Handmade Pointe Shoes, Hours Lifespan

Makers build ballet pointe shoes by hand through a multi-step process that can take several days from start to finish. Dancers then put them through intense stress the moment they start working en pointe, crushing the box and breaking down the shank. Students typically get only about 10 to 20 usable hours from a pair, while professionals often burn through them even faster. In extreme cases, a dancer can retire a brand-new pair after a single performance.

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