Prima Soft's "Silhouette"

Yahoo Messenger discussion on Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Anita Fitter: let’s see- somewhat tapered, long vamp, medium height profile. complete ripoff of a rusbal. Made from the same glue.
Arrah: Sounds like half of the pointe shoes out there today. The specs, I mean.
Anita Fitter: true
Anita Fitter: but, the drawstring casing is the same as rusbal
Arrah: Same roundness and appearance as a Rusbal…
Anita Fitter: that weird nylon ribbed stuff
Arrah: Weird!
Arrah: Soft, though…
Anita Fitter: they smell exactly the same- definite horse hide composite
Arrah: Sews pretty easily.
Anita Fitter: slippery outersole
Arrah: as hell!
Anita Fitter: *nods*
Arrah: the prices for rosin must be nice over there.
Anita Fitter: i bet!
Anita Fitter: of course they do wet down the old floors- but I believe that the Maryinsky finally updated their flooring
Anita Fitter: the rusbal and the silhouette have the same “ring” when hit on the floor
Arrah: So, do we agree that the Silhouette is your basic, medium Russian pointe shoe?
Anita Fitter: pretty much
Arrah: You mean the same ‘clunk?’ lol
Anita Fitter: exactly!
Arrah: Like a brick hitting the floor.
Arrah: They’d be nice to tap dance with. No taps needed.
Anita Fitter: very true…
Arrah: What can we equate the Silhouette with?
Anita Fitter: lets see- it is almost exactly like a rusbal
Arrah: Grishko?
Anita Fitter: it is similar to a russian pointe brio
Arrah: Because of the higher profile, no doubt.
Anita Fitter: similar to a cross between a grishko fouette and a vaganova
Arrah: I agree.
Anita Fitter: on its platform, it looks similar to a wide winokur
Arrah: It does have the same curve to the outer metatarsal, too.
Anita Fitter: *nods* and let’s not forget the standard russian high heel
Arrah: The box hardness stops at the same point.
Arrah: Yep!
Arrah: But what the heck did they do to the heel width?!!
Anita Fitter: pretty much wingless, but with a long box paste
Anita Fitter: I honestly don’t know. its like they somehow have it cut naturally gappy
Arrah: Why is Prima Soft so inept at making a shoe that actually stays on the foot without a mile of elastic?!
Anita Fitter: i don’t know… even their drawstring styles have the same problem
Arrah: I was just about to say that.
Anita Fitter: we think alike
Arrah: That is a common thread that seems to be in all their shoes. They’re just cut like BOATS!
Anita Fitter: they are… and feel big
Anita Fitter: even when too short
Arrah: They’re sizing system is wacked.
Arrah: Their 1-X feels like a Freed 2-X. Can we agree?
Anita Fitter: yes. dont forget the strange sizing on the russian models compared to the brazilian models
Arrah: And they say not to wear padding with Prima Softs?!
Anita Fitter: and to not crack the shank
Arrah: Oy. That’s a headache in itself.
Anita Fitter: true
Arrah: Ok. So let’s get this straight. You’re not supposed to bend the shank with your hands. But if you don’t, then the arch of the shoe isn’t supportive where it needs to be. Prima Soft states that their shoes have a Perfect Placement box that helps the dancer NOT to ‘knuckle.” So…. what are you supposed to do- crash down on the tip of your toes?! I’m sure that feels nice.
Anita Fitter: and crashing causes knuckling…
Arrah: Basically, you’re not supposed to HAVE an arch in a Prima Soft pointe!
Anita Fitter: apparently so
Anita Fitter: which kind of … well… makes pointe in ballet…pointless
Anita Fitter: whats the use of pointe without a beautiful line
Arrah: or pointeless. Because you’ll not HAVE a pointe at all with all the hours you’ll spend with an orthopedic.
Anita Fitter: not to mention achilles tendonitis if you don't crack the shank
Arrah: Does Prima Soft have a grudge against showing the arch?
Anita Fitter: maybe they are designed to make dolly dinkle students not feel bad with their bent knees and lack-o-arch
Arrah: From their photography, it certainly seems so.
Arrah: If you have to bend your knees to stay en pointe- get off pointe!
Anita Fitter: i agree- i dont understand these schools that think it’s ok to put a kid en pointe with one class a week
Anita Fitter: but we digress
Arrah: true.
Arrah: So, it smells like a Russian pointe. It looks like a Russian pointe. Is it a Russian Pointe?
Arrah: The Silhouette, I mean.
Arrah: Same cobblers?
Anita Fitter: no it smells like a rusbal
Anita Fitter: looks like a rusbal
Anita Fitter: only difference is the outersole
Arrah: I wonder what Rusbal would say. If they can be found!
Anita Fitter: they are simply in the theatre district inSt Petersburg- shouldn't be that hard to find.