While bending the shoe, press the outer sole against a round surface such as a ballet barre or other rounded surface. Hold the exaggerated shape until the shoe has returned to room temperature. Heat forming does not affect the durability of the shoe. A shoe may be repeatedly heated and re-formed. Sometimes re-forming is necessary because the shoe may gradually return to its original shape over a few weeks.
Supple shanks are more likely to require periodic re-forming than firmer ones.
Heat forming does not alter the flexibiltiy of the shoe. Although the shoe becomes very flexible while it is hot, it regains all its original stiffness once cool again. The area under the ball of the foot should be heated and held in an exaggeration of the desired shape, i.e., almost in the shape of a shoe in demi-pointe. The straighter the shank the less the dancer will go over. You can increase the bend in a particular portion of the shank or along its entire length.