PROBLEMS EN POINTE
Issues with Current Ballet Point Shoe Design and the Design Innovations that Fix Them
For Professor Mary M. McDonald
ENG 301 Technical Writing
Cleveland State University
By Erin L. Hopkins
April 6, 2022
MEMO
TO: Professor Mary M. McDonald
FROM: Erin L. Hopkins
DATE: April 6, 2022
SUBJECT: ENG 301 Technical Writing Long Report
Ballerinas have been suffering for their art for centuries. Ballet pointe shoes, a central part of the signature costume of ballerinas, have been constructed nearly the exact same way since their inception in the 1800s. Although they give the illusion of ethereal beauty and weightlessness of the ballerina, the pointe shoe construction is very rigid and painful for these dancers
Many pointe shoe manufacturers, some who have been making pointe shoes for as long as the shoes have been in existence, are now embracing modern technology and processes to produce them. Pointe shoes that are comfortable, affordable, durable and that do not contribute to the injury of the dancer, are desperately needed by ballerinas. Thus, advancements in the design of the pointe shoe as well as the material used to construct them have been rapidly developing in recent years. Additionally, there are some savvy and innovative inventors who are leading pointe shoe design for the 21st century.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Ballet Pointe Shoe: An Overview 4
CURRENT BALLET POINTE SHOE CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED PROBLEMS
Current Construction Technology of the Ballet Pointe Shoe 4
Figure 1: Ballet Pointe Shoe 4
Fit and Comfort Level of the Ballet Pointe Shoe 5
Figure 2: A typical ballerina’s feet after dancing in pointe shoes 5
Longevity and Cost of the Ballet Pointe Shoe 5
ADVANCEMENTS IN BALLET POINTE SHOE CONSTUCTION TECHNOLOGY
BLOCH 5
Gaynor Minden 6
Savvy Inventors 7
Figure 3: The P-rouette designed by Hadar Neeman 7
Figure 4: ARC ANGELS 7
CONCLUSION 7
WORKS CITED 8
INTRODUCTION
The Ballet Pointe Shoe: An Overview
For the ballerina, what purpose does the current design of the pointe shoe serve if the overwhelming result of wearing them is bruised and broken toenails, calluses, and other foot and ankle injuries? Additionally, the average pointe shoe only lasts through 24-48 hours of use and costs over $100 per pair. Thus, ballerinas go through great lengths to “break-in” and modify new pointe shoes to make them more comfortable to wear.
Designing and making a more comfortable and reasonably priced pointe shoe are important to ballet dancers who want to protect and preserve their feet and ankles. Better design will allow these athletes to enjoy longer dancing careers. A better priced pointe shoe that lasts longer than 24 hours would also allow the art of ballet dance to reach a more diverse pool of prospective ballerinas. Ballet would not just be for those who can afford it, but for all who have the ambition and passion to pursue the art.
This report will explore the current construction of the ballet pointe shoe which is the source of a great amount of discomfort, injury, and cost for most ballet dancers. New design techniques that will allow a ballerina to dance longer and more safely will be presented along with the best pointe shoe designs currently being constructed today.
CURRENT BALLET POINTE SHOE CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED PROBLEMS
Current Construction Technology of the Ballet Pointe Shoe
Figure 1: Ballet Pointe Shoe
Source: https://invention.si.edu/better-pointe-shoe-sorely-needed
Most ballet pointe shoes are currently made the same way they have been for centuries. The body of the pointe shoe may consist of satin with a cotton lining. The toe box, which the ballerina balances on, is made from layers of burlap and paste. This box is usually molded on a shoemaker’s form specific to the shape and size of the shoe being made. Some pointe shoe manufacturers may also use paper and plastic to form this toe box. The shank of the shoe, which is between the outer and inner sole, can be made from cardboard, or leather (J. B., 2008).
WORKS CITED
“Ballet Pointe Shoe Pastes.” BLOCH. 3 Mar 2021. Ballet Pointe Shoe Paste | BLOCH US – BLOCH Dance US (blochworld.com). Accessed 5 Apr 2022.
“Behind the Revolutionary Technology of BLOCH’s Stretch Pointe Line.” Pointe. 10 Sept 2019. Behind the Revolutionary Technology of BLOCH's Stretch Pointe Line (pointemagazine.com). Accessed 5 Apr 2022.
Eugene, Guercy. “ARC ANGELS.” Behance. 23 Jan 2013. https://www.behance.net/gallery/6807521/NIKE-ARC-ANGELS-UPDATE. Accessed 5 Apr 2022.
J. B. “What’s In A Pointe Shoe?” Pointe. Jun/Jul 2008.
Klee, Katie de. “P-rouette is a 3D-printed ballet shoe designed to reduce pain felt by the dancer.” Dezeen. 10 Aug 2018. https://www.dezeen.com/2018/08/10/p-rouette-3d-printed-ballet-shoe-hadar-neeman-graduate-design/. Accessed 5 Apr 2022.
Maher, Meg. “A Better Pointe Shoe is Sorely Needed.” Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. Smithsonian National Museum of American History. 28 May 2020. https://invention.si.edu/better-pointe-shoe-sorely-needed. Accessed 29 Mar 2022.
“Medical Studies and Rehab Stories.” Gaynor Minden. Medical Studies & Rehab Stories | Gaynor Minden (dancer.com). Accessed 5 Apr 2022.
Wakes, Sarah and Joanne Caudwell. “The illusion of weightlessness.” International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion. 10 Jun 2010.
“What Makes Them Better.” Gaynor Minden. What Makes Them Better | Gaynor Minden (dancer.com). Accessed 5 Apr 2022.