Tis the season for holiday cheer, fabulous fun, and rockin’ around the Christmas tree! December is a beautiful time of giving and gifting. What better present is there to give your friends, family, and the people you love than the gift of dance?
Turning old point shoes into art is a fun way to use your creativity to create a unique, dance-themed gift. A dancer’s pointe shoes are very meaningful. They have a unique fit for the dancer’s exact foot shape, hours of dancing worn into the shoe, and they are full of memories of a ballerina’s dance journey. With some paint, glitter, ribbon, and your creative instincts, you can transform dance shoes into art pieces! This is the perfect way to repurpose worn pointe shoes to have new meaning and pass the art of dance on to someone special.
Starting is all about picking a theme! Choose and idea you love and gather your supplies. Here are some ideas for getting started on creating your own collection of painted pointe shoes or making the perfect gift!
Your Favorite Color
This is an awesome way to repurpose your pointe shoes. Choose your favorite color (or colors!) and pick up your paintbrush. I selected hot pink as my base color and layered different shades to add accent details on my shoes to create an ombre effect.
“Without dance, what’s the pointe?” Unknown
Your Favorite Movie
A great way to pick a design is to take inspiration from your favorite movie or the favorite movie of someone special if you are making a gift. Center stage to center screen! You can paint your pointe shoes with details, add stickers, glue on sparkly appliques, or write out movie quotes on the side of the shoe or inside. I created these with inspiration from Barbie and turned my dance shoes into Ballerina Barbie pointe shoes!
“Forget the glass slippers, this Princess wears Pointe Shoes!” Unknown
Fashion Brands
Ooh la la, an idea I adore is gathering inspiration from fashion trends and brands you love. Choose a stylish theme to create fierce pointe shoes. This is style to the max. You might even want to gift a pair of pointe shoes to yourself!
Tip: Add new ribbons to your pointe shoes for a refreshed look!
Get Creative
You can just start painting and let your artistry flow. Wherever your heart leads and your paintbrush takes you! Choose one color or use them all to decorate your pointe shoes to match your decor, a dance routine, or a meaningful moment. The most important part of the process is to have fun! You are creating an amazing art piece! Share the gift of dance!
“Why walk when you can dance?” Ellen Van Dam
What are your favorite gifts to give dancers and loved ones? The Nutcracker? Tag me (@royalcouturexo) and Showstopper (@goshowstoppermagazine) on social media with the hashtag #RoyalCoutureXShowstopper to show us your creations!
Xo,
Christy Lyn