Ballerinas used soft slippers before the 1900 invention of the contemporary reinforced pointe shoe and were unable to execute the steps, spins, and sustained balances on pointe that we now expect of dancers. By allowing the dancer to shift some of her weight to the shoe in two crucial locations-under the arch and around the toes-pointe shoes provide the support required for toe dancing.

Similar to technique slippers of today, the earliest toe-dancing shoes were just satin slippers. On the sides and beneath, not on, their pointed ends, they had some darning and leather soles. They were so comfortable and just firm enough to allow a dancer to ballet with Marie Taglioni's strength to briefly and exhilaratingly balance on pointe. It must have resembled barefoot dancing a lot.

When Italian ballerinas strengthened their shoes' toes further and invented the predecessor of the current toe box, toe-dancing slippers underwent a substantial construction shift around the end of the nineteenth century. The dancer was able to perform numerous pirouettes on pointe because of these "blocked" toes, which also allowed for far longer balances. Although the shoes were less supportive and still pointed at the toe, the additional box strength altered the ballet more to the pointe shoes technique and choreography.

The shank, a rigid midsole, fits tightly against the bottom of the foot. Shanks may extend the full length of the shoe or merely partially, and they can be flexible to different degrees. The term "vamp" refers to the cloth that runs back from the toe box to cover the top of the foot. Pressing the foot up against the shank adds to the overall support of the shoe.

The dancer stands on an oval-shaped platform at the tip because the toe box securely encloses the toes. Toe boxes can be deep and barely cover the tips of the toes, or they can be shallow and barely cover the entire toe. Some toe boxes also have extended edges known as wings that add additional support along the sides of the foot. There is typically no left or right foot when it comes to pointe shoes.

Pointe shoes alone, however, are insufficient. The dancer's power and technique are what moves her from the regular standing posture via a mid-position, or "demi-pointe," to the full-pointe position, even if the shoe makes it easier for her to stand on tiptoe for extended periods. She works hard to lift herself out of the shoe once she is en pointe, maintaining a contraction of the muscles in her feet, ankles, legs, and torso.

Toe-dancing should never be attempted by anyone without the necessary strength and technique. Additionally, pointe work must be introduced gradually. Before using pointe shoes, dancers should practice in soft slippers for several years. Following that, only a little portion of each lesson is devoted to specific pointe exercises. Dancers eventually advance to wearing pointe shoes for the majority of the class, if not all of them.