Peach3 Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 Ballet Black have posted on their Facebook and instagram a helpful list for teachers/principals of dance schools. Definitely worth a read although a lot of it is common sense. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-1ZW7A81I/?igshid=1h2d7qdjnr7so 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motomum Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 I thought it a great list too, for the places where it isn’t common sense at all unfortunately. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 Absolutely Motomum. I think I wrote the common sense line to try and soften the blow that a list like this even needs to be written but it so badly needs to be read and absorbed. Especially the bit about the tights and shoes in matching skin tones. This is something British vocational schools should have changed a long time ago. It is time! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 And also about having a good selection of images in studios representing all ages/genders/communities/ethnicities.... actuslly it is amazing to think we need to think this but must confess, most studios I’ve been in could do well to look to add in these policies.... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 10 hours ago, Peach3 said: Absolutely Motomum. I think I wrote the common sense line to try and soften the blow that a list like this even needs to be written but it so badly needs to be read and absorbed. Especially the bit about the tights and shoes in matching skin tones. This is something British vocational schools should have changed a long time ago. It is time! It did surprise me, after reading this tweet and following the links that the pictures on their own website of their junior classes show all of the children in pink tights and shoes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BellaF Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Jewel said: It did surprise me, after reading this tweet and following the links that the pictures on their own website of their junior classes show all of the children in pink tights and shoes. I think this is largely to do with the availability of tights and shoes in a range of colours. I know Ballet Black were campaigning for this maybe a year ago but not enough time (or wider pressure) for any real change to have happened yet. My own DD is mixed race and I've only come across pink options in the many shops we've visited up until now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) When I first saw the campaign & I think subsequent launch from (a few?) brands of a range of skin tone co-ordinating tights & shoes it hit as I had never really thought about it before....& that disappointed me about myself & my ‘industry’ as it were. Glad things are catching up & if shops won’t/can’t hold enough variety of stock then I guess the online retailers will win the business....but come on dance brands; make sure your stockists know what IS available & provide them with samples /colour swatches of shoes & tights to ensure all store customers are included & they can at least see what’s available & for stores themselves to be able to place speedy orders - even if needs be in small or one off quantities. Edited June 5, 2020 by Peanut68 Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 There were a number of news articles a year or so ago about Ballet Black and Freed working together to produce shoes in a variety of skin tones. Not sure they aren’t special order though? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Jewel said: It did surprise me, after reading this tweet and following the links that the pictures on their own website of their junior classes show all of the children in pink tights and shoes. I’m surprised at this because the Freed Aspire ballet shoe is available in Ballet Bronze and Ballet Brown as well as white and pink, both from Freed and from the RAD shop. They’re no longer special order only and if I remember rightly, matching socks and ribbons are also available. https://store.freedoflondon.com/satin-aspire-ballet-shoes 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 ...as are tights: https://store.freedoflondon.com/convertible-tights-junior 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BellaF Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 32 minutes ago, Anna C said: I’m surprised at this because the Freed Aspire ballet shoe is available in Ballet Bronze and Ballet Brown as well as white and pink, both from Freed and from the RAD shop. They’re no longer special order only and if I remember rightly, matching socks and ribbons are also available. https://store.freedoflondon.com/satin-aspire-ballet-shoes I'm not surprised as these items are not easy to come by for parents of young children starting ballet - plus the price of a pair of the Freed tights is more expensive than the average which may also be a barrier. Then comes the issue of preference - my DD likes to wear a canvas split sole and the Freed shoe is only available in leather / satin full sole. I think it's brilliant that Freed has taken this initiative but it certainly doesn't solve the issue entirely. However, I appreciate that until more children from BAME backgrounds participate in ballet (which is an entirely different issue!) it simply isn't feasible for companies from a business perspective to produce a wider range. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 I think you are right BellaF about the issue of demand for different skin tone shoes/tights and it being feasible for companies to have big stocks or just to keep them as special order. Hopefully this will slowly change and it will become normal to get the colour you want as quickly as you can get ballet pink. Perhaps ballet schools/teachers could let their pupils know (if they are not actively doing so already) that there are choices out there and that it would be perfectly acceptable for BAME pupils/participants to wear uniform they felt matched their skin tone if they so choose (I’m looking at you vocational schools!). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 As far as I can tell the children are are all wearing full sole pink leather shoes. It may be that they have all chosen to wear those colours With their pink leotards and hair ribbons. The junior school sells the Dancewear according to the website. regardless, it is a heartwarming picture showing a group of little girls clearly in love with their dancing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 20 minutes ago, Peach3 said: I think you are right BellaF about the issue of demand for different skin tone shoes/tights and it being feasible for companies to have big stocks or just to keep them as special order. Hopefully this will slowly change and it will become normal to get the colour you want as quickly as you can get ballet pink. Perhaps ballet schools/teachers could let their pupils know (if they are not actively doing so already) that there are choices out there and that it would be perfectly acceptable for BAME pupils/participants to wear uniform they felt matched their skin tone if they so choose (I’m looking at you vocational schools!). why Does it have to be Ballet pink anyway? My white daughter couldn’t wait to ditch the awful tights she had to wear when younger which look awful against her pale complexion too, in favour of black or natural dance tights. But she has always detested anything pink with a passion. increasing the choice of colour of tights & shoes & making all ethnicities feel comfortable (& I include adapting traditional uniform for those ethnicities/religions who feel uncomfortable with exposing their bodies in this way) can only be a good thing. Hair is another issue. My white daughter hated how difficult her fringe made getting a neat bun. As a very young child she took a pair of scissors to her own hair and chopped it straight off it distressed her that much. But that is nothing to how some black dancers are made to feel about their hair when dancing. Which is why it’s great if schools can show role models for these children who look like them to encourage them that dance can be for people like them too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SissonneDoublee Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 1 hour ago, BellaF said: I'm not surprised as these items are not easy to come by for parents of young children starting ballet - plus the price of a pair of the Freed tights is more expensive than the average which may also be a barrier. Then comes the issue of preference - my DD likes to wear a canvas split sole and the Freed shoe is only available in leather / satin full sole. I think it's brilliant that Freed has taken this initiative but it certainly doesn't solve the issue entirely. However, I appreciate that until more children from BAME backgrounds participate in ballet (which is an entirely different issue!) it simply isn't feasible for companies from a business perspective to produce a wider range. Russian Pointe make canvas split soles in different shades of tan. They look really good. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 47 minutes ago, Jewel said: As far as I can tell the children are are all wearing full sole pink leather shoes. It may be that they have all chosen to wear those colours With their pink leotards and hair ribbons. The junior school sells the Dancewear according to the website. regardless, it is a heartwarming picture showing a group of little girls clearly in love with their dancing. Ballet Black is an established and highly respected Company who has already collaborated with Freed - it would be nice to think that they could arrange bulk orders with Freed to enable them to sell uniform at a discounted rate, including skin-tone tights. I know Gaynor Minden also manufactures legwear and footwear in a range of colours to suit all skin tones - high time Bloch and Capezio joined in, given Bloch’s share of the shoe market and Capezio’s share of the tights market (assuming they haven’t already, of course). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Bloch and Capezio both have tights and undies for different skin tones and for Bloch anyway some flat shoes available in different tones. Capezio probably do I just haven’t checked. I think it’s less of a problem getting hold of the items and more likely people just aren’t sure they are available and where/how they can get them (speak to your usual dance shop. If they can’t help, you need a new usual dance shop!). I think if teachers made parents and pupils aware that there are choices out there and they would be welcomed as uniform it would make a lot of people very happy. As far as I’m aware the only companies that offer pointe shoes in different skin tones are Gaynor Minden and Freed. Probably others do but I just haven’t looked very hard. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peony Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 I’ve always thought of tights and shoes being pink rather than skin tone- the traditional ones like freed are bright salmon pink. Their ballet brown and bronze are a far nicer colour in my opinion! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Dancer Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 23 minutes ago, Peony said: I’ve always thought of tights and shoes being pink rather than skin tone- the traditional ones like freed are bright salmon pink. Their ballet brown and bronze are a far nicer colour in my opinion! Yes. I wear pink tights for my ballet class and they bear no relationship whatsoever to the colour of my skin, but I like the way they look on me. I don't know anyone with salmon pink legs. In my adult ballet class we have a few of us with pink tights, one goth in black tights, and another who always wears white ones. I think it's great that there is more choice of colours available now and entirely agree that young girls should be encouraged to wear whichever colour suits them and makes them feel good. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Peony said: I’ve always thought of tights and shoes being pink rather than skin tone- the traditional ones like freed are bright salmon pink. Their ballet brown and bronze are a far nicer colour in my opinion! Yes, that’s a good point(e) ☺️ Personally, I love Freed’s peachy pink satin but you’re right, it’s definitely pink rather than skin tone! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 When I was a senior vocational student in the 1970s, for performance purposes we had to have two different colours of tights. One was ballet pink for classical ballets, and one was a light flesh colour for character or demi character, e.g. flesh coloured for Giselle Act 1, pink for Act 2. I haven't seen the pale flesh colour for years. When did pink take over so comprehensively? Maybe when tights became cheaper? For classes we used to wear black tights or knitted ones which we had to knit ourselves, none were produced by ballet wear shops. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Dancer Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 44 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said: When I was a senior vocational student in the 1970s, for performance purposes we had to have two different colours of tights. One was ballet pink for classical ballets, and one was a light flesh colour for character or demi character, e.g. flesh coloured for Giselle Act 1, pink for Act 2. I haven't seen the pale flesh colour for years. When did pink take over so comprehensively? Maybe when tights became cheaper? For classes we used to wear black tights or knitted ones which we had to knit ourselves, none were produced by ballet wear shops. I don't know when pink would have taken over. In my experience shops respond to demand so if something is popular they sell more of it. I'm guessing the fact that most tights are pink now is due to the fact that people like pink tights or expect to see them. Certainly when I started ballet 18 months ago as an adult I was adamant that I wanted pink tights and a pink leotard because that's what I thought ballet dancers wore. Looking at the Move Dancewear site they have 26 options for pink tights and 22 in brown and far fewer in other colours but none in what looks like pale flesh (although I may be missing it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird21 Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 8 hours ago, Peach3 said: Bloch and Capezio both have tights and undies for different skin tones and for Bloch anyway some flat shoes available in different tones. Capezio probably do I just haven’t checked. I think it’s less of a problem getting hold of the items and more likely people just aren’t sure they are available and where/how they can get them (speak to your usual dance shop. If they can’t help, you need a new usual dance shop!). I think if teachers made parents and pupils aware that there are choices out there and they would be welcomed as uniform it would make a lot of people very happy. As far as I’m aware the only companies that offer pointe shoes in different skin tones are Gaynor Minden and Freed. Probably others do but I just haven’t looked very hard. 8 hours ago, Peach3 said: Bloch and Capezio both have tights and undies for different skin tones and for Bloch anyway some flat shoes available in different tones. Capezio probably do I just haven’t checked. I think it’s less of a problem getting hold of the items and more likely people just aren’t sure they are available and where/how they can get them (speak to your usual dance shop. If they can’t help, you need a new usual dance shop!). I think if teachers made parents and pupils aware that there are choices out there and they would be welcomed as uniform it would make a lot of people very happy. As far as I’m aware the only companies that offer pointe shoes in different skin tones are Gaynor Minden and Freed. Probably others do but I just haven’t looked very hard. Yes..only minden & freed offer skin tone pointes...my daughter can’t fit any of those so she still has to dye hers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 https://www.instagram.com/p/CBEU9w3gZql/?igshid=114t8s8ue5w6w This excellent list from Ballet Black again. This time aimed at ballet companies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach3 Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Firebird21 said: Yes..only minden & freed offer skin tone pointes...my daughter can’t fit any of those so she still has to dye hers My hope is that more dancewear companies will think long and hard about recent events and it will change their thinking and all pointe shoes will be available in different skin tones in the not too distant future. We should all be checking our privilege and our unconscious bias and working out how we can make a difference as individuals. It is no longer ok for us to say we don’t think there is racism in the ballet world (because we haven’t experienced it) Our black dancers are telling us there is! Think on it. We can do better. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird21 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 True words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peony Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 You can also order grishko in any colour I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird21 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Only “tan” Can be ordered in regards to brown skin tone- on the way, but not near my daughters skin tone do you have to pay extra for the customising service I wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peony Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 I don’t think anyone could argue that ballet is not very selective in the ‘look’ that is selected. Mid tone skin, preferably brown hair and eyes, slim, long legs, large eyes, very pretty. If you look at the royal ballet they are actually far more ethnically diverse than the population as a whole but they’re not in terms of how the dancers look really. It’s not only about shoe colours I think we need a re-evaluation of lighting, set design etc as currently dark tights and shoes are really difficult to see on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJH Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 5 hours ago, Firebird21 said: Only “tan” Can be ordered in regards to brown skin tone- on the way, but not near my daughters skin tone do you have to pay extra for the customising service I wonder? you would be well advised to to Speak Leanne Bisson (http://www.straighttothepointe.net/) as she is a very knowledgable fitter and has the ear of Mr Grishko himself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird21 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 3 hours ago, Peony said: I don’t think anyone could argue that ballet is not very selective in the ‘look’ that is selected. Mid tone skin, preferably brown hair and eyes, slim, long legs, large eyes, very pretty. If you look at the royal ballet they are actually far more ethnically diverse than the population as a whole but they’re not in terms of how the dancers look really. It’s not only about shoe colours I think we need a re-evaluation of lighting, set design etc as currently dark tights and shoes are really difficult to see on stage. This is where I have an issue my daughter is dark! She can’t do anything about her skin tone ! You are so right about examining the other areas you mention. Thank you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BellaF Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Notice that Bloch announced on their insta yesterday that they'll be expanding their pointe shoe range to include darker colours - some progress! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, BellaF said: Notice that Bloch announced on their insta yesterday that they'll be expanding their pointe shoe range to include darker colours - some progress! And tights, I think - starting in Autumn. Good news. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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