Hi guys,

I am an adult dancer returning to pointe after a few years off, I have been dancing for a long time but started taking ballet technique more seriously about 7 years ago. The last pair I was fitted in before stopping were 3007s and so I took this pair back to the fitter to see if I needed any change. They were barely broken in when I stopped pointe so I was definitely hoping to get more life in them. We agreed they are almost perfect for me except that I need a half length up so that my toes can fully extend when standing on flat. I feel great up on pointe but the compression on flat causes me a lot of discomfort. I took barre with them today for the first time today and definitely knew I needed the extra length. That pair has been ordered but apparently Nikolay shipping is pretty slow right now and I don’t know when to expect them.

It’s worth stating this dance store is the only one in my region and they only really carry Bloch, Nikolay, Capezio, and a limited selection of RPs so the 3007s might not be perfect but were by far the best compared to the other shoes I tried on, both in look and preventing me from sinking. Next time I travel to a bigger city I will definitely try to get refit somewhere with a bigger collection.

What I’m seeking advice on: has anyone trimmed the length of their shank in order to get a little more room? I’m not talking about 3/4ing them, just the centimeter or two where the shank extends farther than the outer sole. I know more advanced pointe dancers do this to get over the box better which is not what I’m trying to do, just looking to make these a little more comfortable to stand in until the new shoes come in, and wondering if that would even make a difference. Thanks in advance! (pictures for reference)

Shank Trimming