THE first time I tried on pointe shoes when I was a little girl, it felt like a dream I remember that moment so clearly,' reveals junior soloist Ivana Bueno, one of the dancers who will play the lead role of Clara in the English National Ballet's (ENB) production of The Nutcracker at the London Coliseum this year. 'I think I was about 10 years old. The older ballerinas had blisters on their feet; and, after wearing mine for the first time, I can remember excitedly checking my toes to see if I had any blisters, too.'
Sitting in a bright boardroom in between rehearsals at the Mulryan Centre for Dance, the state-of-the-art headquarters of the ENB in London City Island, Miss Bueno gestures to her pointe shoes as she outlines their importance: 'To go on pointe, you're using all the muscles between your metatarsal bones in the foot, every tendon is activated-you need a lot of strength in your feet and ankles. We're always looking for ways to improve our shoes, even if it's the tiniest of changes-just a millimetre can make a difference. But, honestly, I'm not sure we'll ever be satisfied.
For an audience member, watching a ballerina dancing on pointe is a magical experience of awe and wonder as she leaps, lands, twists and turns across the stage, appearing lighter than air. For a dancer, creating this illusion is a physically gruelling feat that requires tremendous strength and discipline and takes years of practice, training, experience and skill. Pointe shoes may look like beautiful, dainty slippers, but, make no mistake, these are the tools of an athlete.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 13 - 20, 2023 (Double Issue)-Ausgabe von Country Life UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 13 - 20, 2023 (Double Issue)-Ausgabe von Country Life UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
