How Pointe Ballet Shoes Were Made in the Old Days

If you ever took ballet classes or have even been to a performance, you may have wondered how in the world those delicate, yet sturdy, pointe ballet shoes were made. It might seem crazy to dance on satin and silk, but it turns out the shoes need to be able to pivot with the dancers.

Back in the old days, most of the work of making pointe ballet shoes was done by hand, including glueing down the precious satin and silk which might only last a professional ballerina for one night. The process involves no small number of steps. If you’ve ever thought they look impossible in their design then you are certainly not alone. Have a look into how pointe ballet shoes were made back in the 1950s in the clip from British Pathé below.