Select a pair of ballet point shoes a full size longer than indicated on the shoe-fitting device found in shoe departments and in dance wear stores, or a full size longer than your street shoes. This is to allow for the room that the toe box occupies in the point shoe. Squeeze the metatarsal, or ball of the foot area on both sides to test how easily the bones compress. If the foot compresses easily a narrow box can be inserted for added support within the shoe.
Trim the nails of the dancer until neatly trimmed. Put on a pair of point shoes, but do not tie the ribbons of the shoes.
Stand in the second position and perform a Grand Plie (deep bend) to enable the foot to be in its longest position when dancing. During these positions, the toes of the dancer should be checked to make sure they are just touching the end of the box and are not squished in the shoes.
Stand on your toes in the on point position, without placing any weight on the foot. Pinch the material at the top of the heel of the shoe. You should be able to pull ¼-inch of material from the rear of the shoe.
Check the front portion of the shoe to make sure that the toes do not bulge from the toe box. Attempt to slide a finger into the top of the foot. If you can slide a finger into the shoe or into the toe box, the shoe is too large. The point shoe should be tight enough so that it is impossible to slide a finger into the point shoe.