The Evolution Of Pointe Shoes

Did you know when a ballerina jumps on pointe, about three times of her weight is supported on her big toe (10 Facts You Might Not Know About Ballet). Around the 1800's, pointe shoes were not like they are now. They used to be flat slippers with no support. Shoes were not the only thing that has drastically changed, it used to be that performers would wear masks and headdresses instead of stage makeup (A Brief History of Ballet). Throughout history, ballet has changed in many ways from pointe shoes to performances to stage makeup because of different technology and society's expectations.
Pointe shoes have not been the same since ballerinas have been performing. They used to be slippers and were darned (sewed) around the toes to help to dancer rise onto her toes. Dancers were not able to stand on pointe for very long. Now, pointe shoes have much more support allowing you to stand on pointe longer. It wasn't until the early 1800's when dancers started to go on their toes on their own. The first (full length) ballet that was performed on pointe was called La Sylphide featuring Maria Taglioni in 1832.
Performance wear has also changed over time. Some of the earliest ballet performances were Giselle and La Sylphide which were performed in the 19th century. Both were elegantly performed with the art of ballet and music. "It was concerned with the supernatural world of spirits and magic and often showed women as passive and fragile." (A Brief History of Ballet). Around the 20th century, choreographers from Russia tried new dance combinations to make ballet performances different and more interesting. This led to a dance called The Rite of Spring. Currently, people are putting a twist on classical ballet creating new dances each