Pointework is often considered the pinnacle of ballet training and a fundamental part of our modern ballet culture. If you have been working hard in class, it’s natural to aspire to pointe. But if you’re an adult student, you may ask, “Am I too old to start?” While technique requirements are the same for ballet […]
Pointe shoes are high maintenance. New pairs are not only expensive, but time consuming. So it’s no surprise that many dancers try to extend the lifespan of each shoe. But did you know that dancing on dead shoes can increase your risk for a variety of injuries? What causes a shoe to break down? Pointe […]
Have you ever looked at the ever-growing pile of dead pointe shoes in the corner of your closet, unsure of what to do with them? It seems wasteful to throw them out, but they can’t be recycled. And many dancers feel a sentimental attachment to their old shoes and want to hang onto them. This […]
As ballet’s gender roles grow increasingly blurred, more men than ever are reaching new heights: the tips of their toes. It’s no longer just Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and the few pointe-clad male character parts, like in Cinderella or Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream. Some male dancers are starting to experiment with pointe […]
This story originally appeared in the August/September 2016 issue of Pointe. You’d be hard pressed to find a pair of ballet slippers in Noelani Pantastico’s dance bag. Instead, you’ll find a pair of socks—and plenty of pointe shoes. The Pacific Northwest Ballet principal, who joined the company in 1997, ditched wearing slippers for class when […]
2025 is a special year for our friends at Dance Magazine: It’s the 25th anniversary of their annual “25 to Watch” list, which features rising talent across a variety of genres. Naturally, we’re excited about the ballet dancers and choreographers who made this year’s list. Learn more about them below, and check out the full […]
Each December, we look back on all of the memorable performances we’ve attended over the course of the year. Here are 12 our writers were especially excited about in 2024, listed in chronological order. They range from impressive debuts to full-company achievements, from contemporary ballets to timeless classics. Our writers try to see as much […]
After a brutal winter storm forced Louisville Ballet to cancel multiple sold-out Nutcracker performances in 2022, company leadership appealed to the community for financial support. Unexpectedly, famed rapper and Louisville hometown hero Jack Harlow caught wind and stepped in with a $50,000 donation through his Kentucky-based nonprofit, The Jack Harlow Foundation. The gift sparked conversations […]