Analysis of the Lifespan of a Pointe Shoe as Related to Pressure

Pointe shoes are the most important tool for a ballet dancer, but they break down quickly since they are made primarily of burlap and glue. The goal of this project is to determine a standard for a “dead” or broken-down pointe shoe so that more effective methods for improving the lifespan of the pointe shoe can be explored. This project focuses on using pressure sensors to quantitatively describe a “dead” pointe shoe. Based on data gathered, a consistent pressure difference was found between new and “dead” shoes in many different ballet poses; therefore, pressure sensors could be an effective way to identify shoes that have broken down too much to dance in. Overtime, more extensive research can account for inconsistencies across dancers’ experiences and relation to the pressure differences