Pointe Shoe Fitting YAGP Hope Award Winner

[@ThePointeShop]

Watch Asuka's Hope Award Winning Performance! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nneXnpmBrZ53r9U

[@Arlixia]

Can I book an appointment in tampa with you?

[@gorzkawodka]

her performance was amazing

[@avrilabcejo7066]

you should react to the rybka twins again but their abc ballet challenge this time

[@donutlovers-ef4no]

why on stairs

[@donutlovers-ef4no]

????

[@twiggybug7]

You can tell she’s a ballerina she’s almost constantly smiling at the camera ☺️

[@Insomnia459]

Agreed

[@claranoelledances]

I’m a competition dancer but an introvert at the same time so if i’m on camera i will not smile unless its a picture or i’m on stage…

[@AM-em5gc]

It may also be her mirroring because she doesn’t understand the language fully. (From my own experience living in China lol)

[@annebrittan3764]

Thats a lie all kids smile to much

[@jagodaskretowska5549]

Its not her being a ballerina… its her being a JAPANESE child dancer

[@rachelsyrup]

Lol Asuka just smiling at the camera like, "I have NO idea what she's saying right now." 😂she's absolutely too adorable

[@arthrodea]

This is a great example of someone who is small and young, but has such excellent technique and placement and strong feet that she is totally safe and ready for point work. She is also a stunningly beautiful dancer - I loved her variation at YGAP

[@poketvenus]

without x-rays there's no way to truly see if the bones have begun to ossify. strength and technique are crazy important, but age really matters as far as long term damage.

[@margarita9035]

@@poketvenus are you even a ballet teacher. from her dancing it seems like she has experienced teachers that know more than you

[@poketvenus]

@@margarita9035 I trained for 17 years and taught for 8 before I became disabled. No teacher has x-ray vision. Pointe before bones ossify has lasting repercussions, much like letting kids who play baseball throw curveballs before the joint is hardened can cause permanent damage. Another example is rear facing car seats. Height and weight alone don't protect against internal decapitation, bone development (age) is also a huge part of the equation. There is a reason many reputable schools require xrays and/or an evaluation by a sports medicine specialist before starting kids on pointe.

[@shaq8934]

@@poketvenus she been damn quiet since you replied w/ this 🧍‍♂️

[@francinehibiscus350]

@@poketvenus an eleven year old with bunions forming? I would be concerned.

[@kwf92]

It would be really interesting to hear more of the science of pointe, how our feet develop and why age matters, the specific muscles needed for pointe and stuff. I started adult ballet at 30 recently and people who didn’t know anything about dance were confused I wasn’t on pointe 😅

[@gorzkawodka]

good luck! it's amazing that you decided to follow your dream. If you want to know why age matters watch some medical you tube videos, like how many bones has a child and adult - and you'll find out.

[@simbahunter8894]

Adults can go on pointe safely sooner than a growing child. But the shoes are not magical - you can't dance on pointe unless you have developed sufficient technique, especially properly pulled up knees and a strong core, not to mention learning how to do the actual steps. Adult beginners often have difficulty engaging a full range of movement in their arches and ankles, making it hard for them to get over the box, but it can be done. Work hard and good luck!

[@Pink_Aqua]

She's adorable! She's such a beautiful dancer and will have a fantastic career in ballet! 🩰

[@Miss_Camel]

Absolutely precious!! I am sending her the best of my best wishes and thoughts for her life and career!!

[@kitthazelton2309]

It's wonderful to find someone else in a niche market who's such a confirmed geek! I'm a saddle fitter (for horses), and I'm as geeky about saddle fit as you are about pointe shoe fit - and I never knew that kind of thing existed. I really appreciate your knowledge and attention to detail. Nice to know another member of the tribe!

[@egbut]

Oooh, as a certified horse-girl who grew up riding and misses it so so dearly, I would love to hear about saddle fitting! Time to search youtube for another niche interest!

[@havis4ever407]

All my saddles are custom Black Country…saddle fit is imperative!

[@kitthazelton2309]

@@havis4ever407 I've worked extensively with Black Country, and really like their saddles. Their former sales manager has now started her own company, Bliss of London / Loxley Saddlery, and she offers the same quality at a more modest price. Both are amazing!

[@holeymcsockpuppet]

Everything is about proper fit. Think of hiking backpacks. The fit, balance, and weight distribution are more important than padding. Horse saddles, point shoes, any equipment that interacts with a body has to fit that body well to perform it's job properly.

[@Marina.Kudrevskaya]

The way Josephine is talking to Asuka melts my heart ❤

[@choirkitty]

Omg shes 11 and her feet are that gorgeous!!!! The ballet world is in for some great things with this little lady :)

[@gretslie]

Asuka is adorable!! 🥰 I'm going to have to watch her variation now! Thank you for the informative video, it was very fun!

[@jenniferchristiansen2040]

She is adorable! I love how you explain her fit and why the fit is important.

[@shieldmaidenforchrist1310]

But the shank is too soft for her flexibility, look more closely around 4:58 and the next few seconds, she doesn't even have the shoe upright, the shank is slanting forward, she's too far over. People with very flexible feet have to work extra hard to build the strength to control that flexibility. She needs more support for now because she hasn't had the time to build that kind of strength.

[@krishi24012]

She’s so nice to kids. She’ll make such a good mom omg

[@Flowerii823]

well SHES PREGNANT!

[@absolutelyridiculous6743]

I can't get over how lovely this child is!

[@michellep4792]

What a dancer she is!! When I was young I wanted so much to do ballet but my family could afford it. She is exactly what I dreamt of being at a young age. :)

[@ddazuulada]

She's so lucky that Josephine is over the moon for her

[@marcharmom]

When my daughter was first en pointe, her pointe shoe size was 12 no X in Freeds. Super small feet with a super flexable arch she went through them so fast because of her foot flexability.

[@edelweissdebergbaldrian7696]

Thinking I'm going to die from cuteness overload!🥰

[@Olokunful]

I love the way she compliments all of the dancers.

[@esval3054]

She's precious! I wish her the best.

[@mariana_palazuelos]

As a ballet dancer who was put on pointe at 9, I believe that pointe work should start so much later than 14 years old. Feet are still developing and we should honor that process our bodies do during teens years :)

[@judisheldon5646]

I agree. It's not only a matter of development of the feet but the rest of the leg bones and muscles.

[@anniecastiel1632]

No child should be on point prior to their growth plates closing.

[@jaeydnheeren]

i think the doctor recommendation is no younger than 11 in general because thats when the bones are fully formed(i may be wrong tho so pos correct me if i am!”

[@anniecastiel1632]

@@jaeydnheeren growth plates don’t fully close until 13 in girls. Unfortunately, the push to put young girls in point shoes as early as 9 puts them at serious risk for foot injuries and end dreams and careers early.

[@judisheldon5646]

THANK YOU

[@cloverhighfive]

Josephine omg you looked so classy and beautiful it felt like the Pointe Shoe Fairy granting Asuka the most perfect shoes! And she's sooooooooooo beautiful! I'm going to see her performance I'm sure she's a delight.

[@michellebloch8970]

She’s so adorable! Because of your expert explanation I can definitely see the improvement with the shoes you fit her in. Thank you! 😄

[@adoreiityy]

asuka has an amazing pointe! this girl has a beautiful future ahead! her smile is so pretty!!

[@kneal9203]

I just saw her performance on instagram 🤣 so cool for me to come on KZbin and see you fitting her! You did an amazing job as always

[@FleaÉire]

Aw she’s fabulous. Absolutely adorable

[@SouthernArtist77]

I know next to nothing about ballet but I’m learning to see what great ballet pointe shoes are supposed to look like just from watching you. Asuka looks so gorgeous and professional.

[@kylaia3155]

She is absolutely gorgeous! Too cute! She will do very well.

[@girlwheels]

You two are so adorable together. Very sweet. Her feet looked better supporting in the shoes you arrived at at the end. Aw!!

[@kaykomckayface1097]

I'm convinced at this point that the new Nikolays are gonna fix everything for everybody except me. 😂

[@addygossett9157]

honestly same, i tried them and they weren’t great

[@rastar154]

Same. They aren’t tapered enough to support my feet and I’m in between widths D:

[@aerialdancer1376]

I don't like how these shoes are somewhat being pushed rn and everyone gets fitted in them, just because they are a new model 🙈 in the video it looks like the shoe is already too soft for her (not even mentioning the fact that she's too young to be on pointe altogether 😱)

[@shieldmaidenforchrist1310]

@@aerialdancer1376 11 is generally not too young, although she appears to have more experience than someone who just started pointe a few months ago. I do agree that the shank is too soft for sure, she's not able to keep it upright, it's plunging over which will be very painful and cause strain. It often takes a lot of strengthening for someone with so much natural hypermobility to be able to pull up and keep a shoe upright in good alignment, she needs more support as a beginner.

[@shieldmaidenforchrist1310]

Several people in my studio were fitted in them as well when she was in our area, at least 2 or 3 of them should not stay in that shoe, there are obvious visible problems once it broke in.

[@143yaknow]

AHHHH she's so precious and I am in awe of how pretty her feet are, her arch is still so pure if that makes sense

[@lifewithhannah450]

To think she is always smiling! She is so cuteeeeee!❤

[@MrsBrit1]

On my goodness, what an adorable baby ballerina! 😊 She's stunning and so graceful!

[@PiperHoffman-sc6ce]

Her feet are AMAZING😍 my feet could never and I have been dancing for 6 years

[@littledisneymama7462]

She’s precious!!

[@Red-is6nq]

This is the sweetest pointe shoe fitting video i have ever seen omg

[@wendygale4808]

This was soooo interesting, your videos are so much fun to watch!!!

[@missygee531]

What a little princess! Wud love to watch her dance! 💖

[@sophie2896]

AHHH this video is finally out! Super excited when I saw you posting about fitting auska during the yagp finals on Instagram! Absolutely love both of you!

[@jacki.3_liao]

she’s so elegant and adorable

[@minazackrison6385]

Congradulations Asuka!!!! :)

[@tiffanywong2912]

she’s so cute 🥺❤️

[@Jasmine559-vpa]

Omg she’s so fricking cuteee!

[@knotyourcup0ftea]

Love this! I went on pointe at 10 and I (and my poor feet) wish we had such a great fitter. It took me years to find my beloved RP Muses (loved the flex shank options) and that was only because a fellow dancer had an unworn pair as their feet had grown and I happened to need to try something different than the gaynor mindens I had been wearing)

[@marionsebia2512]

Absolutely beautiful! The both of you!!

[@rainbowdashsailormoon6005]

it's definitely so hard to find pointe shoes with tiny feet. I am a size 1 for Bloch, but when I started I was given a 2 that was also too wide and I have what may be permanent joint issues in one of my toes now.

[@kbmls3]

She’s adorable ❤️

[@urlocal.stalker]

She’s so beautiful! ❤❤❤

[@ruthdavidson-schaller2245]

Great video and Josephine, you look gorgeous!!

[@kylie.eeeeee]

ive been watching asuka since 2020 shes so adorable and has such amazing skills

[@rubikgirl3185]

OMG she is gorgeous!!!!!

[@glowsticksareyummy]

She’s so cutee❤❤❤I watched her dance and it’s beautifullllllll ✨✨

[@noname-vz5wx]

love your shoe fitting videos!

[@heathereverette2122]

What an amazing point for such a young girl!!😲

[@sobot-e4w]

Omg she looks like such a sweet child and increíble ballerina!! ❤

[@Bettyandjacky]

US is so lucky to have you. I am not a dancer but I have been crazy about pointe shoes and ballet since very young, too regretted that I didn’t carry on when I was super young.

[@sopranosd]

Could that little girl be more adorable?!

[@ipilane12frog16]

This teacher is perfect

[@kristinecolon5726]

My teen daughter does ballet in Tampa. It is really cool to see you here!

[@maryanne1367]

OMGOODNESS you look amazing. Love those pants and shoes.

[@notconvincedgranny6573]

She is absolutely breathtaking!

[@valentinarosearrubla1113]

I just saw one of her performances she is a gorgeous elegant dancer

[@warriors6986]

I love that we are doing this on the stairs 😂

[@YourFav.blondes]

Aww she is so elegant!

[@theflexiblefreak]

My friend who does ballet said last year that I have an extremely good arch and I can do it without bending my toes, and after that I realized that. Honestly I’m proud bc I can touch the floor :)

[@2685LM]

Josephine is so lovely 😊

[@elilajin2112]

She's just so beautiful

[@ohtobeastarx]

If you told me that she was your daughter i would believe you! You afre so cute together ♡︎♡︎♡︎

[@Lulabella46]

She is beautiful ❤

[@RuaLuithnire]

That shoe really is tiny! It’s adorable!

[@mayadams7970]

This is a very polite girl! Beautiful video ❤☺

[@Chaotic_Pixie]

Love the color green on you Josephine! Am I the only one weirded out about how much people talk about the weight/size of young girls in dance though? I can’t imagine constantly hearing “a stiff wind will blow you away” or “you weigh nothing” is very good for the psyche. If you’ve got the feet and the technique, doesn’t dance have room for all bodies… of all shapes and sizes?

[@overgrownkudzu]

true, especially because at some point that's gonna change because kids grow and gain weight (which is normal and good) and the praise is gonna switch towards shaming...

[@anneharrison1849]

It's an aesthetic art, so professional dance doesn't have as much room as ideal for a range of body types. I think comments that Jacqueline is making are educating about pointe shoes and that the vast majority of comments in the comment section are synonymous with "she's an adorable kid, isn't she tiny", which is age not body type. Sadly, people do talk about body type more than is ideal, but sometimes a dose of reality is needed. I saw a video of someone's audition to the royal ballet school, sadly the girl had too big a frame for their tastes, so it could be argued it was a waste of time and money for her to send that audition video in. Some people pointed this out abruptly, others more kindly, but maybe we all should have kept quiet, I honestly don't know what would be best - the important thing is to avoid it being a comment about the person themselves.

[@yjh031]

I agree there is a big problem and that dancing should embrace all shapes and sizes. It is important to note that in this particular instance, Josephine isn’t referring to Asuka’s body shape. When dancers don’t weigh much, it can be difficult to bend the shoe properly and get over the box en pointe so Josephine’s concern was about this rather than what Asuka actually looks like (i.e. she was not perpetuating harmful body image practises)🙂🙂

[@anneharrison1849]

@@yjh031 Absolutely, Josephine's comments were of a technical nature and are educating us about pointe shoe fitting.

[@Chaotic_Pixie]

@@yjh031 this was more directed towards the comment section which is rife with comments about how tiny she is and not at all coming from a professional. But I do think Josephine has room to grow in how she phrases things… to be more clear when making a technical statement. Not everyone watching her videos are dancers. Many aren’t. I bet many are parents considering ballet lessons for their kids. Many are like me who always dreamed of dance but our health prevented it. It’s not safe to assume the entire audience knows she’s only saying these things in reference to how it impacts her feet and fitting her unless it’s explicitly said. Also, small children internalize EVERYTHING. At 11 I’m not sure I’d know it was my size relation to my feet that was being talked about. No malice towards Josephine… just concern for the type of comments in the comment section which clearly drive home that plenty of people didn’t interpret Josephine’s weight comments as you did.

[@chilanya]

i would like to see the comparison of not just her old pointes, but that exact same type of shoe in a new pair, compared to the shoe you suggested. The fact that the old shoes were already worked in, changes a lot what they look like. also, those are some nice feet! i hope she takes good care of them to prevent the bunions getting worse.

[@michelleburnitt6895]

I love the way you are always so positive and informative.

[@ArohaArun]

she is super cute awww.

[@mermaidopulence8539]

Oh my gosh she is just so tiny and adorable I can't 🥰😍🥰😍.....

[@SweetYaoii]

She's soo cute I'm dead😭😍

[@AmericanoIndiano]

She’s such a darling poised little one 🥹🥰

[@veragiraud1908]

Would have been nice to hear the Ballerina's opinion on her new shoes. Love your channel Josephine, so educative, thank you :)

[@torieodain]

She is from Japan and might not be confident in English.

[@GrooveyBobby]

She’s so super cute 😊

[@Nobody-lh9cz]

I’m sorry but if Josephine ever has kids she will be an amazing mom 🥺🥰

[@kk1tty_katt]

Every time it clips she is smiling ☺️

[@gregjohnson3368]

She is a very good at ballet

[@samanthajohnson56]

What a lovely little dancer

[@oliviamyers3381]

What pointe shoes was she fitted in? 😍

[@Bitty_bunhead]

I wear size 2 and there are not a lot of choices. I usually get to pick from only 2 choices, I am in Freed Studio Operas and I like them❤️❤️❤️

[@tracywilson1356]

Oh she’s so tiny and adorable. A stiff breeze would carry her away. 😄

[@Live.Laugh.Wellness]

I have small feet also, I’m going to the shoe room for a pointe shoe fitting but I think the pointe shop is a great place for fitting❤

[@vanillaxx2557]

Ilysm!

[@Carolineisthebest]

She looks so much older like at least 13 years old. She is so pretty!! She is so pretty on pointe!!

[@hayhayhaynie4568]

I love your videos because I do pointe in ballet and I am 15 years old ❤❤❤

[@DestinyHopeLou]

What is a heel grip? Where can I buy them? I‘ve never heard of them. Edit: Also, how cute is she. Omg sooo adorable.

[@addibroadaway2630]

Omg I dance at Patel conservatory or next generation ballet at the straz!!!!

[@sarahandrews7573]

I have been dancing longer than her life and she is a better dancer than me😭💀

[@Izzy67622]

Fr

[@Izzy67622]

I’m still dancing like a chicken

[@barbaradps828]

That fr always hurts a bit inside to see honestly 😭💀 they’re so good…

[@crystalcordell7102]

My first pointe shoes were so tiny the shop owner didn’t think he had anything small enough… they were literally the smallest freeds that are made

[@mairiconnell6282]

Delightful!

[@_lucie_2510]

She is so polite and Josephine can you come to Central Park dance in New York cuz they have beautiful dancers

[@AnyC.]

Wonderful💖💖

[@seaofglass77]

I have a TERRIBLE Taylor's bunion, only on my right foot. Any tips in future fittings would be great. Next time you are in SLC I'm going to try to come see you!

[@NeverlandSystemKitten]

She is soooo pretty! Her feet and legs- wow... she's amazing!

[@lisabaltzer4190]

Beautiful little girl.