Pointe shoe and tights worn by Alexandra Jacob of Dance Theatre of Harlem

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

.1: One (1) ballet pointe shoe custom-colored with cosmetics to a light brown to match the skin tone of the dancer. The exterior of the shoe is made of satin fabric and has a leather sole. An elastic drawstring runs around the top of the foot opening and is tied in a knot at the vamp with the ends trimmed short. Two lengths of custom-colored elastic tape are stitched with one end on either side of the back seam and the other end sewn at the left and right quarter sides of the shoe, with the elastic crossed around the front of the wearer's foot. Two lengths of custom-colored satin ribbon are hand sewn to the binding, one each on the left and right side quarters of the shoe. Heavy stitching around the platform of the toe box may be evidence of a replacement of the original platform fabric due to heavy wear.

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