Freed Pointe Shoes First Impressions

I finally put on my Freed pointe shoes tonight after class! These are the ones I got in New York in May. They are Classic Pros, Anchor Maker, No X, size 6.5. I can't believe I have waited this long to put these puppies on, but life has been busy and I wanted to have my full attention when I gave these a run for the first time.

Last Saturday I did a pointe workout at home, fully intending on wearing my Freeds, but remembered I needed to Jet Glue them first! Every Freed-wearer I've encountered has said to do this before wearing them to prolong their life, and I wanted to make sure I did that! So I did pointe work in my Capezio Arias (to Kathryn Morgan's new Beginner Pointe Class video, btw. It's excellent.).

I'm actually glad I did that class in my Arias because I was able to easily compare doing the same class again in the Freeds. My initial first impressions and thoughts beyond the obvious "OMG THEY'RE SO PRETTY!" are:

• The more I did in them the more comfortable they got - like they were molding to my feet. This is probably why they are known to not last as long!

• The platform is really flat and "sharp" feeling, if you understand what I mean by that. It's lovely for securing your placement once you're up there, but right now I'm having a hard time getting fully over the platform every time. I didn't do any additional work on the shank prior to wearing them, so I will try that before next time.

• I'm noticing I'm not currently getting my weight over my first three toes en pointe. It was noticeable in both my Capezios and Freeds, so I know I can't blame it on a shoe :) This is something I've had to fix before, so I have faith I can fix it again! 

• I like one shoe better than the other. Freeds are handmade so every shoe is going to fit a little differently. I like the one on my left foot better from this pair!

• They just...feel different. I don't really know how to explain this, but it comes back to the handmade factor and materials. These are softer-feeling, but not less supportive. There is a comfort level I haven't experienced in other shoes.

So, I will work on adjusting the shank to help me get over the platform all the way. I did a lot of forced arch stretches to try to hold myself in that sweet spot over the platform, but my darn feet just aren't there yet. I think if I can get there, I will really like these shoes. But this also confirmed just what a great fit the Arias are on me. They've been my best-fitting shoe ever! I'll continue to work in the Freeds, though, and maybe it will help with my feet strength and flexibility! I will keep you all posted :)

- Jana