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Fancy Feet: five ballets danced in unusual footwear

10 February 2011

We take a look at five non-pointe shoe moments from Birmingham Royal Ballet's recent and current repertory!

1. In the Upper Room - Trainers

Twyla Tharp's 40-minute steamtrain of energy demands relentlessly powerful performances of its cast. Rather than delicate pointe shoes, the unofficially (but appropriately) titled 'Stompers' pound the stage in white running-shoes. While they offer fantastic support and comfort to the wearer, however, trainers aren't the quietest of footwear. Michael Clifford, Birmingham Royal Ballet's Shoe Master, reveals that 'a thin layer of suede, similar to the base of regular ballet pumps, is added to the soles to stop them squeaking.'

2. Hobson's Choice - Riding boots

Each of his creations sends sentimental shoemaker Will Mossop off into a daydream, as he imagines the joy they'll bring the wearer. Long leather riding boots inspire visions of thunderous steeplejumping, while a pair of baby's booties prompt him to imagine a parents' pride at their offspring's first steps. Each time, Will dons the footwear and performs a short solo in the persona of the potential wearer, even if he can only place the tiny booties over the ends of his fingers!

3. La Fille mal gardée - Clogs

La Fille mal gardée sees a handsome young farm boy trying to win his sweetheart's hand while avoiding her cantankerous mother's disapproving glare. The ballet is described as a 'summer pantomime', and the mindful matriarch - The Widow Simone - is its dame character. Having been performed by many senior members of Birmingham Royal Ballet, including Ballet Master Michael O'Hare and Director David Bintley, the role includes an riotous clog dance which has become one of the ballet's most famous and beloved moments.

Special mention must also go to the members of the cast who dance as the farmyards' chickens, complete with bright yellow feet!

4. Cinderella - Barefoot

Paradoxically for a story in which shoes play such an iconic role, Birmingham Royal Ballet's production of Cinderella sees its heroine perform early portions of the piece with nothing on her feet at all. In keeping with her spartan surroundings, she dances for much of Act I barefoot.

'Because they normally wear pointe shoes,' explains choreographer David Bintley, 'a ballet dancer's feet are softer than those of a contemporary dancer, whose feet are perhaps tougher as a result of dancing in barefoot more regularly. It didn't particularly restrict my choreography, but we have had to ensure the dancers don't spend too long barefoot in the plunging winter temperatures!'

5. Carmina burana - Stilettos

It's no accident that the opening from Carmina burana tops our list of 'pointe-less' ballet moments. 'I remember thinking: "how do you do something with that music, that music which is so well known and so big and so massive?"' says choreographer David Bintley. 'So I looked at it the other way and thought "what is just the last thing that you would expect to see?" And the answer I came up with for that was a girl's solo. In high heels. With a blindfold on!'

And it's not just the lead female who has to step out in the sharp stilettos. Following the enchantment by the Goddess Fortuna, the entire cast - male and female - end up taking to the stage dressed in identical heels and black minidresses.

ENDS

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