Body and sole: ballet must hold on to flat-footed dancers, not stigmatise them

2026-03-17 - 11:30

In an industry obsessed with ‘perfect’ feet, fallen arches can be seen as a barrier to success. But that’s a damaging myth that has excluded many from the joy of ballet Picking up my ballet shoes again after six years has been bittersweet. I have felt joy in returning to a childhood hobby yet discomfort, too, knowing that I originally stopped ballet because of my incredibly flat feet. There is no doubt that ballet challenges your feet immensely – the tips of your toes support the entire weight of your body when dancing with pointe shoes. Struggling to go on pointe left me feeling that my body was not built for ballet, which is far from true, as flat-footed ballet professionals are out there and thriving. However, the industry still has an obsession with “perfect” feet. High arches have traditionally been praised in ballet, and some dancers today use farches (fake arches), which give the illusion that your foot is more bendy than it is. Continue reading...