The Virtisse Pointe Shoe Collection Adds The Verve

Sometimes when I come back to work on a draft post here, I receive renewed entertainment from the names of the models I am writing about. This is definitely the case with the latest addition to the Virtisse collection; the Verve.

To have VERVE means to have energy, spunk, and vitality.The word truly creates thoughts of movement with passion. These are all things that a dancer has to have to survive the rigors of Pointe work and performance.

It isn’t too farfetched to say that having a bit of Verve helps one to keep up with high-traffic production times as well.

The Specifications Of The Verve

According to Virtisse, the Verve model is designed for the Dancer that needs extra width in the metatarsal area. It is described as a lightweight shoe with slightly tapered boxes that take less time to break in and does well at absorbing noise. It also has:

• Stretch satin heels for a smooth fit.
• Pre-arched construction with longer wings.
• U-shaped vamp and elastic drawstring.
• Four shank strengths from Soft to Extra-hard.

This Makes Virtisse Model Number 7

I am always happy to see a Company that is expanding, growing, and prospering.Typically they add new models because of Dancer input or market research. We have definitely learned that no single Company can ever please all of the feet all of the time, but we can certainly throw thoughts of success their way.

Is There Such A Thing As A Pointe Shoe With Happy Soles?

There is when you add some adorable flower shapes to the sole design of a Pointe shoe. Even if the sole design will begin its disappearing act very quickly, it’s nice when manufacturers add some little details like this.

Looking at this photo makes me hopeful that I can stumble upon a Dancer wearing these shoes and giving a review online.  As cute as they are, there may be many who will be disappointed with the brand in general. You can find out why at the bottom of this page.

• There has been much speculation and curiosity about the Factory location of this brand. The shoes are made in China, then shipped to King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania for distribution.

The Chesine By Milleneum Of Brazil

There are times when you have a website based on Pointe Shoe brands, that weeks, or maybe even months go by without making any new discoveries.

Then you have times when you find so many new brands and models, that your backlog becomes longer than Alina Somova’s legs. Not long ago I discovered the Chesine added to Millenium’s website.

The Chesine is described as a lightweight, flexible shoe for beginner Pointe students. It has a  low vamp, medium profile and wide box design.

Of course, I can never find a new model with an interesting name like Chesine without trying to find out what it means. After a very long and unfruitful search, I can only come to one conclusion.

CHESINE is the scrambled form of the word CHINESE. As I ponder why a Brazilian brand like Millenium would do this, perhaps it’s best to leave it at this. Unfortunately, I weakened and decided to Google Translate and email my question to Millenium. Is this a Brazilian-made pointe shoe with a Chinese name, or a China produced product for the Brazilian market? 

I will let you know if or when I receive a response from Millenium. 

My Vintage Pair Of Capezio Assoluta

Assoluta Pointe Shoes

Finding a Vintage model, buying it, and adding it to a beloved collection is one of the most satisfying of endeavors . Anyone who has read through this blog knows that Capezio ballet and pointe shoes will always have a special place in my heart.

It is the Capezio models of the Vintage era that I love more than anything. Sometimes, the older one gets, the more one becomes wistful about the products of their youth. Although I am grateful that I can find pointe shoe treasures online, there was no such thing as online shopping when I was a student.

It is eye opening to realize that the brands and models that were popular in the early 1970’s are now classified as Vintage. Although my particular dance shoe shop in 1971 carried Capezio and Selva, the Assoluta by Capezio was only seen in my dance magazines. I was, however, in awe of any dancer that held the title of Prima Ballerina Assoluta. She was the Queen. The absolute best of the best.

Pointe Shoe Ads In Dance Magazines Were Like Catnip To Me

A Very Precious Addition To My Collection

When I think back on the start of my collection journey, it began with hanging on to my well-loved and worn out Pavlowa’s.

It also included holding on to every magazine with pictures of pointe shoes, slippers, and dancers. I am truly saddened by the fact that I didn’t keep those wonderful magazines and my tattered cutouts.

As I keep my eyes open for Vintage pointe shoes and slippers, I gravitate towards brands and models from the 50’s, 60′, and 70’s.  No thermo plastics. Nothing broken in for you. No soft fuzzy-wuzzy liners. No smooshy gel toe caps built-in. No Made In Turkmengladesh for Cheap.

It’s Incredible How A Simple Photo Can Take You Back In Time

Vintage Capezio Assoluta

As the Ballet world moves ever faster towards the latest in accessories, styles and techniques, there remain a few diehard dreamers that prefer to travel back in time instead.

It may be difficult for younger dancers to understand this devotion to the pointe shoe construction methods of yesteryear. And to understand why Principal Dancer will never sound as magical, as ethereal, as breathlessly beautiful as a Prima Ballerina Assoluta.

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Dux Dance Pointe Shoes Stir The Imagination

Sometimes, writing about pointe shoe brands year after year can be like choosing a vacation spot out of a hat. You may or not like the weather, the atmosphere, or the food. What is particularly yummy to the locals may not be yummy to you.

Pointe shoe brands and models are chosen for specific reasons. This is also includes price. I won’t go into the bargain-priced shoe debate here, but will instead enjoy the humorous scenarios that some pointe shoe names make me imagine.

You expect me to squeeze my webs into those boxes?

Dux Dance Pointe Shoes

I will go out on a limb and say that DUX is pronounced Ducks, not Dukes. If it is, I apologize to the company. If dancing Duck images give you a chuckle, try to keep a straight face picturing the challenges at pointe shoe fitting time. One could also imagine the quackery backstage before a performance.

Specifications And Company Information

I was actually surprised when I found any information online about this brand. However, the information is sparse and slightly disappointing. Only sizes are listed. The Dux Dancewear Company receives their merchandise from China, then sells through a website based in California.

In the front page tab of product categories, pointe shoes is spelled incorrectly as Ponite Shoes. I sent an email to the company about the typo, then waited with baited breath to see the glorious correction. Unfortunately, after much waiting, the typo is still there. It is hard for me to add a website to the list here with such an important word misspelled.

Dux Dancewear

After much sleuthing, I found the Company registered in Corona, California as DUX MFG, INC. in October of 2014 using the business address of  1701 RIMPAU AVE UNIT 101,
CORONA, CA 92881. The Registrant name is DONGPING LYU. You can find Mr. Lyu on Facebook and learn more about Dux MFG, Inc.

MaSha Pointe Shoes- From Russia To Japan

One would think that seeing Handmade in Russia on a pointe shoe sole would mean a simple search in Russian for puanty MaSha.

Then,  I would find loads of wonderful information to add to the brands database. It would be quick. Easy. Chock full of information.

However, the only place I ended up was right back here. After all these years writing about brands, you would think I have learned to search through the morning fog  in Cape Cod, Massachusetts before I assume that what is made in a country is available in that country. I should also remember that brands can be invented, promoted, lose steam, and die out long before I discover their existence. They can also be made in Russia to be sold only in Japan. 

Does MaSha Mean Misha In Japanese?

Because I don’t know when these pointe shoes appeared on the market, it is hard to say if they were intentionally destined for the Japanese market. The name MaSha is incredibly close to the name Misha, but that is simply me reminiscing about the shoe treasures of the Baryshnikov brand. I could find absolutely no proof that Misha translates to MaSha in any language. However, if you know anything about these interesting shoes, feel free to share.

Specifications Of The MaSha Full Sole Model

It is always wonderful when you can read dancer accounts of a particular brand or model. However, with these, we only have the general description to go by. Currently, the Full-sole model appears to have the following specifications:

• Long vamps
• Medium strength shanks
• Elastic drawstrings
• Narrow, normal, or wide width
• Made in sizes 35-40
• Available in Light Pink only

Is This Simply Another Demand For Russian Aesthetics?

MaSha Soft

Under the Japanese Pointe Shoe Brand Category on this site, you will see that they definitely know how to create shoes with beautiful aesthetics. Although some may be collectors items today, Japan is no stranger to pointe design and construction. However, I can imagine today’s young and savvy students asking for shoes that are made where many of the worlds finest dancers get theirs; Russia.

Learning More About The MaSha Brand

MaSha 3/4 Sole

This particular brand took me on quite a hunt. I thoroughly scoured the Internet for mentions, reviews, photos, and even videos. There are lone photos of them here and there, but only one company website that actually features all three models; Fairy of Japan.

I was thrilled to find this pretty dance shop and learn a bit about its history. It began in 1989 as a small shop in Gaienmae , Tokyo, but now has its larger storefront in Omotesando.

Although it is disappointing to consider that this brand might not have reached the heights of popularity that Russian-made pointe shoes typically do, it is an interesting lesson about global manufacturing and  logistics.

How far is it from Russia to Japan? From Moscow to Tokyo, a little more than 4,600 miles by air with an approximate travel time of 9 hours. After such a long trip, I have to ask the question; are they selling? When you visit Google Translate to go from English to Japanese, enter the following url- https://www.fairynet.co.jp/SHOP/1132120/list.html   ( scroll down) and click on the models, each comes with a message that states : stock will not be renewed.

So there we have it. Made in Russia or not, it appears that dancers in Japan prefer the Grishko name to a made-in-Russia MaSha. How long were they on the market as a fully-available stockable shoe? As they say in Japanese: 

わかりません  ( I don’t know).

Fairy of Japan

Dancin’ Pertutti Pointe Shoes-The Traveling Brand

What is exciting, baffling and able to keep the brain busy for decades to come? Pointe shoe brands that disappear from one country of origin only to pop up in another years later. Such is the case of the brand known as Dancin. Way back in 2012, this brand was only found featured on a German website. After that it disappeared. See the old post here: Fraulein Finds Spitzenschuhe Marken Dancin’

Because of its disappearance, the Dancin’ pointe shoe landed on the In Memoriam page. So here we are 10 years later because this brand appears to have returned from its hiding spot. It was found on Dancin.com Brazil. The pointe shoe model is the Pertutti by Dancin’.

I have three things to ponder about this brand:

1. Were the old mysterious German Dancin’s from the same company?
2.  Pertutti means for everyone in Italian. Does this mean even Nonna can wear them when she is making pasta?
3. When did Brazilian made pointe shoes go Italian?

The Pertutti Is Definitely A Sleek Model

Smooth and symmetrical without any excess fabric under the toes, it joins the ranks of lump-free models that so many manufacturers are now offering.

When you visit the actual specification choice page, prepare yourself. Carve out a coconut and make yourself a relaxing tropical drink. It appears that every width and every vamp combo had its own modeling debut and individual photo shoot.

Condensing Specifications Gives Us This List :

1. Choose from U or V-shaped vamps.
2. Available Sizes- 1 through 9
3. Width Choices- C or D
4. Shank Strengths-Normal, Reinforced, Super Reinforced
5. Colors-Rose or Salmon

São Paulo, Brazil

Looking Up The Street Address

The Dancin’ factory is located on the Avenida Joaquim Constantino Presidente Prudente. That’s quite a mouthful isn’t it? Although the factory has been found, it still doesn’t answer the question of why they were only featured on a German website 10 years ago.

New owners? A business reinvention? Better factory prices for production? Perhaps they never disappeared at all. At this point (no pun intended), I am still intrigued by the choice of using an Italian name that means for everyone instead of the Brazilian equivalent of Para Todos. Para Todos Pointe Shoes? Never mind. Now I understand completely. 

The Dancin’ Models Of Yesteryear May Be Collectibles Now

Looking at the photos here, we can see the old Dancin’ had an apostrophe and the new name does not. Both the outer sole design and liners are different. There appears to be a reshaping of the box. However, the Suede tips remain in the design.

Out With The Old Dancin’ Pointe Shoes And In With The New

When your website has a page dedicated to discontinued brands that experience a rebirth years later, linking to their original post is the only way to keep their memory alive. It is time to lace up my ribbons, do a few stretches, and remove them from the In Memoriam page. How do you feel about traveling from Germany to Brazil to Italy just to make sense of this brand?

To learn more, visit Dancin.com Brazil or check them out on Facebook.

Suffolk’s Russian Collection- The Reign, Regent And Royale

I am not sure when it happened, but new pointe shoe models have been added to the Suffolk collection whose names do not begin with the letter S. How could this be? We were sailing along on the S fleet with Sonnets, Silhouettes, Sovereigns, Statuses, Stellars, Solos, Sterlings and Spotlights when a Reign and Regent were spotted off shore with the Royale not far behind.

 The Reign And Regent Have Been Permitted To Board The Suffolk Ship

The S Festival is now over. As our eyes get used to the shape of these new letters we learn that the Reign and Regent have been created for the Suffolk Prestige Collection. These beauties are made in Russia.  чудесный ! ( Wonderful !)

Reign

The Reign is described as a low-profile model with slightly tapered boxes and a wide platform. They are pre-arched and pleat free. They have thick leather soles.

Regent

The Regent has the same pre-arched, pleat free design features as the Reign, but with a medium profile and medium platform. Another model appears to be on the horizon for this collection; the Royale.

Of course, the mention of a factory in Russia creates immediate cravings for a street address and pictures of the actual cobblers hammering and shaping these beauties. Here in the world of pointe shoe mysteries, we can always dream, even if we don’t drink Vodka as we search for фабрики по производству пуантов ( pointe shoe factories ) online.

What do you think about this Russian collection by Suffolk? Your opinions are always interesting, so feel free to comment. * No Political Rants, Please.

You can learn more by visiting Suffolk Dance Prestige.

Regina Pointe Shoes From Perugia, Italy

Being fascinated with brands from around the world can take you on some very educational journeys. Not only is it a celebration of design, but an inner look at the marketing strategies of start ups, concepts, and solutions for dancers.

It is incredibly fascinating to see what is being offered to dancers and how newer companies advertise and promote their shoes. I find it a bit amusing that the shoes I find most captivating are the ones that do not grace the shelves of every shop in town.

For brand hunters, what else can we say but Vive la différence. Just like many others featured here on this site, the Regina  model was an accidental find. It is an Italian brand from Perugia, Italy.

According to the product description, the Regina is a 100% hand-created shoe. It is available in two widths; narrow and large.

The shank strengths are listed with the addition of colors along with the product number. Dancers can choose between:
White-Flexible For Beginners •Yellow-Medium Strength • Red-Strong • Black-Extra Strong Carbon Foil

Unlike some brands, this one has plenty of links and web addresses. The first is the official website order page with specifications. Brush up on your Italian and visit Regina Danza Italy.

Perugia, Italy Has Become Quite A Beacon For Tourists

Because Italy is often described as being shaped like a boot, Perugia sits on the upper half of the boot in the center of the country. View its location on this Wiki map. Before the United States even existed, this region was already settled and immersed in culture.

There are plenty of wonderful things to see and learn about if you are fortunate enough to visit this part of Italy. Searching for the location where dancers can find the Regina pointe shoe takes us to a shop named Etoile Danza. It is tucked away amongst the other shops on the Ponte San Giovanni in the Umbria region of the country.

This truly is a fascinating find. Although Regina pointe shoes have been on the market since 2019, this discovery is a real thrill. In fact, the whole area where these pretty shoes come from is incredibly rich with history and beauty.

Regina also has several  Mezza Punta or soft slippers for practice. Learning a little something about pointe shoe brands and their slipper partners is an experience I will always treasure. Finding another Italian brand is equally exciting. What do you think about these pointe shoes? I would love to know your thoughts and opinions.

Etoile Danza on Facebook

Mituri Miniature Pointe Shoes From South Korea

One of the things that I love about pointe shoe companies around the world is stumbling upon their versions of miniatures. Ballet themed tchotchkes not only make pretty collectibles, but some have truly impressive attention to detail. Although many brands have their own mini pointe shoes, I especially love those from the other side of the globe.

It is even more impressive when the shape of these little shoes have such balanced aesthetics.

It is obvious that they were constructed with care. Unlike some miniatures that have wide and bulky band finishes, Mituri mini’s are distinctively realistic.

After doing my official visit to Google Translate, I was able to decipher the size and price from Korean to English. They cost approximately $8.50 a pair and are about 3.5 inches long.

As precious as they are, a big question remains. Do they ship outside of South Korea? ? When I click the Delivery button I get an error message of 404 Not Found. Anyone who can read Korean is welcome to chime in.

See The Mituri Miniatures Here

Now that Mituri appears to have discontinued their regular pointe models, there is a good chance that these precious miniatures will disappear as well. What do you think? Do you find them as intriguing as I do?

 

The Pleat-Free Sansha Pointissima & Mysterious Cendrillon

Pointissima

To pleat or not to pleat?  That seems to be the newest decision for pointe shoe designers these days. It is also a decision that dancers make when choosing the right shoe for their needs. For some, pleats are no bother. For others, they feel bulky and get in the way of feeling the floor.

Thinking about these pleat-free designs takes me way back to the days when all pointe shoes had pleats. After all, Ballerinas have been wearing pleated slippers for centuries. Back then, what you didn’t have you didn’t miss. In all fairness, some brands create models based on customer feedback. One of those brands is Sansha. Yes, keeping up with Sansha is still a full-time job.

Sansha Is Now Offering A Pleat-Free Model

Now that dancers can enjoy multitudes of design varieties, manufacturers have to race to keep up and compete. They might have young and savvy designers that are closely aware of what today’s pointe students are looking for. Shoes that are smooth and flat at the sole have gained interest and popularity.

I searched high and low for more in-depth reviews on the Pointissima but could only find website specs that leave us with a small list of details.

Sansha Pointissima Specifications

• 5 shank choices.
• Available in American sizes 2.5 to 7.5
• Made in 5 widths
• Featured as only available in the Pink shade shown here.

The Cendrillon Is A Fascinating Mystery

Because the specifications of the Cendrillon model appear to be a Sansha secret, all I can go by is this image.

It has traditional pleating at the toes. That’s all folks. In French,the name Cendrillon translates to Cinderella. Here, it looks like Cinderella is a bit shy to tell us about herself.

When I stumble upon models that only offer a photo to go by, I have to decide how long I am going to hunt for more information. For now this will have to do.

See the Cendrillon on World.sansha.com.