11/27/2018This is my favorite stretch canvas shoe to date! My street shoe size is an 8 and I usually get a 5.5 C (I like my shoes to fit tight!) But I would recommend 1.5 to 2 sizes below street shoe.
From teaching to taking class, I prefer this shoe to others because of it's durable stretchy material. Don't get me wrong, you will wear through them if you are using your feet correctly, but the material seems to be slightly thicker to canvas Hanami by capezio.
Overall, I like the material and the fact that it has a drawstring. I also like the way it hugs my arch and makes my flattish feet look like they have an arch! If you have flat feet, then this is the shoe for you!
Happy Dancing!
22 to 29 True to size
Was this review helpful to you? | | 6 | | 0 |
01/25/2018
Bettendorf,IAMy daughter has been a loyal fan of Block Adult Synchrony Split Sole Ballet Shoes for years. Unfortunately, they run small and she has outgrown the largest size an 8.0. Hence we went looking for a replacement. The Zenith is NOT it!!. Pros - Does come in a larger size. In this shoe, the 8.0 fits perfectly. Comes presewn and has a drawstring. Cons - Fabric bunches up underneath toe pad making it hard to feel the floor and becomes uncomfortable after a few hours of wear. Sticky on the floor although this may improve with wear. Does not provide an not appealing contour of the foot. In fact, it appears to flatten out my daughters arch. Unfortunately, you really have to dance in a shoe to know how it will perform. Would love to return these, but cannot as she has worn them once. Will look for a different shoe next order.
True to size Was this review helpful to you? | | 4 | | 0 |
03/26/2017 These are very pretty and nice shoes, but they were way too tight on me. I usually wear size 5B in bloch but these were so tight it made my toes hurt. They were squeezing my toes. But I love bloch
19 to 21 Runs small
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 0 |
07/17/2016
Palo Alto,CAThese shoes are my favorite ballet shoes! They stretch nicely to mold to your foot. I have narrow feet and I'm usually a size 6 in women's and I got a 5.5B and they fit perfectly. I would recommend going to a local dance store and trying these on first to find your right size since they probably fit differently on different feet. These shoes also make your arch look amazing. Totally recommend it!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 11 | | 0 |
07/02/2016
San Diego,CAI absolutely love this shoe! It is so comfortable, fits like a glove, is snug in the heel and looks incredible on. I've tried other elastic, style ballet shoe brands and this one is by far the best looking on.
40 to 49 True to size
Was this review helpful to you? | | 5 | | 1 |
05/06/2016
Houston,TXFirst off, I'd like to note that I did NOT order these shoes on discount dance. I teach in a suburb of a major city and bought these shoes at a little dance shop in a shoe emergency. In fact, my bad experience there brought me back to discount dance! The bad service I received at the store was so not worth my instructor discount.
These are the wrong shoe for my feet. They felt suffocating for the first three weeks I wore them!! Ugh. I wear a size 5 D (which DD doesn't even offer.)
These shoes are the white leggings of the slipper world!! Don't order unless you have beautiful feet- they show every bump!
I've broken them in now, and they aren't so bad anymore, but I'll never love them. I for sure will NEVER order them again.
Not recommended for wide or less than perfect feet.
22 to 29 Runs small
Was this review helpful to you? | | 6 | | 9 |
04/18/2016
Drexel Hill,PAThese shoes are amazing and lasted me 8 months before they got a hole. Though I am a size 10 in women's and the 8.5 was a little snug it stretched out to be perfect. The stretchy canvas makes it easy to pointe your foot. Overall amazing shoe.
Runs small Was this review helpful to you? | | 6 | | 1 |
03/23/2016I just switched to these shoes after wearing Sansha ballet shoes for years because I wanted a more fitted, slimming shoe. After reading the reviews I got a size 7 since they said to size down. My street shoe size is an 8. I like these shoes a lot, although I think I could have gone down one more size. They fit good but are a little long for me which means I have to tug the top half of the shoe up a little bit every once and a while during class. They are incredibly stretchy and comfortable though and do give you a nice looking arch. The color is a more flesh-like color which does stand out when standing next to someone with pale pink shoes but that does not bother me.The pre-sewn straps did not bother me since they fit me just right, but I can understand that some people would want to sew their own straps. Can't speak for durability yet but I'm happy with my switch.
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
10/11/2015I love these ballet slippers! They make your feet look great because they form to your feet better than other canvas shoes. I have had several pair and they seem to last as long as other typical canvas shoes. They must run a little large because I wear a 7 1/2 and my street shoes is an 8 - 8 1/2. I also have a slightly wide foot and get a "C" size (it does not come in wide sizes.) They are snug at first but will quickly stretch to fit your feet very comfortably.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
07/19/2015I wear a size 8.5 or 9 in street shoes and was fit in a size 7C. They fit perfectly to my foot(narrow heel and spread toes). I dance in these shoes for about 2 hours, 5 days a week, and they lasted me about a year and a half before I lost one :(. I cannot believe a shoe lasted that long with that amount of wear. They are the most durable ballet shoes I have ever worn. The fabric is much more resistant that a regular caves but not as much as a leather shoe. It helps to strengthen the foot and provides great resistance for articulating. I will definitely be repurchasing. love, love, love.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
06/18/2015I usually wear a 9 1/2 street shoe, and I ordered a 6 1/2. That is a big stretch i know, but they are perfect!!! I have gotten these before and they lasted for one dance year, dancing every day for 2 hours. Love them
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 0 |
04/25/2015I really loved this shoe the first couple times of wearing it. A thing I would consider a Pro, some might consider this a con, is that the shoe itself is made out of a very think fabric which enables you to really feel the floor and can give you foot cramps at first but in the end with only strengthen your feet. I really like how thin they are because there is no bulky pad inside on the bottom of the shoe just small thin circular pads where the heel and toe are. A Con about this shoe is that the fabric surrounding the outside of my shoe near the heel got baggy sort of fast so I have to constantly pull up the shoe near my heel quite often. Otherwise this is a great shoe for any level ballet dancer and I recommend this shoe to anyone.
19-21
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
12/27/2014I used this shoe for a few months last year, abandoning them when they got holes in the big toes :P The material is barely a canvas, it feels like a completely elastic like fabric. It's extremely stretchy, and conforms to your foot like you wouldn't believe. There's an odd situation with the leather soles on the bottom, due to the fact the shoe is so tight. I got used to it though. The shoe almost pulls your bones together, and makes your toes pull a bit, but it didn't bother me. The elastic on the bottom of the shoe enhances your arch, and the heel has a special thing that keeps a nice rounded shape. Overall these are wonderful shoes, although they wear easily due to how tight they are. May or may not try them again.
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 0 |
09/14/2014these shoes are really amazing! I love the stretchy canvas its great! they are so comfy and they make my arches look great! I would definitely get them
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
08/31/2014When I first got these shoes I was in love. They were comfy, and just different then any other shoes. But, after getting them about three times I have realized they are not for me. They do not show off the foot, they give you no heel therefore not as high as an arch. Also, my toes always felt squished and not fully extended like they should be. They felt as if they were sort of on top of each other. Lastly, they are not the best quality, while the fabric is INCREDIBLY comfortable, it is also SO SO thin. Much thinner than the normal canvas of ballet shoes. Overall, they were nice at first but after using them a lot I realized they were not all of what I thought they were.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
08/18/2014So I have really wide feet and used to prefer leather shoes because they stretched more, but my studio has a marley floor so they stick and I had to switch to canvas. This shoe gives you the comfort of leather and the freedom of movement as canvas. Love them.
I can't speak to the durability just yet, but I the comfort makes them worth buying new pairs over and over again. I am that in love with them.
19-21
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 1 |
07/08/2014I loved these because they showed my arches really well, and they are super comfortable because of the stretchy fabric. I dance 5 days a week, 2 hours every day and these lasted me only about 2 months and my flat shoes usually last me at least 3-4 months. I would recommend these to someone who doesn't take classes as often or to someone who doesn't mind buying new flat shoes avery month or so...
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
05/07/2014This shoe is fabulous! It hugs the foot like a sock and molds the shoe perfectly to your foot. Very comfortable!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
04/04/2014this shoe is amazing!! my foot size is 7.5 and I got a 7.5 in this shoe and it fits perfectly!! fits like a glove and I love how soft and clean they look in the studio! BEST BUY YET!!!
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 1 |
03/24/2014My daughter loves this shoe. It fits well and makes her feet look pretty. It is reasonably priced and wears well for a canvas shoe. We will continue to buy this.
40-49
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
03/24/2014super stretchy and super comfy!!! whenever i pointe my toes i feel the resistance and it makes my arch looks better
22-29
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
03/22/2014I love these shoes! They do run large. My shoe size is 7 1/2 to 8 but I got these shoes in a 6b and they fit great. They are really stretchy and fit right against your skin. The first pair I got lasted about a year and I dance 4 days a week. They are also really comfortable. Also the elastics come sewn on which is convenient.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
02/25/2014I have normal feet but this shoes is still to tight in front. I purchased the Bloch Adult "Pump" Canvas Split-Sole Ballet Slipper at the same time. The Pump one is loose and this Bloch Adult "Zenith" Stretch Canvas Split-Sole Ballet Slipper is too tight. None of them fit me perfect.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 0 |
01/27/2014I bought these shoes in September, and so far, they've been great! They're pretty comfortable and i discovered they actually help with my turns! My only complaint is that when you first buy them, they're pretty tight so my friend did this thing where she wore them backwards, and that really helped stretch them out. Overall, i recommend :)
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
01/22/2014I liked the idea of these shoes, but the stretch canvas was really tight and made it difficult to articulate or spread apart my toes. Worse, the padding in the ball and heel was lumpy and uneven, and the heel pad was located in an awkward place towards the front of my heel. The heel pad was really painful, and after just a couple of wears, I had to switch back to my old flats because these were giving me shin splints.
19-21
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
01/11/2014I find these to work well with my feet. I wear a 9.5-10 ladies street shoe and have very wide feet. I take an 8.5B in this shoe. I think slippers can be a lot like any other shoe in that not all slippers fit all feet the same, especially with split sole shoes. The full sole leather shoes seem to be more universal. I have had several fractures in my feet, a bone spur and doc suspects plantar fasciatis. I don't feel any bunching or balance issues, but I think it is because of my foot anatomy. The split sole patches seem to sit where they are supposed to, and the pleats sit right beneath my toes. I have a pair of canvas Capezio Cobras and these feel way more supportive. The crossed elastics make the shoes hug my arches well. Not a big fan of elastic drawstrings, but everything has gone to that these days. I got fit for these locally and have a great fitter nearby.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 1 |
01/10/2014I bought these and they look great, fit very nicely due to the stretch, and are very handy with pre-sewn elastics, BUT the fabric is VERY rough compared to the standard canvas. And there is virtually no lining! Just interior patches opposite of the leather sole areas. As others have noted the pleating hits at an odd spot quite near the toes and is lumpy, add this to the roughness of the fabric (due to the stretch factor?) and I have had blisters form under my big toes and the balls of my feet, when I wear these, even with tights.
Too bad because they look very nice! But I am tossing mine and going back to the Bloch Pump canvas splits which are fully lined and much softer and no blisters!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
09/12/2013I love the fabric, however I can't wear these at all because the sole is so bulky and lands halfway through the ball of my foot. It's messing up my balance.
30-39
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
08/12/2013Theses shoes are simple amazing! I wear in street shoe a 10.5 and in these I wear a 8.5. They fit great and are stretchy. They make my feet look amazing and are very comfortable! I would recommend these to everyone!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
07/04/2013I bought these at one of my local dance stores.The woman there said they were amazing and her favorite ballet slipper. I love the feeling of them. They feel tight like socks almost and hug my arch nicely. My problem is the heel- it is just sort of an odd heel and i fel it slide sometimes especially when turning. I have only had them for about 2 weeks and i am hoping that they will just mold to my feet and work for me. Also i bought them and they have a little extra material near m toes but that is because of my foot and toe type. Overall they are nice and i love how they came with the elastics already sewed in. At first I thought the elastics were too far up but after wearing them a bit, it feels like they are in a good spot.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 1 |
06/21/2013These shoes show off the feet nicely and are comfortable once you get used to them. They might feel small, but they are closer to the foot. I would recommend you get a pair at least two sizes smaller than your street shoe size. I'm an 8.5 women's and I wear sixes just fine. My teachers like them and thought my feet looked nice in them. They really do!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
06/16/2013I love these! I totally recommend that teachers recomend these shoes to younger dancers and be sure to tell them to order them 3 sizes smaller than their street shoe size- that's just how they are fit. They are a little uncomfortable when you first wear them because of the little knobby knot under the first metatarsal, but after a couple weeks of wearing them, I found that the knobby bit really helped me get on the ball of my foot and over the toe, making my instep higher. I think using these has really improved my feet! Hence, I absolutely recommend these! They really teach you to use your feet, if you weren't really thinking about it before.
19-21
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
06/06/2013I am a dancer as well as a dance teacher and for someone who is on her feet dancing many hours a day this shoe does not work.
Sizing: I wear 7-7.5 street shoe and usually a 4.5 in dance shoe. This was way too small. Standing normal flat footed it was making my toes curl.
Stretch Aspect: I have archy feet and did not feel like this improved the look of or drew away from the look of my foot in any way. I will say that when I would point my foot the material would bunch weird. That could have been because they were too small on me.
Comfort: I wasn't in this shoe for more than a few minutes and my heel was starting to hurt. Look at the picture, you can see that the heel padding is very small and it stops at the back of the heel in a very awkward place. For me it stopped right in the middle on my heel bone.
Needless to say, not a fan.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
05/23/2013I love love love these shoes they are so comfy and make your point look amazing the only bad thing is the strap comes of after like a month. this did not happen to me but it happened to all my friends...
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 2 |
05/08/2013I bought these shoes because of their ability to stretch to form to my feet. I have had problems with every other ballet slipper ripping at my big toe for years and I was delighted that these did not tear. However, at first the "ball" of cushion is rather uncomfortable. Then, I realized the ingenious of the design. When on releve, the uncomfortable ball forces you to go onto your highest possible releve to avoid said ball, making you stronger and gain a better technique. Because of that ball, my releve is higher and my arch is more defined. The cushion is hard to get used to but once you do, it makes you look fantastic! My teacher was VERY impressed by these shoes and I am too. If you want stronger feet, a beautiful arch and a good fit then these shoes are the perfect choice!
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 5 | | 0 |
05/07/2013These shoes look lovely and conform to foot due to Lycra, HOWEVER, the large, highly uncomfortable bulge under the ball of the foot is like dancing with a stone in your shoe! I took apart the shoe and realized it's not padding that causes this, but the pleats that are sewn together into a bulky bunch and create a painful lump under the metatarsals when standing in releve. Sizing is inconsistent. I wear a size 7 1/2 - 8 street shoe, and I tried a 5.5 C, which was snug, so thought I'd go a little larger, and ended up in a 5 C, which was ACTUALLY LARGER! Go figure.....
Stretch canvas is great if you already have strong, developed feet. Wouldn't recommend it for growing, young dancers as the stretch can help you point your toe, rather than your foot muscles.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
04/26/2013I really wanted to love these. I saw an adult beginning student wear them in my class and they really hug the foot: arch, pointe and all. No bagging anywhere. I went that afternoon to buy them. They recommended a whole size down at the shop but I went down two sizes to avoid a little extra in the width at the instep. The problem is the strange ball of "padding" that hits just under the toes where the joint meets the metatarsal. What was Bloch thinking with that? It's not soft! It's also rounded so it is anything but stabilizing. I wore them to teach 3 consecutive classes that evening and would have changed out of them if I'd brought my old ones. My feet were killing me. HOWEVER, i got in there with a scissors and exacto knife and surgically removed the lump because I love how they look. Not sure how long they'll last now but hopefully....
40-49
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
04/05/2013Bloch Zeniths are very good quality because they conform to your foot very well and provide the support for your feet. These shoes definitely make your feet look good whether on class or on stage. These are very tight at first, but they loosen up after you've worn them for a while. It is also a good shoe to provide support!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 1 |
03/24/2013These are awesome! Everyone in my studio was jealous the first day I wore them. Like the question section said, I ordered a size 5.5 C based on my Grishko pointe shoe size (6 XXX, but they are a little long). They are very comfortable, but they do have a significant amount of padding in the ball of the foot and heel which will take getting used to. They make my feet look very good. They are a rather bright shade of pink, though.
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 0 |
02/12/2013These shoes are okay. It looks great on the arch if you actually have good feet and a good arch. I ordered a 7 (half a size smaller than my usual shoe size) and it was baggy on my feet. I would suggest ordering a whole size smaller. Also, it was a little bit baggy on my heel but that probably was due to my narrow feet. There is WAY too much padding in the ball and heel part of the shoe, to the point where it was difficult for me to balance and made it uncomfortable.
It's an okay shoe, but I'm going back to my Grishko flats.
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 3 |
01/15/2013I love these shoes! I have been looking for a great new pair of ballet shoes to try and I finally found the pair! The fit of the shoes is amazing and shows your feet great, and the stretchy fabric feels good on your feet too. I ordered these a half size smaller than I usually wear since they stretch over time like normal ballet shoes, but with the stretchy fabric I don't want them to overstretch and sit baggy so the half size down was neccessary. The color of the shoes is great too, not a strange shade of pink. The padding on the soles is nice, but if your all about the cushion in the shoe, this one might not be for you. I like to feel the floor with my feet while in my shoes, so the padding is just right for me. I would definitely recommend these to anyone looking to try a new shoe, especially if you have wide feet like myself and have a hard time finding ballet shoes with the right fit and look.
22-29
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 1 |
01/06/2013These shoes are what I have been looking for my whole life of dancing (which, in case you were wondering has been like 12 years!). When I saw an ad on them in a dance magazine I thought I could try them when I needed new shoes. Then, two months later, I did need new shoes,( you know after winter break and Nutcracker), and I went to my local dance store. I saw them right away and knew I had to try them on. They were stretchy, and are meant to be super tight at first, but I knew I would love them. They really hug your arch, showing off your super strong feet. My teachers all commented on how much they love these. Unlike the sansha's that I used to use, they come pre-sewn.They have pads in the front and back so they're so comfy. I LOVE zeniths so so much!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 0 | | 0 |
12/04/2012My daughter only wore these twice and she hates them. She is 17 and in the middle of auditioning for college dance programs so we bought these shoes for an audition as they were highly recommended. She said that the pads on the soles are too small and do not adequately cushion her foot. She feels the floor too much and they make her feet hurt. They do look gorgeous on her foot but I'm going to have to go back to her regular ballet slippers (Capezio Juliet canvas) since she is so unhappy. She is a 6.5/7.0 street shoe and we bought a 5.5
15-18
Was this review helpful to you? | | 3 | | 2 |
11/13/2012I had to go up a full size in this shoe and the Lycra/canvas is still very tight around my feet. This creates a lovely, comfortable feeling when you're just wearing them around and they do show off the foot beautifully. Unfortunately, when dancing, the toe and heel pads get stuck on the Harlequin and drag out from under the foot. Turning and rotation causes the shoe to drag right off the foot. Hopefully, I can return them.
Was this review helpful to you? | | 1 | | 0 |
11/10/2012WOW!!! These shoes are the definition of AMAZING. They show off your feet VERY well while still being very comfortable. I don't have any problem with there color(which i usually do) because most shoes are either brown or white looking instead of pink. At my dance school, we wear shoes that have to match our tights so these are a perfect match!!!! <3 These shoessss!!!!!!
Was this review helpful to you? | | 2 | | 0 |