The only book of its kind, this expanded Second Edition provides a thorough examination of pointe shoes and pointe technique. Dancers and students quickly benefit from the most current research that offers the latest information on hundreds of contemporary designs, materials, products, and suppliers. It illuminates the shoemaking process and gives advice about how to best fit, care for, and custom-order shoes. The basics of pointe readiness, pointe technique, different pointe methods, and the history of dancing on pointe are discussed. Includes an extensive reference to pointe-related injuries, their remedies, and medical and therapy facilities. The authors also provide eight authoritative pointe class syllabi for teachers and students, from the School of American Ballet's first day on pointe to American Ballet Theatre School's advanced class. In the last chapter, twelve prominent ballerinas talk about their shoes, how they found the perfect fit -- and the joy of dancing on pointe. Book jacket.