En pointe

Dancing en pointe is the action of rising to 'tips of the toes' whilst performing steps from ballet technique. Also known as pointe work, it is performed using hard toed pointe shoes. Dancing en pointe requires considerable strength and skill and is central part of a ballerina's training and repertory.

Related Topics:
Toe - Steps - Ballet technique - Pointe shoes - Ballerina - Training - Repertory

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In 1832 the ballerinaMarie Taglioni danced the full length of the romantic ballet La Sylphide en pointe and is credited as the developer and pioneer of point work technique. Marie Taglioni first rose onto pointe with soft ballet slippers that had a reinforced toe area. The area was reinforced by stitching around the front part of the slipper. Although a development of romantic ballet and a central element of ballet dancing in general, other dance forms such as jazz dance, street dance and tap dance also have steps that are performed en pointe. In tap dance this is called "toe stand".

Related Topics:
1832 - Ballerina - Marie Taglioni - Romantic ballet - La Sylphide - Ballet - Jazz dance - Street dance - Tap dance

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In the 1920s and 1930s Harriet Hoctor a burlesque and vaudeville dancer wore pointe shoes fitted with steel shanks and platforms to allow tapping en pointe and backwards bends whilst en pointe. Other dancers fitted ball bearings inside between the platform to allow for faster turns but the dangers of the steel shanks snapping mean that such practices quickly ceased. Although this is one of the most graceful forms of dance, it can also be very painful and cause damage to the feet.

Related Topics:
1920s - 1930s - Harriet Hoctor - Burlesque - Vaudeville - Dancer - Steel

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Dancers now use pointe shoes with a hard and flexible leather shank and a box made up of layers of canvas, hessian, paper and glue. A breakthrough in pointe shoe technology has been made by a former ballet dancer. Revolutionary materials have been used.

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