Foot love - Vibram Review.

    Everyone knows that the feet of a ballerina are a defining factor that distinguishes us aside from other dance forms. It’s one of the first things people associate to us when we reveal our profession (usually as they try their up-most to rise up on their toes and fail dismally.) The ‘revealing of the feet’ from under long dresses was seen as something hugely erotic during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and still today I believe foot fetishes are still relevant.  How we can dance on our toes still remains a wonder to many and I’m here to share with you how vital the condition of our feet are and the relationship you have to them can make a big difference on how you connect with the ground and give your body the freedom it needs to move. I would like to explain to you how a specific type of shoe has helped me do just that.  

Progressively throughout my career the condition of my feet and ankles has gone down. It took me a while to realise that “over-use” is not a thing. The progression in dance physiotherapy has rapidly developed and in my case I DID NOT need rest, I needed further work. Our bodies are more resilient than we could ever imagine and worked in the correct way, with the correct attention by laying down the precise roots into each step have big effects to our leg work, postural placement and I’m sure many other functions of the body. Let me reiterate I am not a medical professional and neither do I have an academic background in this field but I want to ask you how much do you know about the function of your feet? Here I attach an article, as old as it is, has been massively helpful to understanding my dear connection to Earth. 

Irene Dowd - In Honor of the Foot

Any ballet dancer, has had some experience with the labour and patience it takes to train your tiny muscles, seeming so far away from the thought process it takes in your mind to reach all the way to your oblivious little toes. Out of all the material out there I’ve adopted my own approach. I’ve tried to engage in a more conscious awareness bringing my feet into play for every movement I do on my feet. When working out I like to work in bare feet and initiate the movement with the correct equally placed 4-way balance of the foot, applying a light pressure under each toe. It helps if you do it on a yoga mat as you have something to press into. I will ask you now to stand up on one leg, lift your toes off the floor, notice how your balance is not as secure as when you press the big toe into the floor. This way the spiral of energy I bring up through my body, starts at the very bottom.

I grip the floor like a claw and consequently I have established a more grounding stable feeling. I like to practise this whenever I’m in the shower, even just standing chatting to a friend.

Have you guys got any other methods to train the feet which don’t require laborious hours staring at each toe? 

At work, standing hours in pointe shoes is a whole different story. Your toes are squeezed together and often they feel numb. It’s important to chose a pointe shoe that fits the style, shape and form of your foot. Take a look at your feet and then take a look at your pointe shoes. Do your pointe shoes communicate what your feet want to say? Please check this article to gain a greater depth into pointe shoe fitting: 
Pointe Magazine - six signs you're wearing the wrong shoe

I have been recommended the Vibram shoes by two different friends who are physiotherapists. One of which wrote her thesis on dancers feet. I was not sure at first because of the look of them, and I was afraid my toes wouldn't fit inside as my toes are unusually long. To my surprise having these shoes has been a whole new discovery of the somatic movement of my foot. The shoes separate each toe evenly and have a very thin sole, creating a better connection to the ground enabling a better balance . When you run they force you to use every toe and make you support your in-step. Pronation (or rolling) was a problem I suffered with throughout childhood and especially in ballet. These shoes were forcing me to stand with the correct weight placement as it made my toes and metatarsals work harder to support my ankle. It felt like such a welcome relief. It means my method of foot training can be made even more possible outside. I’m starting to think why don’t more ballet dancers use them? Therefore, I have a discount code for ballet dancers, or anyone else interested to try the shoes after reading this. You will need to use the coupon code "emily5" at the checkout for a 5% discount. Find your appropriate shoes here for the activity you want to use them for at fivefingers.ee and don't forget to check out their cute toe socks also! 

Any other questions please don't hesitate to ask.