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| Bloch "Performa", Capezio "Hanami", SoDanca "Bliss" |
Anyone else a fan of the stretch canvas shoe trend right now? I now own three pairs so let me tell you how that happened :)
Abby introduced me to the SoDanca "Bliss" shoe when I was visiting her in 2016. I loved how the shoe hugged my foot like a sock and that the padding on the split soles was thicker than most shoes. There is no draw string and the shoes come pre-sewn so you can literally buy them and walk into class - which is exactly what I did. There is something so satisfying about that!
I have gone through three pairs of the SoDanca shoes since then. When I went to order a new pair from Discount Dance recently, I saw there was a new Bloch stretch canvas shoe called the "Performa". I like the coloring from Bloch flat shoes and had been wanting to try a flesh toned shoe, so in my cart they went. I didn't realize at the time that they were on backorder, so I toughed it out with my holy SoDancas a while longer. When the Bloch shoes still hadn't arrived before I was headed to Kansas City, I went to my local store to get another pair of SoDancas.
While at the dance store, they recommended I try Capezio's stretch canvas shoe, the "Hanami", because it was most popular. It fit like a glove as well (tip: go up a 1/2 size from street shoe) and I liked that the sides were lower than the SoDanca shoe. Anything I can do to help out my super low profile foot :) So I was pleased with that purchase! And then guess what arrived while I was in Kansas City? The Bloch shoes :)
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| Bloch "Performa", Capezio "Hanami", SoDanca "Bliss" |
I have yet to wear the Bloch shoes to class, but guys, I cannot wait. They fit perfectly, the elastics come pre-sewn, the sides are low, the color makes my leg line look so long, and the best part of all is the size of the metatarsal pad! It is wider than both the Capezio and SoDanca, which feels super supportive for me and my metatarsalgia tendencies. It has almost a cupping feeling around the ball of the foot. It feels so nice! I will keep you posted on my thoughts after wearing them to class!
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| Bloch "Performa" |
Do you wear stretch canvas shoes? What's your fave and how long do they last you? Comment below!
Jana
5 comments
Hi, Jana, and thanks--I am using regular canvas shoes, and they never seem to fit right, so stretch is in my future. Could you tell me the size of your So Danca, for comparison? And is the heel on the Blochs bunchy?
I've tried a lot of shoes! I grew up wearing leather shoes because that's all there was, so canvas is new to me as an adult. I've found in my not-so-old age I've become very picky about how my shoes feel under the ball of my foot = no lumps! I also cut a small round of thin insoles to put under the ball of my foot for some extra padding without bulk.
Bloch Zenith - look & feel great but I do not like how the shoe moves under my foot when I turn.
Capezio Juliet - both canvas & leather fit great + no lumps + shoe stays in place with movement. Give the shoe 2 classes to form to your foot and break in.
Performa - just the right amount of stretch to fit and form, but the shoe feels secure and in place
Grishko - I can't get a good fit - one size is too small and the next too big.
A note on leather shoes - best on wood floors - too sticky on marley
I really liked your Information. Keep up the good work. Bloch Pointe Shoes
I wore Russian Pointe ballet split sole canvas ballet slippers for a few years, only because I was loyal to their pointe shoe line and my feet work very very well in Russian Pointe Almaz pointe shoes. Their slippers have no draw string. I love the line of these slippers, the lower sides and shorter vamp (one of my pet peeves is too much shoe that "swallow" the foot). The color is very pretty too. But I do not care for the small soles on them and the front sole comes apart a little around the edges over time. It is a stiffer slipper than stretch canvas but fairly sturdy. Thicker criss cross straps which I like.
I wanted something a little different and moved on to the Capezio Hanami. I love almost everything about this slipper. It is very very soft and stretchy and forms very well to the foot. There is very little "stuff" on the inside, no unsightly seams. There is no bunching in the arch or metatarsal area with this shoe. Its as good as it gets as far as forming perfectly to the foot. however, my one pet peeve is the thicker soles. They are too thick for my liking. I feel as if my balance is off a bit when on demi pointe due to the uneven thickness of the sole. It just doesn't feel comfortable. This would be my go to shoe if not for that. I am currently shopping yet again for another shoe and have my eye on either the So Danca Bliss or Bloch Performa. But I have heard both of these also have a thicker sole. Is this the case compared to Capezio hanami?
Update to my last reply. I have now tried the SoDanca Bliss (as well as the leather version) and the Bloch Performa. I like them all for different reasons. The Bliss hug my feet in all the right places and are overall a nice fit. The profile is a little higher, and sometimes the back of the shoe digs into my heel more than I would like. They feel a little bit stiffer than other canvas style ballet slippers. I love the soles on them though.
The Performas are wonderfully soft and also hug my feet, however, I can not get the size right. They seem to twist on my feet and never seem to be aligned right. I am currently in size 5D (I wear size 7 street shoe size, have very wide metatarsals but feet taper severely to heel and I have tapered toes and very high arches but shallower toe/metatarsal area). I am thinking of trying a C width next to see if that helps, but I suspect that might be a little too tight. I really don't want to go down a half size as I feel they are snug and perfect already in length. I LOVE the soles on these, large and supportive. My feet look beautiful in this shoe when it's not twisted. I am bummed about the twisting though.
The leather SD60 SoDancas are a great shoe for me also. They last forever and feel very supportive, though I do have to work my feet harder to showcase my point and arches. I wear this shoe for practice. It does not allow my foot to spread as much as the Performas. I find the Performas are great for just that, performing. They are a more "delicate" shoe than others, thinner material and do not feel as durable. For now my plan is to wear them to perform and sometimes rehearse in, and wear my leather SD60s for class for the most part. I am finding if I add extra little thick style hose footies over tights in the Performas they do not twist quite as much, though the foot spread is compromised slightly.
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