Enfield designer hailed for her solution to ballet dancing injuries

A design student from Enfield has created “innovative” ballet shoes that aim to eliminate the pain and injuries often caused by pointe shoes.

Felicity Van Der Straaten, a 22-year-old student at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, wants ballerinas to not worry about long-term injuries in future.

Felicity started practising pointe ballet at 14 but says the technique has injured her feet, which motivated her to design a product that aims to minimise foot injuries. “I wanted to create something that helped in the long run with health problems,” she said.

“I did pointe more as a hobby, rather than professionally, and can’t imagine the injuries that professional dancers get because they can spend up to 20 hours a week wearing pointe shoes.

“My product feels like a pointe shoe, somewhat looks like a pointe shoe, but it doesn’t ruin your feet and there are no long-term effects. I think that my product could make a really positive impact on the industry.”

Part of the classical ballet technique, the pointe technique involves the dancer supporting their entire body weight on the tips of fully extended feet within pointe shoes. But Felicity’s new ballet shoes work by slipping an attachment on top of a normal ballet slipper, turning it into a pointe shoe. This can then be used for training.

Foot injuries such as bunions, cuts, scarring, crushing, and moving of foot bones will be prevented, Felicity claims, by the shoe not having a back which pushes the foot further into the front of the shoe, as well as having more space for the toes. Called ‘Releve’, the shoes would ideally last between three and six months, meaning dancers would only have to purchase up to four pairs a year.

Felicity’s product is set to go on public display for the 2022 Nottingham Trent University art and design student showcase. The show gives final-year art and design students the chance to exhibit their talent and is one of the biggest of its kind in the country, with subjects covering product design, fashion, architecture, furniture design, theatre design, fine art and more.

Grant Baker, senior lecturer in product design at Nottingham Trent University, said: “Felicity has shown how being passionate about something and identifying the gaps in that field can lead to a revolutionary product that could change the lives of so many.

“Her product will allow ballerinas to perform the dance they love most, without having to worry about any long-term health issues that may come with the job, making their experience more enjoyable and worthwhile.”

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