Ballerinas Don’t Dance on Just Any Floor
The floor in a ballet studio and on stage where ballet shows are held is very special. It has to be a little softer and bouncier to ensure maximum results while not harming the dancers’ feet or shoes. To that end, it is built with lightweight wood, sometimes as a sub-floor over a standard pre-existing floor.
This kind of floor needs to be maintained regularly. Maintenance includes immediate cleaning of any kind of spills and regular cleaning with a microfiber mop.
Ballet Slippers Used to Have Heels
Ballet slippers as we know them are nothing like what they used to be. Originally, ballet dancers used to dance in heeled shoes, which allowed for a much smaller range of movement.
Things changed in the middle of the 18th century when French dancer Marie Camargo started dancing in flat slippers, which allowed her to leap and jump in a way the more traditional shoes couldn't.
Pavlova's Pointe Shoes
Anna Pavlova, one of the most influential ballerinas of all time, is commonly known as the "mother" of modern pointe shoes.
The slender build of her feet made her more susceptible to injuries when dancing on her toes, so she altered her ballet shoes with toughened leather soles and a hard, inside "box" to protect her toes.
The First Tutu
Nowadays, tutus and ballet are almost synonymous. There are loads of cuts, colors, materials, and designs to choose from. But we owe all of this to a man named Eugene Lami.
In 1832, Lami designed the very first tutu. It was worn by ballerina Marie Taglioni, for a ballet titled "La Sylphide". This sheer, light skirt was made to make her look romantically ethereal, which paved the way to modern ballet costumes.
Pierina Legnani
We all know that the prima ballerina is the lead dancer in a ballet production. But have you ever heard of a Prima Ballerina Assoluta? This is the most honorable title a female ballet dancer could be awarded by her company or even state!
In 1894, Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani became the first dancer in recorded history to receive the title. It was given to her at the request of the ballet dancer and choreographer Marius Petipa. She is known to have performed 32 fouettés turns in a row, long before it was choreographed into 'Swan Lake'.