Category: 84 Ribbons

Ribbons. Pointe shoes have two satin ribbons attached to near the ankle bones, one on each side of the shoe. Dancers add their own ribbons. The colors chosen match the color of the pointe shoes. The shoes can be dyed any color needed to match the costume. If a dancer in 2014 were to save her ribbons, she’d have a wide variety of colors in her ribbon box. In Marta’s era those two ribbons were principally pink to match the shoes as they arrived from the manufacturer. Dancers must be careful to not stitch into the drawstring around the top...

We often remember the lovely ladies in beautiful costumes more than we remember their male counterparts. So, here’s a test:  Name five internationally known or well-known ballerinas who’ve achieved fame. I’ll give you one: Maria Tallchief. That leave four others for you to select. If you send me your list through the Chat, Comment and Connect on my website (www.paddyeger.com) I’ll send you ballet-themed note cards for your efforts. I’ll compile the list in May then share the names of the ballerinas you’ve select. So, send me your top four names. I’ll send out the pack of ballet note cards the...

Women get most of the fame. But, a few men stand out as being more than props for lifting and supporting ballerinas. They enter the stage and immediately your attention moves too them. It’s call stage presence for a reason. They move with grace and strength; they defy gravity when they turn, leap and spin to our applause. The top three across the last 120 years are: Vaslav Nijinsky (1890-1950), Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993) and Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948- present). If you have the chance to view any of their dancing online or in person, you will be amazed at their strength,...