Jessica Dipietro

Bata Shoe Lesson Plan Grades 6-8 Students of Performing Arts Programs

What the learning outcome is:Students will expand their knowledge of shoes in dance through kinaesthetic/visual learning. The students will connect to how shoes are incorporated in ballet culture. The goal is to open more students up to the history and culture of shoes, as well as ballet. Students will gain knowledge of the craftsmanship that goes into ballet shoe. Students will gain knowledge of basic ballet/modern techniques through an assisted dance exercise, as well as discover movement by self discovery.

Introduction of Bata Shoe Museum 

The Bata Shoe Museum is home to over a thousand shoes, and caters to the education of the shoe! The rich history of the shoes style, development and function across the world and over the years. You can explore the past, present, and even future of shoes, via the Future Now exhibit. There is also the permanent exhibit All About Shoes which explores over 4,500 years of shoe history.

Shoes of Ballet

Ever wondered how a Ballet dancer can stay on their tippy toes for so long? Or how their feet can be supported dancing for so long? During this lesson we are going to explore the history and development of the ballet shoe over the years to the shoe's modernization. 

Does anyone like to dance, even just at home?

Has anyone explored different types of dance?

Lastly, has anyone seen a ballet dancer in action?

The White Evening Silk Shoe

This white silk evening shoe from 1855, was owned by American Lucy. B Lowell. Made in France and sold in England. It is a collection of The Bata Shoe Museum and is featured in the online exhibition on Pointe shoes, On Pointe. It shares many resemblance to early pointe shoes. 

Anna Pavlova was credited to be one of the first ballet dancer’s to wear the pointe shoe, as well as widen the box of the shoe. She even asked the founder of Capezio pointe shoes Salvatore Capizio to make her a pair of shoes to her liking. He then became her exclusive pointe shoe maker. The pointe shoes and ballet slippers then began to influence fashion of the 18th and 19th century, as we see pictured above the White Evening Silk Shoe. 

What similarities do you think this shoe has compared to the modern pointe shoe? 

The Modern Pointe Shoe

(Watch The Modern Pointe Shoe video attached)

The Bata Shoe Museum houses performance-worn ballet shoes from famous dancers over the years. The pointe shoes above were worn by Veronica Tenneat, these three were worn for the performance of Onegin on March 16, 1985. (exhibited in the online exhibit)

The modern pointe shoe shares similarities inspired by the early pointe shoe 150 years ago. The square box at the end of the toe, the light pink colours, the silk/satin finish and the ribbon tying around the ankle. The customization of pointe shoes has become very popular now, as well as having the option of multiple brands. All pointe shoe brands are different, catering to different styles of feet. Now finally over many years, ballet shoe companies are now beginning to make shade inclusive shoes for ballet dancers of colour. For example here is Boston Ballet’s dancer Michaela DePrince dancing in shade inclusive shoes. 

Can anyone tell me how the modern pointe shoe influences shoe culture today?

(via Ballets flats, heels with wrap around straps, maybe even ballet couture)

Ballet Slippers 

This shoe is made by Capeizo, a brand founded by Salvatore Capeizo, an Italian shoe maker turned pointe shoe pioneer. Famous dancer Anna Pavlova danced in Capezio as well, and even had a shoe named after her! 

Here pictured below is the Ballet Slipper, the slipper is unisex! Although traditionally male dancers wore black slippers and female dancers wore pink. The shoe pictured below is made from leather. The slipper was traditionally made from leather but now modernized is made from either canvas or canvas/elastic base. We can even see the influence the ballet slipper has in women's flats in fashion. These shoes are what dancers wear before graduating to pointe shoes.

These shoes were worn by Rudolf Nureyev, who graduated from the Vaganova Ballet Academy and joined the Kirov Ballet Company shortly after. He became famous due to his dedication and talent. He defected in France which made him internationally famous. As well as having been able to dance with other famous dancers such as Margot Fonteyn. Collection of Bata Shoe Museum, P02,104.

Activity!

Now students will engage in a warm up exercise to engage our ballet muscles. These exercises have been influenced by ballet and modern dance techniques, as well as having taken influence from the Dance for Parkinson's program. Students will use a chair to warm individual muscles. Then students will respond to a piece of music by letting their body react to the music. The movements can be soft, static, sharp, fast, slow. Afterwards the students will respond to the work with this prompt. 

Is there any kind of object or shoe you would find would enhance/change your movement to this piece?

(Watch Dance Exercise Video)

How did you like your experience at the Bata Shoe Museum?

Out of the three shoes which did you find most interesting and why?