En pointe
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Dancing en pointe is the action of rising to 'tips of the toes' whilst performing steps from ballet technique. Also known as pointe work, it is mostly performed using hard toed pointe shoes but can be performed using soft toed ballet shoes. Dancing en pointe requires considerable strength and skill and is central part of a ballerina's training and repertory.
In 1832 the ballerina Marie Taglioni danced the full length of the romantic ballet La Sylphide en pointe and is credited as the developer and pioneer of point work technique. Although a development of romantic ballet and a central element of ballet dancing in general, other dance forms such as jazz dance, street dance and tap dance also have steps that are performed en pointe.
In the 1920s and 1930s Harriet Hoctor a burlesque and vaudeville dancer wore pointe shoes fitted with steel shanks and platforms to allow tapping en pointe and backwards bends whilst en pointe. Other dancers fitted ball bearings inside between the platform to allow for faster turns but the dangers of the steel shanks snapping mean that such practices quickly ceased.