Feeling Discouraged...

So time for a reflection post today, I think. At pointe class today, we were working through feet exercises and basically just working in our shoes. It got me thinking of how I really need to break my shoes in, as soon as possible.

I was really struggling today as a result of the inflexibility of the shanks, especially in my left shoe. This has always been my weaker foot, but at least in my old shoes I had managed to get an arch into the shoe and could get over en pointe easily. Now, I could barely do the exercises, much less correctly. I couldn't get fully onto pointe. I mean, I almost did, but I was cursing my near-rigid shank the entire class. I was going over with bent knees and pushing into my arches hard, for goodness sake!

I know it will all come with time and wearing in my shoes. I've been told a million times. But the thing that annoys me the most is that I used to be able to do all of these things in my sleep, and I know how it feels to do them, but I physically can't now! My old shoes were broken in just right, so when I danced in them they felt like a part of me. But my new shoes feel like they're big, clunky and getting in the way when I dance. I can't move freely in them, and it's all down to not being broken in.

Here's a video of me pirouetting in my new pointes. It really shows how uncomfortable I am doing them in these shoes. You can see my shoulders ride up tall and lack of spotting (not that I ever spot for pirouettes anway, just for chainées).

So please, if any of you have any ways of breaking in my shoes faster (or any tips for pirouettes!), I would very much appreciate it! I felt like crying in frustration all through class and afterwards, I really hate this!