Sunday, August 24, 2008

Beautiful Feet

Is it possible to be a dancer and still have beautiful feet?

I used to have beautiful feet. And now? They aren't so beautiful. Or maybe they are just beautiful in a different way.

Today, I have toenails that are a mess (How do I keep doing that to my toenails? Why don't I notice it when it's happening?), a blister peeling off, calluses that I don't seem to be able to rub off no matter how pumicey my pumice stone is, a giant bruise where some mislead young thing stuck her sharp sharp heel into the top of my foot, a nasty scratch across the top of the same foot from MY heel, a fading tan that doesn't match my heels...

Maybe I need to redefine beautiful feet.

18 comments:

Debbi said...

But you see, those ARE beautiful feet! If your feet were without character, it would mean you were without tango..... ;-)

Psyche said...

Yes! Like laughter lines on the face of a beautiful older woman.

There was a girl in London who always had the most perfectly manicured feet, with beautiful painted toenails. I have no idea how she did it. I haven't had both big toenails intact since I got my first pair of open-toed shoes.

Mtnhighmama said...

Thanks, Debbi...I'm beginning to realize it's a different definition.

Psyche, what exactly am I doing that half my big toenails are gone? Is it me, or the leader kicking me? I'm not even noticing it happening, so it's not painful, but I sure would like for it to stop. Any suggestions?

Claudita said...

Errr, I don't know what you do, but I know what I do - I rip my big toenails off with my own spikey heels...
And I have a theory about people..there are the ones who ALWAYS look glowy and neat and tidy and who can wear white and never ever spill anything on it... and the there are the rest of us..I think Psyche's girl belongs to group one...here's to 'characterful feet!!!!

Anonymous said...

This is why, mtnhighmama, I NEVER wear open toe shoes. Peep-toe at most. I've had both big toenails almost ripped off, and that was enough.

Mtnhighmama said...

ack! always close toed? I have a couple pairs of close toed, but my toesies have NEVER been in anything even remotely constricting. I wear dansko's in the winter, chacos in the summer (I know, how disgustingly PNW can I get?). I have a hard time in close toed heels.

Maybe I just haven't tried on enough pairs of shoes yet to find the ones that don't suffocate my toes.

any recommendations?

Anonymous said...

Peep toe is not closed toe, but a happy compromise. I simply cannot fathom how anyone dance with their toes all over the place.

But that's just me.

And it sounds like you have not found the right pair of closed-er shoes :-)

Mtnhighmama said...

Johanna, that totally spurred a mental image of my toes doing their own wild thing in my prettiest shoes. They sprouted yarn hair, drew faces on themselves, and refuse to stay neat and tidy tucked into my shoes. Each time I take a step, they giggle and move all over the place, causing me to do extra little jigs with each step. hmmm.....maybe i should try on more shoes. I wouldn't want willy nilly misbehaved toes.

Anonymous said...

LOL! Well, that's what MY tootsies seem to do, which is why I have to be strict mommy to them.

Schrack Attack said...

I always wonder about people with "perfect" feet...toe nails perfectly polished, soft heels...are they the kind of people who take risks? Live for the moment?

A good scar or rough heel means something, right? my feet are counting on it.

tangobaby said...

My pedicures hold up okay, but the calluses are crazy. My poor little spa people, they don't know what to do with me.

The only real scar I have though is on my shin, from where I kicked MYSELF.

Elizabeth Brinton said...

1. Good Pedicure, professional, often. By people who understand dancers feet. (Can you even get this where you live?) Herbal foot soak.
2. Dance with people who do not step you! Only!
3. Put Fungus med on the nail bed until the nail grows out.
O.K. that all.

Psyche said...

I can't be doing with peep or closed toe. I need my toes to balance! If they can't spread out, I feel like I'm dancing with bound feet. Horrible.

As for what you're doing, mtnhighmama, it's hard to say. I used to do a lot of claudita's problem, tearing my nails with my own stilettos. I eventually realised that this happened when I danced with leaders who don't give enough warning, who give the lead too late, because then I was desperately trying to whip my foot round to get it into the position they wanted, and accidents ensued. Thankfully (touch wood) that doesn't seem to happen to me so much these days, which I guess is a combination of my own increased experience and that I'm dancing with better leaders! When my toenails get wrecked these days it's usually because someone's tried something a little too sudden and enthusiastic in the way of paradas, barridas, etc. There are some guys I dance very fast with, and so there's always going to be the odd incident. I rarely notice at the time, either, my mind's on other things!

Mtnhighmama said...

Pedicures from someone who understands dancers feet.... I wouldn't even know where to look. And truth be told? I've had exactly 2 pedicures in my life. Neither of which were my idea. (Even when I was shoe modeling, I still did all my own foot care.)

I do pumice daily, though. And that seems to mostly work ok. And most of my shoes have been work enough now that the blisters are minimal.

I need to post about the only dancing with people who won't step on you thing.

Elizabeth Brinton said...

Mtnhigh:
Well I go to a great woman who also does Chinese herbal soak and acupressure. I let her know that I am a dancer and she is careful to take only dry skin callus and not the "pads" which have grown and prevent blister etc. Try getting regular pedicure for a few months...you will see...

Mtnhighmama said...

I think I could give it a 3 month chance. Of course, it will have to wait for a couple months, until I can budget properly for it.

But my feet are worth it, no?

Elizabeth Brinton said...

...
are your feet worth it!!!!
I can't believe you said that. Your feet are taking you out to dance, providing you with the tools to create your own dance adventure! My God girl. Your feet are worth it.

Mtnhighmama said...

ack!

/properly chastised.

Pedicure scheduled.