I’ve always been fascinated by pointe shoes. There’s always been something incredibly fun about buying something so beautiful just to tear them apart and break them within minutes. Part of being a dancer is getting fitted for the right brand of pointe shoes, not all brands are made for every type of foot and if you’ve read our pointe shoe fitting guide, then you know feet come in all different shapes and sizes.
While you may only know a handful of pointe shoe brands, there are actually over 80 different brands of pointe shoes!
Here’s our complete list of Pointe Shoe brands (alphabetical order):
Amber is pointe shoe brand based in Frankfurt, Germany. They started with a focus on soft canvas shoes but quickly expanded their product lines to include a single pointe shoe model — the Amber Classical Standard I. The Amber Classical features a medium width and a hard shank.
Angel Dance is a pointe shoe company that started in 2011 with the goal to provide dancers and parents with inexpensive pointe shoes and other ballet essentials. They’re a Russian company, so don’t be surprised if you can’t read a single word on their website without hitting the “translate” button.
Anniel Sport (http://www.anniel.com/)
Anniel Sport is an Italian pointe shoe company that specializes in making Russian model pointe shoes. They provide products for all forms of dance
Aurora offers a few different pointe shoes that use durable fabric and materials to last a little longer than other brands. They’re a London based pointe shoe brand, so if you’re in the United States and looking to score a pair, then just snag a pair of Sansha Juliet’s because they’re the same design.
Argentinian based pointe shoe brand with one type of pointe shoe.
Based in Japan, Ballerina offers pointe shoes that are rich in tradition and true to the culture of dance. They don’t regularly sell in the United States, so they may not be the best option unless you’re in Japan.
Bleyer is another German-based pointe shoe brand. Their shoes come in white, black, and rose (a very pink pink).
Our first major pointe shoe brand to enter our list. Bloch offers several different pointe shoes to accommodate different types of feet. The majority of dancers tend to use these or one of the other major brands. The reason why you want to choose one of the more popular brands is that it’s easier to replace your pointe shoes, rather than if you used a more rare brand.
Cameo is a pointe shoe and costume brand that was started by You Hong, a former dancer with the National Ballet of China, Miami City, and Cincinnati Ballet. They use medium strength shanks with a medium width.
Capezio is one of the oldest and also one of the most popular pointe shoe brands. Capezio has been making pointe shoes for over 100 years and been featured in Vogue and Neiman Marcus department stores. Just like Bloch, Capezio offers several different styles to accommodate different types of feet.
If you ever find yourself in Singapore and need to replace your pointe shoes, then Chacott is the place to go if you wear Freed.
Pointe shoe brand in Milan. Colombo is a family run business that has been operating since 1915.
Coppelia is another Italian pointe shoe brand, but their shop also features products from popular brands such as Gaynor Minden, Sansha, and Grishko.
Dmauro is a Colombian pointe shoe brand. They make custom pointe shoes in a variety of colors and mixes.
Based in Mexico, DanceField has one pointe shoe but they’re prominent throughout the main cities in Mexico, and compete with major brands locally.
DansGirl started as a costume provider for the Beijing Dance Academy. They then expanded their product line to include the “Starlight”, which is a wide width, low box pointe shoe.
Evidence is ballet product company that specializes in dance clothing and accessories. They offer a few models of pointe shoes and value quality, versatility and comfort.
Freddy is an Italian company with a philosophy based on “The Art of Movement.” They create innovative dance products and have a few different options for pointe shoes.
Freed of London is one of the leading manufacturers and designers of pointe shoes. As one of the major pointe shoe brands, they supply a large number of professional dancers with pointe shoes and are available in over 50 countries.
Based in Washington, Fuzi offers high quality and long lasting dance products. Their pointe shoes accommodate a variety of foot shapes and offer great stability.
Gaynor Minden is one the largest pointe shoe brands. They offer some of the most advanced pointe shoes with modern shanks, boxes, and materials.
Grishko is another one of the largest pointe shoe brands. Grishko’s are some of the best quality pointe shoes and like the other major brands (Bloch, Sansha, Freed, Gaynor Minden, Capezio) they offer several different shoes to accommodate different foot types.
Argentinian pointe shoe brand. They offer a few different pointe shoes, but overall you may not find enough information to determine if they’ll fit your foot type.
KH Martin offers four different pointe shoes. Their brand offers a shoe with a slightly tapered box and a low profile, another with a wider platform and space inside the box, and another with a slightly tapered box and a low profile.
Merlet is a small pointe shoe brand that offers two different shoes. Both shoes are made for medium to wide feet with a wide platform and box.
Millenium is Brazilian pointe shoe brand that makes shoes with medium and high vamps.
Mirella is a brand that offers different pointe shoe options. Their shoes are light and designed to require little breaking in.
Prima Soft is known as one of the first brands to create the convertible tight, but have also gone on to make pointe shoes using modern materials and techniques. Their shoes use all natural materials and allow the toes to go straight down into the toe box, preventing them from settling in the upper part of the vamp. The shoes also use specialized shanks that mold to your feet and do not require to be smashed or broken in.
Princapal by Chan Hon Goh are the only pointe shoes designed and manufactured in Canada. For every pair of pointe shoes that are purchased, Goh makes a donation to dance programs, competitions, and non-profit organizations in Canada.
ReArt is an Italian pointe shoe brand with shoes made for wide feet. They also partner with Bloch, Capezio, and Gaynor Minden.
Repetto started as a pointe shoe brand but quickly grew to create other kinds of shoes and dance wear. However, pointe has remained their specialty to this day. They offer a few different types to work with various foot shapes, but with an emphasis on medium and hard shanks, and medium to large boxes.
Janas offers a single pointe shoe that uses high-quality satin and focuses on the tapered look to increase the elegance of your foot.
Russian Pointe is a younger pointe shoe brand but offers a number of shoes to accommodate different foot types. Their shoes are handmade in Moscow and can easily be ordered online or found in the United States.
Sansha is another one of the largest pointe shoe brands. They have so many different options for almost every foot type that it would take over 1000 words just to quickly summarize each!
Schachtner is a boutique pointe shoe brand that hand makes all of their shoes in Austria. For a small boutique, they offer a surprising number of variations to accommodate slim feet to wide feet.
Siberian Swan pointe shoes are perfect for all levels of dancers but focus on designing shoes that emphasize proper technique and good habits. They have a highly customized approach with a variety of shanks, platforms, vamps, wings, and other customizations.
SoDanca is a global pointe shoe brand that offers a wide variety of shoes. They originated in Brazil but in the last 20 years have opened up headquarters in the USA, Canada and Europe.
Sogei is a Japanese pointe shoe brand that creates European fit shoes. They’ve designed their shoes using other popular brands as models and emphasize a sleek, elegant look.
With over 80 years of experience, Wear Moi is a brand that understands what dancers need from their pointe shoes. Their pointe shoes combine classical elegance with modern technology, and each shoe is handmade to your specifications.
Did we forget any brands? Let us know in the comments!