What are Ballet Slippers?
Ballet slippers are shoes which are specially designed for ballet dancers, although they are used as casual wear by non-dancers as well. A typical ballet slipper is snug with a split sole and soft leather uppers, allowing it to conform closely to the shape of the foot. The ballet slippers are held on with elastic or ribbons, which are usually placed on the shoe by the dancer. Ballet slippers are widely worn in practice and in some dance performances, depending on the style of dance. Another type of ballet shoe, the toe or pointe shoe, is sometimes confused with ballet slippers by non-dancers. Pointe shoes, however, are rigid, with a very strong, supportive arch. They allow a dancer to perform en pointe, meaning that all of his or her weight is concentrated on the tip of the toe. Dancing en pointe began in the 1800s, and it is extremely physically demanding. Not all ballet dancers graduate from ballet slippers to pointe shoes, and many styles of dance, including some modern ballet, do n
