Point shoe worn by Olga Spessiva possibly as Princess Aurora in the Diaghilev Ballets Russes production of Marius Petipa's ballet "The Sleeping Princess" (The Sleeping Beauty). Signed and inscribed 1922.

White satin point shoe, undarned, with ribbons attached. Size 11 with scored sole, made by J L Baumgartner. Inscribed on sole: "Olga Spessiva / London 4 II 1922"

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 the Russian ballerina Olga Spessiva (Spessivtzeva), who danced Princess Aurora during the run of the Diaghilev Ballets Russes production of Marius Petipa's ballet "The Sleeping Princess" (The Sleeping Beauty) at the Alhambra Theatre, 1921-1922. The date on the shoe indicates that it was signed and given to Beaumont on the last night of the run on 4 February 1922, although on that evening Princess Aurora was danced by Egorova, not Spessiva.
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.797-1981