Throwback Thursday and Pointe Shoe
Design
Bill Nye, best known as The Science Guy for his television persona, attempted to improve upon the design of the pointe shoe:
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/04/celebrity-invention-bill-nyes-ballet-slipper/238079/, This article states:
“Nye improved on pointe shoes by
including more support inside the toe. Specifically, it includes a 'toe box,'
which would encase and protect the toes and provide support along the sole:
The toe shoe preferably includes a toe
box in the toe of the toe shoe, an upper and an outer sole. Support structure
within the toe shoe includes a longitudinal support member, a foot
encirculating tubular sleeve, and/or a toe ridge.”
The boxed pointe shoe
we are all familiar came about through an evolutionary process: from darned tips of
ballet shoes to insertions of leather pieces to strengthen the ends of the
shoes to a boxing in of the tip. Here is a bit about the boxed shoe, according to http://historycooperative.org/the-pointe-shoe-a-history/
“The next substantially different form
of pointe shoe appeared in Italy in the late 18th century with a
modified toe area which was the beginning stages of what we now call the toe
box. Dancers like Pierina Legnani wore shoes with a sturdy, flat
platform at the front end of the shoe, rather than the more sharply pointed toe
of earlier models.”
It is true that
Bill Nye did patent a design for an improved pointe shoe. You can find information
about his patent here: https://patentyogi.com/inventor/celebrity-patent-bill-nye-the-science-guy-patented-an-improved-ballet-toe-shoe-this-shoe-helps-reduce-pain-experienced-by-a-ballet-dancer/
and here: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6895694B2/en
Although his design was
patented, to my knowledge it was never produced. If anyone knows more about
this, and/or whether any company manufactures shoes with his design, I’d love
to hear from you.
From the Big
Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret #137:
“Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ attempted to improve
pointe shoe design.”
Link of the Day:
Quote of the Day:
“To
invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”
― Thomas A. Edison
― Thomas A. Edison
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