What's the pointe?

Underpinning the mesmerisingly graceful, yet hugely powerful skill of dancing on pointe is a simple, often pale-pink satin slipper, hewn from fabric, paper and glue. Katy Birchall explores the evolution of the ballet shoe

- Katy Birchall

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.