What’s a ballet shoe?

Ballet has rituals and a science of its own: From a young age, ballerinas train tirelessly to one day have the honor of wearing pointe shoes. It is a difficult task because dancing on pointe requires placing the entire weight of your body on your toes.

Mary Carpenter, a ballet instructor and professional pointe shoe fitter, talks about the special shoes that make the dance possible.
Clara Monk, a student at Columbia University, a dancer and choreographer at the Columbia University Ballet Ensemble, shares her own experience of getting the shoes for the first time.