Why did you pick this object?
I did choose the point because they are part of my existence, they do reflect my personality, and they are precious. They are beautiful objects of art since they reflect the beauty of the ballerina who wears them. They are also full of beauty because they reflect the hard work of dancers who dedicated their entire youth to ballet : this gorgeous art.
They are remarkably made by craftsmen who devote hours to fabric objects which destroy your foot.
point shoes are an important symbol in the dance comunnity and they reflect the limits of the human body and how human try toget over the pain
What is your personal connection to the object?
I practiced for 10 years now, so I am particulary touch because I dance on point. I loved the sensation when you prepared them : cut, sew, burn... I also like when i wear them I have the impression to fly because my toes don't touch the floor. I have a connection with them when I do a pirouette or an arabesque. I like looking at my feet when i wear them and triying to have the perfect shape of leg thanks my feet.
I love ballet world made of artists, tears, blood and tutus.
Who is the artist involved?
Let's say every ballerina who wears them of course, because event thought the point shoes are just in their feet, they have to do something with them not only wear them. They have to express the beauty of the object, they have to do some art with wodden and plastic. The people who made them are also involved. Their object is going to be desctructed but they continu to fabric them with passion. Also the people who sell them in the boutique. They have to advice about which point you have to buy, how to prepare them...
The ballet teacher also is involved because they have to explain you how to be on the box and how
What is the cultural context?
historical context Marie Taglioni is the first danceur who ever wear point shoes in the Sylphide ballet (quick extra bellow) in 1832
First it was the aristocracy context, a dad who wants to create something for his daughter and that man create something very important and very big. Because it's still impacting our world and most of all the dance world.
the cultural context is art, beauty, self-expression but also pain, blood and tears. Wearing point is something very exciting for little girls who dream to wear point shoes. They are trully part of our body because they are littelraly stick at our foot !! But point are also painful so they are part of some moment of sadness.
Now even the NASA supports and helps in the development of the technology of the point shoes
What is the relationship to humanism/post-humanism/transhumanism?
point shoes are not really related to humanism. First of all, you have to rely on someone opinion, instructions to improve yourself. You have to submitt to the dance dogma/ rules. But wearing point shoes is also realliying on ourself too, because you have to listen your body, your mind. For wearing point shoes you have to be mature because you have to understand and to listen to instructions and to your body to not hurt yourself. Maybe the industrie of the dance will be more open-minded about, gender and ethnicity.
not at all post-humanism because the fabrication uses a lot of ressources : plastic, water, wood... Point shoes are not very not inclusive because before the XXI century point shoes were only baby pink excluding Black community and all the ballerina. Moreover, point shoes are quiet expensive so not everyone can afford point shoes.