2-835-439 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Brazilian ballet dancer Ingrid Silva (born c1988) performs with the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City. Skin tone pointe shoes for black, Asian and mixed race dancers were not available until comparitively recently. Pointe shoes were traditionally made in pastel pink to imitate the flesh tone of white people. Ballet pointe shoe custom-colored with cosmetics to a dark brown to match the skin tone of the dancer. A drawstring runs around the top of the foot opening and is tied in a knot at the vamp with the ends cut short. Two lengths of custom-colored satin ribbon are hand sewn to the binding, one each on the left and right side quarters of the shoe. The leather sole has hatch marks on the front half and impressed text at the heel.