Article from AllAboutDance.com Facebook "Marie Ann Cupis de Camargo, of the Royal Ballet, is credited with helping create the first ballet slipper. In the 1700s, she began dancing in slippers instead of shoes with heels to allow for more graceful jumping and leaping. Ballet shoes...have come a long way since that time and now dancers have many varieties to choose from, like full-sole or split-sole slippers. As the name suggests, a full-sole shoe has a “full” sole that runs the length of a dancer’s foot from the heel to the toe. A split-sole shoe has two smaller soles at the toe and heel of the shoe. There is no sole at the arch of the foot. Many beginners wear full-sole slippers because the shoe has extra arch support for students who are just learning to work through their foot and pointe. Intermediate and advanced dancers often wear split-sole slippers because these shoes offer more flexibility and cleaner lines. They also allow dancers to better feel the floor. Whether you wear full sole, split sole, leather or canvas – visit AllAboutDance.com to find your perfect shoe!"
This blog article was first published in February 2010.