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Dancing
Times / March 2008
Britain's leading dance monthly
Angela Reinhardt, in her book
Pointe Shoes Tips & Tricks, tells us how, after seeing a performance
of Invitation to the Dance with her father at the age of nine at
the magnificent Deutsche Staatsoper unter den Linden, the ballet changed
her life. She tells us it created a passion for ballet – how she became a
ballerina – and the thrill of having her first pointe shoes.
She gives a short history of the development of the pointe shoe
is made (and this is what all dancers want to know) the tips and tricks of
how carefully to dismantle parts of the pointe shoe: to tune, adapt, fit
and mould it to the foot. I found it fascinating because during my entire
career I had so many problems with my pointe shoes – always looking fort
he perfect pair. I had several tricks myself but learned many more after
reading this book. What to do if the shoe is too big or small, if the heel
slips off, or if it is too high, if the block is not square enough – to
name just a few! Well, you have the answer here. Also, there are excellent
exercises, again well illustrated, for strengthening the foot, and
exercises for relaxation, all beneficial and important. …
This book is excellent and has obviously been inspired by the necessary
quest to find one’s own personal pointe shoe. Some people may be lucky but
many, as the author says; “can often take years to find their ’own’ pointe
shoe”. A race against time, when you think how short is a dancer’s career.
But here you have a valuable guide. I congratulate Angela Reinhardt on
writing such a book – and recommend it highly. I think it is a real gem
and should be in every ballet school’s library.
Doreen Wells
former Prima Ballerina of the Royal Ballet's Touring Company
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