Point shoe worn by Lydia Lopokova as the Lilac Fairy in the Diaghilev Ballet Russes production of Marius Petipa's ballet "The Sleeping Princess" (The Sleeping Beauty). Inscribed. Nicolini, Italy, 1921-1922

Pink satin point shoe, undarned, no ribbons attached. Size 11 with scored sole. Inscribed on inner sole: "Après Fée Lillac / Le Princess Dormante"

Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest

One of a collection of signed ballet shoes given by various dancers to the dance critic and historian Cyril Beaumont.
The shoe was worn by Lydia Lopokova as the Lilac Fairy in the Diaghilev Ballets Russes production of Marius Petipa's "The Sleeping Princess" (The Sleeping Beauty). Lopokova danced the Lilac Fairy on the opening night, 2 November 1921 at the Alhambra Theatre, but during the run of the ballet she also danced Princess Aurora. Beaumont, already friends with Lopokova and accepted by Diaghilev, was continually backstage during rehearsals and the run of the ballet.
The soles of ballet shoes were often scored, either by the manufacturer or the dancers, to give improved grip on stage.
The shoe came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.

Historical significance: An example of an Italian ballet shoe of the first quarter of the 20th century. Ballet shoes made in different countries are indicative of the different needs of the dancers and the choreography of the time.
The ballet shoe is the most personal of dance aretfacts, as each dancer is responsible for darning and stitching on the ribbons to suit her own personal preferences and each dancer 'wears' out the shoe in a different way, according to her physique and the role. The dancer darning shoes is a potent image in 20th century dance iconography, a symbol of at once her drugery and humility.
A shoe worn by a great dancer in a particular role on a certain night (such as a premiere) and signed, dated, and dedicated to the recepient, implying that the recepient was with the dancer at the time, attains almost iconic significance for balletomanes.

S.794-1981