‘The door is opening for us’: Cira Robinson on ballet’s turning pointe

18-01-2024 • 29 mins

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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.

What we discuss in this episode:

Cira’s experience with the 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

If you liked this episode, it would be great if you could leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. This is the first of two episodes on inclusive pointe shoes. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss my interview with Cassa Pancho, founder of Ballet Black, in a few weeks!

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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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