We never get tired of hearing how dancers customize their pointe shoes. These three Australian Ballet company members have each mastered their personal approach, from darning the outside edges of the toe for a better floor feel to shellacking the inside of the box for a longer shoe life.
Principal Amber Scott describes the process as meditative, especially when she’s preparing shoes for one-time use in a special role. And as for her gnarled dancer-feet? According to Scott, there’s nothing unattractive about them. They’re just doing their job. “It’s like someone who works with their hands,” she says. “The joints become a bit bigger over use, the skin gets calloused, but they’re doing a job and they’re adapting to that job. I kind of like them.”
