Here are a few of my takeaways from a lecture with renowned principal dancer, Misty Copeland.
- African American, ABT Principal, Author, entertainer
- Introduced to ballet on a basketball court at the Girl and Boys Club in California.
- Took her first ballet class at age 13, on full scholarship.
- Teacher “bribed” Misty to dance, by rewarding her pointe shoes.
- After two or three months of dancing, Misty earned her first pair of pointe shoes.
- To be able to dance en pointe, strong muscles are very important.
- Pointe shoes made Misty understand what she needed to work on throughout her footwork.
- At first, Misty wore padding and band aids in her shoes.
- Nevertheless, the teacher who trained Misty, before being hired at ABT, did not allow toe pads in her classroom. The reasoning was that the teacher wanted Misty to be able to articulate her feet as much as possible.
- Misty wears Axiom pointe shoes. Misty finds that her shoes helps her lengthen herself, throughout her dancing.
- Misty has very narrow feet, and her first few toes are long and then taper off.
- Applied jet glue in shoes, and steps on the vamp, to soften box.
- Misty bends the shank (both ways), in order to support her arch.
- Currently, Misty does not wear toe pads.
- Misty goes through ten pairs of shoes a week.
- Before every class, Misty sews her shoes.
- Misty alternates between 5-8 pointe shoes.
- Sometimes, she goes through four pairs of pointe shoes in one show.
- Adrenalin, lights, heat can all affect the lifespan of the shoes.
- Misty criss-crosses elastics in instep, to support arch.
- In the ABT company, some wear toe pads some do not (preference).
- "Pointe shoes are like second skin for me.