the great gaynor debate

i am the first to admit that i used to look down on girls who wore gaynor mindens.  i thought of them as the "easy" pointe shoe that only the less dedicated would wear (harsh, i know!).  i was also one of those silly girls who believed you weren't a real ballerina unless you went bare in your pointe shoes; no pads, no lambs wool, no nothing.

after years of going through a pair of freeds in two weeks tops, one of my friends suggested that i invest in a pair of gaynors because they are more durable and last quite a long time.  at first, i completely disregarded them, but after a while i thought i might as well try them out.

well, i'm eating my words; i absolutely love them.

i don't understand what it is about them that makes them so comfortable, so quiet, or so effortless...the website explains it but honestly i don't have the patience to try and understand!  needless to say, i bought a pair to alternate with my freeds and i couldn't be happier with them.

while i understand why it was so easy to look down on them, it is really nice to have a comfortable shoe that lasts long.  and most companies have become more open to using them; dancers from the Bolshoi, ABT, English National Ballet, New York City Ballet, and many others all wear them.  

even my favorite dancer Yekaterina Kondaurova wears them

i do think that they aren't the best shoe for new dancers because i think it is easier to develop strength in a normal shoe.  but if you're like me and you are constantly going through shoes, or if you just want a little more comfort every once in a while, then i say go for it.

so what do you guys think: gaynors yay or nay?