There aren’t any specialist ballet stores in Southeast Alaska. That means it’s hard for young ballerinas to find the right fitting shoes. So every summer, just before school starts Phillip Broadbent ...

At this dance school, young girls dream of wearing uncomfortable shoes that may only hold up for a few months — and their parents are fully supportive. This isn’t a new fashion trend. It’s the reality ...

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. – Upon entering Assemble Dancewear in Castle Rock, proprietor Noel Amend noted that my 12-year-old ballerina, Olivia, had arrived with her hair in a meticulous bun. “Bun?” I ...

Ballerinas come to Castle Rock from all over the U.S. to have Noel Amend look at their feet and select the perfect pointe shoes for them. The right size box, a ...

Once a week, Josephine Lee packs around 500 pairs of shoes into her van and drives to dance studios across the region to fit ballet dancers for their pointe shoes. To the dancers, it’s more than just ...

In her final year as an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, dancer Kaitlyn Kumar tore a ligament during a rehearsal for the ballet Sleeping Beauty. But she powered through the pain ...