Get to the Pointe — How pointe shoes are made

For a dancer, visiting a pointe shoe factory is like visiting Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.Gorgeous shiny pointe shoes all lined up in a row… Is this heaven? Yes. Yes it is. Piece by piece, layer by layer, pointe shoes are constructed from slabs of leather, sheets of burlap and satin into these perfect pink beauties. I visited the Capezio factory in New Jersey last week, and you will not believe the amount of work and dedication it takes to make a single shoe. Here is the basic idea:1. Slabs of leather are stamped out to make the sole of the...