Ballet emerged as a recognized dance form in France during the reign of King Louis XIV. The king created the Royal Academy of Dance in 1661 but did not allow women until 1681. Women danced in shoes with heels, a design that originated with the costumes of court ballets. In 1726, Maria Camargo, performing with the Paris Ballet Opera, replaced her traditional shoes with a flat slipper. The shoes, tied to her ankles with ribbons, made it easier for her to execute rapid jumps.
In 1795, dancers experimented with dancing on their toes using a "flying machine" created by Charles Didelot. Connected to wires, dancers were lifted onto their toes and carried into the air. Marie Taglioni was the first dancer credited with dancing on pointe unaided by wires. Performing in "La Sylphide" in 1832, Taglioni wore satin slippers that had toes reinforced with darning stitches. As ballet movements became more athletic and technically challenging, women began to further modify their shoes to enable them perform demanding pointe work. The evolution of point shoe design closely follows the advancement of ballet technique.
In the 1800s, Italians wore shoes with a sole and toe box made from layers of fabric. Future designs were reinforced with cardboard, newspapers and paste made from flour. Early in the 20th century, the shoe was modified in Russia where ballerina Anna Pavlova's influence created a design that became the standard for pointe shoe construction. The shoe had additional fabric with a toe that was stiffer and less pointed. Other designs used a water soluble paste that contributed to the light weight of the shoe but disintegrated easily. Denser glues and toe boxes made from plastic or rubber based materials were later used to make the shoes more durable.
The three most important elements of a pointe shoe are the toe box, shank, and sole. The toe box, or box, is located at the front of the shoe. Its hard shell is made from burlap stiffened by glue. The box supports the toes of the dancer while its flat end provides the dancer with a level surface for balancing. The shank is the most rigid part of the shoe. Located inside the shoe, it protects the arch of the foot. The shank may also be constructed from burlap hardened by glue, leather, plastic, or cardboard. The sole, located on the bottom exterior of the shoe, is made from a thin piece of leather. It is attached to the fabric of the shoe which is generally pink satin. Other features include ribbons, drawstring, seams, vamp and pleats. While pointe shoe construction has evolved, there has been little change in the basic materials.
Proper fit of pointe shoes has always been extremely important. Dancers choose a manufacturer based on the availability of a shoe that will not only enhance the beauty of their movements, but protect their feet and lessen injuries. Pavlova wore shoes made by Salvatore Capezio, a cobbler from Italy who began making pointe shoes in New York in the late 1880s. Taglioni's shoes were made by Jannssen of Paris. Other manufacturers include Gamba, Bloch, Gaynor Mindon, Leos and Freed of London. Offering dancers a wide selection of stock and custom built shoes, manufacturers continue to modify their designs to meet the demands that ballet technique and choreography place on dancers.