Pointe Shoes
2019 (made)
| Artist/Maker |
This is a pair of ballet shoes worn by Senior Artist Cira Robinson as Tituba in Scottish Ballet’s The Crucible who, with Ballet Black's Founder and Artistic Director Cassa Pancho, collaborated with Freed of London to develop the shoes. Robinson guested in The Crucible with Scottish Ballet, who celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2019.
Working in conjunction with Ballet Black Freeds began to create the first skin tone pointe shoes, handmade in the UK for black, Asian and mixed-race dancers. Traditionally ballet shoes have been pink, although red and black have been manufactured. Otherwise shoe staff at ballet companies will dye and spray shoes to blend in with costumes. Shoes matching skin tone or costumes extend the all-important line of the dancer.
In response to the new line of shoes, Cira Robinson stated that: "Having a shoe made to fit my skin tone is an absolute dream that I never thought would come true. Pancaking has been the way of the dance world for years and to think that colouring my shoes and ribbons to match my skin (since we don’t wear ballet tights) gives me a different sense of liberation that I can’t quite put into words. I am very pleased, to say the least."
Working in conjunction with Ballet Black Freeds began to create the first skin tone pointe shoes, handmade in the UK for black, Asian and mixed-race dancers. Traditionally ballet shoes have been pink, although red and black have been manufactured. Otherwise shoe staff at ballet companies will dye and spray shoes to blend in with costumes. Shoes matching skin tone or costumes extend the all-important line of the dancer.
In response to the new line of shoes, Cira Robinson stated that: "Having a shoe made to fit my skin tone is an absolute dream that I never thought would come true. Pancaking has been the way of the dance world for years and to think that colouring my shoes and ribbons to match my skin (since we don’t wear ballet tights) gives me a different sense of liberation that I can’t quite put into words. I am very pleased, to say the least."
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Satin, elasticated draw string, glue, hessian, leather soles, with ribbons and elastic sewn on |
| Brief description | Brown ballet shoes worn by Cira Robinson as Tituba in Scottish Ballet’s The Crucible, 2019, made by Freed of London in collaboration with Ballet Black |
| Physical description | ‘Studios’ blocked ballet pointe shoes size 3½ covered in brown satin. Elasticated draw string. Freed stamped on the sole: “Logo Studios Professional Freed of London Made in England S 3½E Round Vamp”. Hand written in Black Marker Cira Robinson wrote: “The Crucible ‘19/Scottish Ballet/ Cira Robinson”. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Cassa Pancho's Ballet Black |
| Summary | This is a pair of ballet shoes worn by Senior Artist Cira Robinson as Tituba in Scottish Ballet’s The Crucible who, with Ballet Black's Founder and Artistic Director Cassa Pancho, collaborated with Freed of London to develop the shoes. Robinson guested in The Crucible with Scottish Ballet, who celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2019. Working in conjunction with Ballet Black Freeds began to create the first skin tone pointe shoes, handmade in the UK for black, Asian and mixed-race dancers. Traditionally ballet shoes have been pink, although red and black have been manufactured. Otherwise shoe staff at ballet companies will dye and spray shoes to blend in with costumes. Shoes matching skin tone or costumes extend the all-important line of the dancer. In response to the new line of shoes, Cira Robinson stated that: "Having a shoe made to fit my skin tone is an absolute dream that I never thought would come true. Pancaking has been the way of the dance world for years and to think that colouring my shoes and ribbons to match my skin (since we don’t wear ballet tights) gives me a different sense of liberation that I can’t quite put into words. I am very pleased, to say the least." |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.140:1, 2-2020 |
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| Record created | January 30, 2020 |
| Record URL |
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