The Gaynor Minden Effect

If I have learned anything in my years as a young dancer it is the tantalizing seduction of Gaynor Mindens. Maybe its the clean stiff satin, the custom sizing, or perhaps the possibility of not buying shoes EVERY THREE WEEKS. The promise of the Gaynor Minden brand has dancers drooling from The Royal Ballet to The San Francisco Ballet but do they really do all that they say they can? This blog is not going to be a bash on Gaynors niether am I promoting them I would simply  like to share with you my experience with Gaynors (pros and cons for student dancers).

Lets Start at the Beginning

I was first introduced to Gaynor Mindens through my fellow company members who had gotten them way back in 2011. By that time I had been en pointe for about a year and had been trudging along with Bloch "Aspirations" and then Capezio "European Balance". Lets be honest upon first laying eyes on these beauties I was sold. I looked them up and told my mom how much these shoes were going to change my life. Along with all the amazing features, my artistic director warned me about the problems associated with these majestic beasts but who actually listens to their artistic directors (ha ha am I right?).  That month I killed off the last of my Capezios and got my first fitting for my new shoes. 

Conundrum #1

Living in the dreary Midwest I did not have the luxury of a custom Gaynor Minden fitting experience. I had to rely on my small town ballet shop to fit me based on a couple of shoes she had and order new ones every few weeks with different adjustments till I got the right fit. If you are planning to try Gaynors for your first time try and get the most accurate fitting. It will save you from weeks of ballet shop trips, uncomfortable fittings, and hundreds of dollars.  But within a few weeks I had an agreeable fit and started my training as a full time Gaynor Minden wearer. 

Conundrum #2

The first thing you will hear about ye ole Gaynors is the pain free experience. I am here to inform you that you are dancing with your entire body weight on a three inch platform THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PAIN FREE POINTE EXPERIENCE. Wow glad we got that covered. There is something my dance pals and I  like to call "The Gaynor Burn". The pain that comes from wearing Mindens is not like a traditional shoe but rather a slow agonizing friction-y burn. (Something that I got over in about three pairs, as did my friends). Although this initial constant flaming feet feeling started to subside once I got used to dancing in the shoes it did start to return after having danced consistently after about four hours each time I wore them. (Beware of those saturday rehearsals ladies).  The stiff plastic y material not only made my feet feel heavy as opposed to a traditional shoe, but the insode tended to dissolve with sweat. (well that's disgusting, but TRUE)

Conundrum #3

Pointe shoes are always trying to market a shoe that will last longer and stay stronger but I can assure you that it is almost impossible. A Gaynor Minden's exterior breaks down much slower than its arch. I found that I would be dancing in my Gaynors way past their due date because the tips had not yet worn down. This caused a whole slew of problems including tendinitis and my eventual downfall of a metatarsophalangial joint sprain. The Gaynor Minden brand boasts a lasting shoe but the truth is they break in and they break down. The tip and wings stay very stiff and strong but the arch will get to bendy and the material will break down at the tip creating a slippery colorful end. In the beginning it took about a month but after I started dancing more and more it was more like every two to three weeks. If you are a serious dancer be warned that Gaynors will break down like a regular shoe if you are constantly dancing in them. 

A Couple other things I found troublesome with Gaynors?

- sewing them is an absolute b****

- they turned yellowy with sweat

- yes, they are expensive

Come On Isabella, There Has Got To be Some Good Things? 

Alright, alright I realize this post sound like a tear down for Gaynors but I am just uncovering the myths and hopefully showing you that they are like any other shoe. They require perfect sizing, YES they are painful (omg a painful pointe shoe :0? ), and they do break down! There are some pros to these babies as well. The Gaynor Minden brand has some of the best costumer assistance and they are not messing around. When you call Gaynor they only have a few products and its so simple. I mean, check out their website its so straight forward and aesthetically pleasing not to mention the free posters. Gaynors also had a variety of sizing choices that were easy to adjust. I also found that they gave a nice arch and look to my feet as well. In my short years of dancing I noticed Gaynors work for a small select group of people and I am not one of them, maybe you are? Please don't let this post stop you from getting them but be weary when purchasing these shoes for they have a few kinks to work out still. Till next time, STAY GOLDEN :)

Where to Begin?

Hello beautiful people of the internet! If you have somehow, someway traveled throughout the inter-webs and landed yourself here, welcome! This (if you can't already tell) is my very first blog post. I am a complete amateur at this so forgive minor (maybe major) mistakes. eek! If you have not already scoffed at my attempt to blog and left this site then thank you. 

I wanted to start this blog because I needed an outlet to share my feelings and hopefully offer advice to young dancers and fashionistas alike. Perhaps along the way I can put a little smile on someones face as I share my life with complete and utter strangers. I hope you stick around... until next time STAY GOLDEN :).