BALLET WOES
THE SHOE PROBLEM
Even ballet-dancers have their war problems. These include tights and shoes. Before clothes' rationing, tights, like silk stockings, were discarded as soon as they "laddered." Now, when girls' tights take three coupons and men's four, they must be mended. Ballet shoes require no coupons, but unofficially the makers ration them to one pair per person each fortnight. The normal life of a ballet shoe is six- performances. The blocked toe does not become perfect till about the third show; it then begins to soften. The shoes are made to last a few shows longer by reblocking the toes. Ballet shoes frequently squeak, and as the squeak can be heard when the music is soft, it has to be treated. Before the war this was done by rubbing olive oil into the toes; now there is no olive oil and substitutes have to be found. The Sadlers Wells Ballet has left London for a provincial tour. It has been replaced by the International Ballet, which is presenting a two-act version of "Twelfth Night," with music by Grieg.
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 39, 16 February 1943, Page 5
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181BALLET WOES Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 39, 16 February 1943, Page 5
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