GLOSSARY
Arch -- The part of the sole between the ball and heel.
Ballet Slipper -- The soft shoe made of leather or canvas worn by ballet students and male dancers.
Box -- See illustration Page 8. The area of the shoe which surrounds the toes and ball of the foot.
Bunion -- A chronic enlargement of the first joint of the big toe. Caused in ballet by ill-fitting shoes and undue stress, a result of sinking into the shoe and putting extra pressure on that joint.
Choreographer -- One who composes or invents ballets or dances.
De-shank -- To remove the inside shank and nails from the pointe shoe, to make it nearly as flexible as a ballet slipper.
Demi-plié -- Half-bend; bending the knees over the toes while keeping the feet flat, and turned outward, on the floor.
Demi-pointe -- Half pointe; standing on the balls of the feet with the ankles fully stretched.
Drawstring casing -- See illustration Page 8. Bias-tape casing around the edge of the shoe which contains the drawstring.
En pointe -- French term for "on pointe" -- or on the toes.
Instep -- Upper surface of the arch of the foot.
Metatarsal joints -- The joints at the ball of the foot which connect the toe bones (phalanges) and the foot bones (metatarsals).
Pirouette -- A turn or spin.
Pleats -- The area underneath the box where the satin is pleated to fit under the sole.
Plié -- A movement in which the knees are bent outward, with the back held straight.
Pointe Shoe -- Toe shoe, or blocked ballet slipper which enables the dancer to stand on her toes.
Pronated -- As applied to the foot, when the foot rolls toward the inside with more weight placed over the big toe and arch; sometimes referred to as fallen or rolling arches.
Relevé -- A quick rise onto the ball of the foot (demi-pointe) or the toes (pointe).
Shank -- See illustration: page 8. The sole of the shoe. Pointe shoes have three shanks --- the outside and middle ones being made of leather, the one on the inside of dense cardboard.
Sickling -- See Supinated.
Relevé -- A quick rise onto the ball of the foot (demi-pointe) or the toes (pointe).
Shank -- See illustration: page 8. The sole of the shoe. Pointe shoes have three shanks --- the outside and middle ones being made of leather, the one on the inside of dense cardboard.
Sickling -- See Supinated.
Supinated -- As applied to the foot, when the foot rolls toward the outside with more weight placed over the 4th and 5th toes (also called "sickling").
Tendon -- The tough fibrous tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. The Achilles tendon is the large tendon at the back of the heel which is attached to the bottom of the calf muscle. The flexibility of this tendon determines the depth of demi-plié possible.
Tendinitis -- Inflammation of a tendon.
Vamp --The top of the box between the tip of the shoe and the drawstrings.
Tendon -- The tough fibrous tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. The Achilles tendon is the large tendon at the back of the heel which is attached to the bottom of the calf muscle. The flexibility of this tendon determines the depth of demi-plié possible.
Tendinitis -- Inflammation of a tendon.
Vamp --The top of the box between the tip of the shoe and the drawstrings.
