losing contact between your heel and your shoe isn’t just annoying—it can affect your technique, cause instability in your movements, and, in worse cases, lead to injury. The risk is especially high when your pointe shoes are new or if you have a particular heel shape.

The Solution: Use Convertible Tights

If you wear convertible tighths (the ones with an opening on the bottom), try this trick:

Pull the heel out of the tights.

Yes, it’s that simple. An exposed heel helps create better contact with the inside of the pointe shoe and prevents fabric from slipping between the shoe and your skin. This gives you a more secure fit and greater control while dancing.

Bonus Tips:

This trick works best if your pointe shoes fit properly—that means snugly hugging your foot without causing pain.
When you pull the heel of the tights out, make sure the edge lies flat and smooth, so it doesn’t press into the shoe or cause blisters.
It can also work with other dance shoes (like canvas ballet slippers) where slipping is caused by the tights.

Conclusion

Dance is all about the details—and little hacks like this can make a big difference in your training or performance. The exposed-heel trick using convertible tights is subtle, simple, and surprisingly effective. Give it a try—it might just save your next rehearsal!