Edoardo Colacrai Pointe Shoes-Vintage Memorabilia

One of the most interesting types of pointe shoe brands are those created by principal dancers;  be they male or female. Sometimes we never learn about these dancers until we discover their brand on the market.

Such is the case with these fascinating Edoardo Colacrai pointes, or puntas. Edoardo Colacrai was a principal dancer for the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy; one of the finest and oldest opera houses  in the world.

He had a long career as a ballerino ( as they say in Italy). It appears that Mr. Colacrai was at the height of his dance career from the 1970’s through the 1990’s. Porcelli, a top-quality Italian Manufacturer, has a lovely pointe shoe model named Colacrai.

The last mention of his name in connection with ballet dates back to the early 1990’s. His name was archived on World Catalog.org as the 1990 author of an article about the Teatro alla Scala.

Of course, as luck would have it, the most fascinating pointe shoe finds have the least information.

On an Italian ballet forum thread from 2008, dancers discuss the fit and performance of his brand of soft slippers. I couldn’t find any specific information about the production dates of his pointe shoes. I spent hours searching for the soft slippers as well.

At least we can get some satisfaction Google-translating what the words on the packaging might mean in English.

On the shoe bag, the large white sticker reads Cucite A Mano, or made by hand.

Approximately mid-center you can see a website address and contact email. The domain name puntashoes.com is an interesting mix of Italian and English, but returns a not-found error message online. I think it would be vain hope to try the email address at this time.

The Tag Appears To Be Break-In Instructions, Not Specifications

Exercise on pointe

Relevés in I, II, V position. Music tempo 4/4

They are performed with two hands at the bar and after eight lessons, in the center.

On the first quarter demi-plié. On the second quarter climb on the tips passing from the half-tip, on the third quarter to go down in demi-plié always passing by half-tip , on the fourth quarter stretch out your knees. Perform eight relevés in each position.

Edoardo Colacrai passed away in 2012. His Facebook page is still published, but  is very sparse.  A friend and former dance partner created a humble, but loving memorial video of him on You-tube.

It’s fascinating when male dancers create their own brand of pointe shoes during their dance career; like Mikhail Baryshnikov did. The Punta brand by Edoardo Colacrai is a beautiful collectors item.  It now lives as precious ballet shoe memorabilia that honors his memory.

Rest in peace, Mr. Colacrai.

 

 

 

 

 

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Categorizing Pointe Shoe Brands From China

When I started this blog 8 years ago, I knew that I wanted to document and list any and all brands of pointe shoes that I could find.  Over the years, the discoveries have been both thrilling and frustrating.

On the frustrating side, no sooner do I add a new brand to the list, than two brands become discontinued. Domains expire and we never hear from these manufacturers  again. This is a big challenge when it comes to the wholesale  market and what I am doing on this blog.

The International Wholesale Market Coming From China Can Be Overwhelming

I am not heartlessly criticizing the right of a country to have free trade with another country.  China has the right to offer whatever version of a pointe shoe their factories want to offer to the public. I find that these brands can be classified into 3 different categories:

1 .    Pointe Shoe Manufacturers With A Professional Reputation

• Shoe models that are created under the guidance and/ or experience of a former dancer, choreographer, or instructor.
• A real place to go and get fitted if you live in the area.
• A reputation for working with both beginners and professional ballet dancers in the community.
• Well-known for their quality and fit. Fuzi is a good example.

2. Have A Dance-Based Website Focusing On Ballet Products

• The company maintains its own website and domain.
• You can purchase what you need on an individual basis.
• They may or may not have a brick and mortar store you can visit.

3. Factory-Produced Pointe Shoes  Sold By Wholesale Quantities

• You can find them on Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, or some other international market site where they only have a single product page.
• They may or may not have a makers stamp.
• There is no “shop” for a dancer to get a professional fitting.
• Many require a minimum order of many pairs.

What Makes A Legitimate Pointe Shoe Brand To Add To The List Here?

That is the question of the day. All of the above categories are sold under some type of brand name, even if we have never heard of it. From a business standpoint, they are all brands.

However, some factories make pointe shoes under multiple brand names which is an incredible feat to keep up with when their product pages come and go. Keeping information fresh and checking links is a full-time job when you have this many posts. In particular, researching factory wholesale brands in a vast country like China can be a huge undertaking.

I have decided to separate brands by type to keep information orderly and to prevent link-checking burnout.

1. The Sidebar Links– Regular company domains.
2. Brands Without Websites Page-Manufacturers that are not known for wholesale  minimum orders, and advertise a contact email or telephone number only.
3. International Wholesale Page-A list of brands discovered on international trade sites that typically sell in bulk.

Two Brands From China That Can Be Added To The Sidebar

Although not well-known ( if at all), both of these brands qualify for the sidebar list because they are sold on websites that focus on  dance products.

Bezoiner

Bezioner was trademarked in Australia in 2017 by the Shenzhens Trade Company of ShenZhen, China.

There is no About Us page, but the actual trade company is quite a large conglomerate online. As far as the pointe shoe model, detailed specifications are not featured on the product page.

 

Day Dance

Day Dance pointe shoes are manufactured by Shenzhen DanceBeauty Clothing Company, also known as China DayDance Cultural Industry Co., L.T.D based in ShenZhen.

This brand can also be found on wholesale marketing sites with minimum order amounts. The manufacturer gives color, size, and materials, but no details of design.

 

One thing that is certain about pointe shoe brands is that the market will always be an ever-changing dynamic;  shoes coming in and shoes going out.  Business opens, business closes. New model is introduced, model is quickly discontinued.

What does all of this really mean? It means I can never retire. I will be the 100-year-old nursing home patient pushing the nurse button for a laptop to check my links.

Master Klass Pointe Shoes-Another Cold Case Mystery

Master Klass Comfort

Pointe shoe detectives, are you ready for another cold case mystery that needs to be solved?

Up for your examination is this gorgeous pair of Russian-made pointes with the beautiful aesthetics the country is known for.

As you will be able to see in the pictures below, they are made in Russia, but the product information tag uses English. The brand name is Master Klass, which can be translated as Master Class. The model name is Comfort.

 

The heel imprint says сделано в россии, made in Russia

I find this brand absolutely fascinating! Searching online and asking for information in social media dance communities baffled others as well.

It would be a shame if this mystery brand had to remain that way.

I am very, very curious to know more about the company who made or still makes this model.

What do you say detectives? Does anyone have any clues?

Esmellia Japanese Pointe Shoes-Mail Order Mystery Company

While writing my previous post about a Tokyo-based custom pointe shoe maker, I was keeping another Japanese brand under wraps until I had as much information to share with you as I possibly could. It is both exciting and frustrating to find a new brand out there, yet one that has so little to offer in the way of specifics.

Esmellia Is An Japanese Mail Order Company Of Dance Supplies

I can honestly say that Google Translate received quite a workout as I went through the Esmellia website looking for their company history and an address. What they do advertise is the fact that they are a mail order business. They offer a simple contact email, nothing else.

There Are Two Esmellia  Pointe Shoe Variations

Esmellia features two models on their website; a **full shank and a 3/4 shank model. The full sole pictured here comes with a medium shank strength. You can see the company logo which resembles some type of  Tulip flower.

**According to the product page, the full sole model will be for sale until inventory runs out. That could mean that this shoe will end up in the discontinued grave yard.

Esmellia Is Not Active On Social Media

Unfortunately, this company doesn’t do any marketing on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites. They are somewhat of a mystery. No street address, no founder name, no clue as to what part of Japan Esmellia operates from. You can visit their official website @ Esmellia.jp. To see the shoes, click on the last button under PRODUCTS on the left side.

If there are any Japanese language experts out there, I would love to know if you can find an address or company history I may have missed.

Tokyo-Based Custom Pointe Shoes By Avignon

Avignon Pointe Shoes Japan

One of the most beautiful things about the ballet world is how connected it is globally.  A dancer in New York and one at the barre in Japan maybe practicing the very same exercise using exactly the same terminology. Most pointe shoes are named not by country, but by variation, character, ballet story, or individual steps.

Thinking about this connection and different countries, my latest pointe shoe brand discovery confirmed this interesting intertwining of cultures and names.  It is the Japanese dance shop with a very French name; Avignon.

Avignon Has A Shop In The Tokyo District Of Setagaya

Avignon Storefront

Nestled among the crowded streets of Tokyo, in the Setagaya district, is a dance shop where they make custom pointe shoes by hand to your specification.

If you are a follower of my posts, you already know how much I respect the craftsmanship of custom-made pointe shoes.

It’s nice to know there is one more manufacturer that does pointe shoes in this personalized way. These smaller shops can not only give you personalized attention, but a real working relationship with the maker of your shoes.

Although the post is very old, I enjoyed reading about one dancer’s experience with her custom Avignon shoes; Fumie’s New Pointe Shoes. The pictures are lovely.

To visit their  official website go to Avignon.co.jp.  Under the Home category links on the left side, choose the first one to see the shoes. Sadly, I couldn’t find any social media presence for Avignon at this time.

Katz Introduces Their New Pointe Shoe Collection

Ever since I first saw the Katz brand of soft ballet slippers, I have admired their beauty and elegance. To this day, I still find the Katz satin slipper one of the prettiest shoes on the market.  The pink ones are pure dreaminess and the white satin version reminds me of  Cinderella, sleeping beauties, fairy tales, and weddings.

Katz Has Mastered The Art Of Toe Pleating, There Is No Doubt

As you can notice here, the slippers have painstakingly- perfect pleating under the toes.

Whenever I would see a pair of Katz ballet slippers online, I would always wonder if or when they would ever come out with a pointe shoe. Now, they have! Their lovely shoes are produced in Thrapston, Northamptonshire England.

You Can See Them Hard At Work Making Ballet Slippers

The Katz  Pointe Shoe Collection Begins With Four Models:

1. The Professional series with hard shank and satin platform.
2. The Professional series with hard shank and suede platform.
3. The Beginner series with soft shank and satin platform.
4. The Beginner series with soft shank and suede platform.

 

Just like the soft slippers, I see the precision of symmetry that gives Katz ballet shoes such wonderful aesthetics. The most admirable quality about them is that they are still made entirely by hand. Across the pond. In England, precious England. Home of Covent Garden, The Royal Ballet, and other fascinating venues of dance history.

I wish the new collection much success. You can learn more about the Katz pointe shoe collection by visiting their official website, Katz-dancewear.co.uk.

 

What’s New In Pointe Shoe World ?

In between searching for new brands and making regular product checks on the sites listed in the sidebar, things can get quite backed up in the posting department. However, thanks to the manufacturers that have an active social media presence,  receiving a new pointe model alert without having to visit  multiple sites makes things easier.

Below are a few new models introduced this summer :

Evidence Pirouette

Evidence of Brazil has added a lovely new model to their collection with the pretty name of Pirouette. The major selling point ( no pun intended) of this model is the 90-degree angle of the toe box. Similar in concept to Freed’s Classic Professional, it coaxes the foot into a central position on pointe.

Combined with a strong flexible shank for easy transitions, it could very well be a great shoe for doing pirouettes. It comes with a 3/4 outer sole and is described as a canoe-shaped model that makes your legs and feet look beautiful.

Canoe? Perhaps in Brazil that describes a particular shape and not the shallow boat with paddles and two pointed ends that I picture. If you scroll about halfway down on their company homepage,  you will see a dancer with etched butterfly wings wearing the Pirouette model.

Above the dancer we read : New Pointe Shoe, Design by Fernando Fermino.  Do they mean the pretty butterfly design, or the pointe shoes? If you know who Fernando Fermino is, please feel free to comment.

Fuzi Lisse

Fuzi  introduced a new model in their collection this summer; the Lisse. According to the product page description, Lisse is a model that can work for all levels of pointe experience.

The major selling feature of this model is sleekness of shape and construction. It looks like quite the low-profile shoe, doesn’t it?

The wings are blocked all the way up the box for dancers that like extra support along the sides of the shoe. You can see the shop display of the Fuzi Lisse in this Facebook photo.

 

Fascinating Vintage-The Hoffert Dancing Slipper

Do you know what I really love? That ballet can be just as fascinating when you go back in time as it is going forward; especially the shoes.

As a matter of fact, many vintage ballet shoe collectors probably wish they had unlimited funds to scoop up all the rare historical treasures they could get their hands on.

The most fascinating pointe shoe brands are the ones that were alive and well back in the 1920’s through the 1950’s.

I am enthralled with vintage dance shoe ads. These precious ads take us back to a time when pointe  shoes were called toe shoes or dancing slippers. As seen above in this 1952 ad from the Chicago Theatrical Shoe Company, an interesting selling feature was something they called the Italian toe.

No matter what type of toe they had, they are a lovely piece of memorabilia from the now long-gone Chicago Theatrical Shoe Company. Isn’t it amazing that some still survive? This is a great incentive to hang on to your old pointe shoes, or dancing slippers.

 

Dancing slipper……..it sounds so light and airy, graceful and romantic.

 

 

The Leos And Mirella Brand Owned By Bloch

Today when I visited the link for Leos pointe shoes, I was baffled  when I was redirected to the Bloch USA website. Was my computer hacked? What happened to Leo’s website? Why is Bloch also selling Mirella pointe shoes?

It wasn’t too long ago that Bloch sold strictly Bloch. After contacting them through their Facebook page, I was told that, indeed, Bloch now owns the Leo’s brand. For some reason, I didn’t want to believe it, so I decided to investigate further.

The Trademark And Trade-name Search Results:

By jovi, it’s true! Leo’s and Mirella are both registered brands under ownership of Bloch. Not only that, but the registration took place in the late 1990’s. I had no idea. After more searching I discovered that :

• The Leosdancewear.com domain is registered to Bloch.
• The Mirella-dance.com domain is registered to a Bloch representative.
• The collaboration of these trade name sales all take place at the same address in Reno, Nevada. Interestingly enough, the street name is called Trademark Drive.

Shocking, Sad, A Sign Of The Times?

When you consider how long Leo’s was a stand-alone company, ( established in 1924) having to sell their brand name to a bigger company must have been a difficult decision. The same for Mirella. It doesn’t seem like this was just because of limited model choice; Mirella has several models.

Bloch-Leo’s ?

Mirella-Blochs?

Bloch-Blochs?

What To Call These Blended Brands

Now that Bloch owns the brand name Leos and Mirella, do we call them Bloch-Mirella Whispers or Bloch-Leo Split-soles? Mirella-Bloch Elegance?

To add to the confusion, Mirella’s website is still online, but you can’t purchase anything directly from it. When you visit Bloch Australia you see Mirella models listed first and foremost. All three, Bloch, Leos and Mirella, maintain separate Facebook pages.

Bloch produces their models in Thailand. Leos had transferred production of their pointe shoes to Mexico. I don’t know where Mirella was making their shoes. Does anyone remember any announcement by Bloch, Mirella or Leos letting the public know about these changes? If so, please share.

I, who believe deeply in separation of pointes and state, will now go and bemoan these changes; however long ago they happened.

 

Have Gamba’s Former Cobblers Said Goodbye To Their Me.Me Dance Pointe Shoe Brand?

The U.K.-based company, Me.Me Dance, that was founded by several former Gamba pointe shoe makers,  appears to have disappeared.  Five years ago, It was an interesting discovery not only for a new concept pointe shoe, but that a few talented cobblers decided not to let Gamba’s closure stop them from working their craft. You can read the original post here :

The New Concept 9 Pointe Shoe By Me.Me Dance

The Official Me.Me Dance Website Link Doesn’t Work Anymore

down we go……

I  typically try to test the links on the sidebar here as I often as I can. Sometimes, companies change domains.  Sometimes, it is an error on my part. Most of the time, however, it means the brand has been a dying swan and sank to the bottom of the lake feathers and all.

Me.Me Dance Has A  Blog; Albeit With A Few Cobwebs Hanging

I decided to do a little domain investigation about me.medance.co.uk. The domain is free and  is available for sale. That means the broken link isn’t a server problem. There is no longer an official website to place orders. Links are not working on their blog, neither has there been activity since 2015.  I decided to go ahead and send an inquiry in a comment area even though it looks abandoned. Wishful thinking on my part? Absolutely!

There Was Genuine Interest When They Debuted Their Shoes In 2012

I think one of the most informative articles about the specs of the pointe shoes  was published by Ballet News U.K. when they were first introduced to the dance community in the summer of 2012. You can get a great idea of the struggles and challenges of perfecting a pointe shoe design in this article.

I searched for Me.Me Dance on social media sites, but found nothing. I found one dancewear shop in the UK who lists them as available stock and have sent an email to the company. Unless I learn otherwise, it appears this pointe shoe brand is now  discontinued.

 

 

Image Credit: Flickr.com, Duck Diving Swan by Rigor Mortisque, No Modifications, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/