Pointe technique Pointe technique Pointe technique is the part of classical ballet technique that concerns "pointe work", in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet within pointe shoes. A dancer is said to be "en pointe" when the dancer's body is supported in this manner, and a fully extended vertical foot is said to be "en pointe" when touching the floor, even when not bearing weight. Pointe work is performed while wearing pointe shoes, which employ structural reinforcing to distribute the dancer's weight load throughout the foot, thus reducing the load on the toes
Pointe shoe soles were made of leather and the sides and toes were darned to help the shoes hold their shapes. Because the shoes of this period offered no support, dancers would pad their toes for comfort and rely on the strength of their feet and ankles for support. The next substantially different form of pointe shoe appeared in Italy in the late 19th century. Dancers like Pierina Legnani wore shoes with a sturdy, flat platform at the front end of the shoe, rather than the more sharply pointed toe of earlier models. These shoes also included a box—made of layers of