How should dance shoes fit?

Melett

For my DD who is 3 she wears a size 9 in normal shoes, but when I get that size in dance shoes they have a kind of big gap at the end, probably what a regular shoe should have but it is more noticeable in a dance shoe because of the way they cling to your foot. When I get a size 8.5 they are almost right down to the end of her feet with a little tiny space. How should they fit? Thanks so much!

Temp86398625009737

I Think they do stretch, but the dance place had me get the bigger size, since she said the smaller size wouldnt get her through the year.  She still has some room from where her toe ends, and she got them in september, but they arent wide and sloppy if that makes sense. 

xbrooklyngrl

If there's a little gap but they don't slide off, then its fine.

firefightersgal

We always get them a little bit big so that they will last the whole year.  The kind of tap and ballet shoes DD wears have elastic on the sides that make them fit snugly, even if they are a little bit long.

littlemermaid

A little gap won't make a difference, like half inch.  It will give her room to grow.  Just make sure they don't slide off, you don't want your foot sliding in the shoe.

Rebekah1021

Our dance teacher likes them to be snug. We were taught that when they point their toe, Grab the back of the shoe and try to pinch your fingers together. If you feel the heel of the foot then they are right. 

Growing up in ballet, we were not allowed shoes that could be grown into and should be the exact size of the foot.