Shoes hold a sacred place in a dancer’s life. From the first time you stand up from the box of fresh pointe shoes, hear the sound of metal hitting the floor, or stand under the force of a heel, a meaningful relationship is born. Many dancers’ careers are literally sustained by the shoes they cherish (or, if they have blisters, curse). This is a beautiful marriage of three dancers and shoes.
Olivia Boisson – Dancer, New York City Ballet
Having the right pair of pointe shoes is very important. It should be an extension of your body and takes effort and patience to find. I’m so glad Freed came out with a bronzer so that not only do my shoes fit my feet, but they also match my skin tone and lines. NYCB has switched to flesh-colored shoes during the pandemic, which I think is awesome.
I remember buying my first pair of pointe shoes in Capezio when I was 11 years old. I was so excited but had no idea how difficult it would be on the joints in my feet or even how difficult it would be to stand on pointe. I think my first pointe class was half an hour and after just ten minutes I wanted to take them off. They look beautiful, but they really hurt!
I’ve been wearing the same shoemaker since I was at the School of American Ballet: Maltese Cross. My shoes are size 6, 1X, with forte-flex heel pin and 3/4 upper. I can wear a pair of pointe shoes for every rehearsal, but I try to wear them for about two days at a time. (I remember wearing my first pointe shoes for an entire year!) I spent every free minute sewing so I wouldn’t be in dead shoes. It’s actually a kind of meditation that strengthens my connection with my shoes.
Michelle Dorrance – Tap Dancer and Artistic Director of Dorrance Dance
My shoes are my voice. They are responsible for the tone, texture and essence of my voice, which is one of the most important parts of my art. Tap shoes can be supportive, or they can cause trouble. When you break in a new pair of headphones and they don’t sound like you yet, you have to spend a lot of time getting them into the right position. You wear them until they become a part of you.
My first pair of tap shoes were Mary Janes. Right now, I’m wearing my custom Capezio K360 in charcoal gray because I think they sound the most like my voice. I’ve had my most recent pair of shoes for four years and finally finished them. The heel cap is complete and I can fold the heel down onto the sole – which you shouldn’t be able to do – and the leather support structure is now gone. I finally put on a new pair.
The worst thing that can happen is when your tap is worn down to the perfect spot, but the hole where the screw is is worn away. I’ll use anything from matchsticks to toothpicks to small pieces of metal mesh and superglue to hold the screws in place. In addition to a screwdriver, it becomes an item that you keep with you to ensure you don’t lose your tap during a performance or rehearsal. Otherwise, this is the quickest way to carve out a giant chisel in the floor!
Hector Invictus Lopez – high heels dancer, teacher and choreographer
When I first danced in heels, I was told it was a waste of my time. It was 2014 and most people thought I should focus on my masculine energy. But I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind, so I went shoe shopping with a friend and bought a pair of black strappy heels—the only size 12 in the store. I hyperextended and had a slight tilt in my back, which worked great for heels, and I felt very confident and secure.
I wear Burju shoes—in fact, I have my own line of shoes called Pump with Pride. They are available in sizes 15 which is great because when I first started wearing shoes I had a hard time finding shoes that fit me. My favorite is a pair I designed that have an open heel backing, a zipper on one side, and laces that run up the back and wrap around your ankle. It gives you the security of a boot and the freedom of a pump.
Dancing in high heels forced me to confront my own views on gender expression. I’m Latino and grew up in the Bronx, so I had a lot of machismo to shed. I used to perform in clubs in high heels and then wanted to take them off as quickly as possible so I could feel comfortable in my manhood. Now, I feel more confident exploring all aspects of myself. I’m so grateful that heels have given me the opportunity to explore my identity more fully.
