Towards the end of last year, large ballet company Freed of London started mass producing pointe shoes for dancers of color. This may not seem like such a large feat, but the standard color for ballet shoes have been white and pale pink for almost 200 years since they first came out in the late 18th century. SInce then, dancers of color have been “pancaking” their shoes which means spending hours each week having to tediously paint their pointe shoes with a cheap foundation from the drugstore. Professional dancers already go through many pairs a week, with each only lasting around 12 hours of use. So one could imagine having to devote a large amount of time to coordinate them to their skin.

Different ranges of skin toned ballet shoes are a part of the celebration of different dancers and how broadly the art reaches throughout the world. Dancers of color are still underrepresented in their field, though, and there is much more work to be done in terms of incorporation into mainstream dance practices. But a new message of inclusivity has been spread this new year, and one can only hope to continue making progress.