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This week's episode:

For decades, dancers of colour at classical ballet companies have used makeup to dye their pink pointe shoes a darker shade to match their skin tone. My guest this week, award-winning ballerina Cira Robinson, tells me about the day she got tired of ‘pancaking’ and asked the renowned shoemaker Freed of London to make a pair of brown pointe shoes for her.

The episode covers:

• Cira’s experience with Dance Theatre of Harlem under the legendary Arthur Mitchell
• Her move to London to join Ballet Black
• The role pointe shoes play in a dancer’s life and the need for customisation
• How she worked with Freed and Ballet Black to create inclusive pointe shoes and the impact they've had

You might also like:

Cassa Pancho on designing the future of ballet

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About Cira Robinson

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cira began her ballet career as an apprentice with the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble. After a few months, she became a full member and danced many works from the DTH repertoire under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell.

She joined Ballet Black in London in 2008 and in 2013 was nominated for Outstanding Classical Female at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards. While at Ballet Black, Cira worked with the company and with Freed of London to create the first Brown and Bronze pointe shoe for dancers of colour. After retiring in 2022, she took up a new role as Director of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.

Follow Cira on Instagram: @ciraoslynn

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