Bloch ETU: First Impressions From A Pointe Shoe Fitter

We received our shipment of the brand new, Bloch Etu pointe shoes as part of their beta testing of the shoe and right off the bat, WE LOVE THEM!

We’ve had them for almost 2 weeks now and we’ve already fit 12 dancers in them and everyone’s first reaction is “these are so comfortable!”

According to Bloch, the Bloch Etu has a “padded insole, toe protection, and additional layers around the toe box which makes it an extremely comfortable shoe.”

The shoe is also moldable. You can manipulate the shoe to perfectly match your instep. The shoe is made to last too! Its non-traditional box design allows the shoe to last longer than a traditional pointe shoe.

So after our first few weeks with this shoe and fitting multiple dancers in them, here are our thoughts.

Bloch Etu Pros:

• The shape of this shoe compliments so many feet! It truly isn’t like any other Bloch pointe shoe. Bloch’s are known to be boxy, but the Etu is not!

• The box is slightly tapered and gets wider around the metatarsals which reminds us of the shape of a Nikolay Smartpointe. The vamp is just much lower than the Smartpointe.

• This shoe is so, so, so PRETTY! It truly looks pretty on everyone we’ve tried it on. It’s just a really good looking shoe. 

• The Etu is super comparable to the old USA Made Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. The Etu’s satin is very similar to Gaynors and the overall structure of the shoe is almost identical to a USA Made Gaynor. 

• The Etu has the comfort of a Gaynor Minden pointe shoe too. If you’ve ever tried on a Gaynor, you know the comfort is basically unmatched…until now!

• The price point is also incredible! They’re only around $22 more than other Bloch pointe shoes but they’re made to last longer, and they’re around $30 cheaper than Gaynors! You definitely get more bang for your buck with these. 

Bloch Etu Cons:

• The Etu runs smaller than other Bloch pointe shoes and their size range currently goes up to an 8. It’s also only available in X, XX, and XXX. If your street shoe is larger than a 9ish, they don’t currently have a size that will be long enough. Bloch is planning to expand their size range though, so keep checking back!

• They currently only offer one shank strength which is too hard for beginners on pointe. They currently advertise this shoe for advanced and professional dancers. 

As pointe shoe fitters, the Bloch Etu has quickly become a go-to for fitting dancers who aren’t beginners in our shop. Have we made you curious and want to give the Bloch Etu a try? Book an appointment with us!

If you’re not local to the Northern Virginia/DC area, don’t worry! If you’re ever flying into DC, our Herndon shop is only a few minutes from Dulles Airport with metro stops close by. Stop by on your way into or out of the city!