DID YOU KNOW? The most essential piece of equipment for professional ballet dancers is the Pointe Shoe.
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Cincinnati Ballet spent over $82,000 on shoes last season.
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A Principal Dancer will often have to wear one new pair of shoes in every single performance.
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Cincinnati Ballet company female dancers go through an average of 80 pair of shoes a season.
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For very demanding roles, like Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) or Marie (The Nutcracker), it is not unusual for a ballerina to go through multiple pairs of shoes in one evening.
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Young dancers must study ballet for 4-5 years before going en pointe; it requires a great deal of strength in the legs, ankles, and feet as well as strong turnout
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Cost $80/ pair and typically lasts for only 8-12 hours for professional dancers.
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Are custom crafted by cobblers from around the world to suit each ballerina’s particular specifications and preferences.
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Last 1-2 rehearsal days and only 1 performance on average as they are constructed with layers of satin burlap, tissue paper, flour paste reinforced by cardboard and leather.
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