Josephine reviews the new Bloch ETU!
The newest pointe shoe from Bloch, the ETU, is unlike any other pointe shoe!
This pointe shoe is made on a curved and tapered last, so the curve will contour with the shape of your foot! The taper of the pointe shoe's box creates a beautiful shape, but the platform of the shoe is not too small. The platform is pretty wide and flat at the end, making it very stable and easy to balance in!
The Bloch ETU currently comes with a suede tip, however, there may be an option soon that comes with a satin tip. The suede tip on the end of the pointe shoe's platform is great for ballet dancers who dance on a slippery floor and are not allowed to use rosin, however, the satin tip will be a better option for those who dance on a stickier marley floor!
The most interesting thing about the Bloch ETU is that the shoe is made out of, non-traditional, synthetic materials, just in the box! This is really great for dancers who have a tendency to kill the box of their pointe shoes.
Additionally, the inside of the box and the insole of the pointe shoe is layered with cushioned materials, making it very comfortable. Because of the layers, it acts like a tapered shoe on the inside, even though the platform is quite wide on the outside. This is very helpful for dancers who tend to sink in their pointe shoes!
The throat of the Bloch ETU is a wide U-shape with an elastic drawstring, which can be pulled to keep it nice and secure to the dancer's foot.
The crown of this pointe shoe is pretty low already and because of the layers on the inside of the box, it acts as an even lower profile.
Although the box has a low profile, the side seam and the heel seam of the Bloch ETU are pretty high! There is a lot of fabric that covers quite a bit of the foot.
While the box of this pointe shoe is made out of synthetic materials, the shank is made out of traditional materials, so it will break down and mold to your foot over time.
Though it is not listed on Bloch's website, the shank of the ETU is a 3/4 shank. It breaks quite a bit higher than many 3/4 shanks though, so it's more like a 7/8 shank!
The Bloch ETU is made with a wrinkle free, reinforced satin. This makes it a little tricky to sew through, but it does not create wrinkles the way many pointe shoes do, so the ETU makes a really beautiful line!
As of October 2023, the Bloch ETU comes in sizes 3-8 and three widths, 1X, 2X, and 3X.
Watch the full video to hear Josephine's personal opinion on the Bloch ETU!
Join the TPS+ community HERE
Purchase the Bloch ETU HERE