A pair of customized ballet pointe shoes worn and donated by Chanel Holland (1990 – ), founder and artistic director of Philadelphia’s Chocolate Ballerina Company. In 2016, Holland wore these shoes when she launched her adult dance company and choreographed Chocolate Ballerina Company’s first adult performance. The show, titled “Dreams into Reality,” premiered in 2017. In these shoes, Holland danced her dream of performing on stage with members of a ballet company for dancers of color into a reality. As an award-winning dancer and Temple alumna, with a BFA in dance and choreography, today Holland teaches and supports dancers of color in the Philadelphia region through programs including free dance classes.

Holland purchased the shoes from Philadelphia’s Dancewear on Broad. She used matte oil-free makeup to match the pink shoes and ribbons to her skin tone, a practice known as “pancaking.” As part of her dance training, Holland learned how to pancake her shoes and dye hosiery to match her skin tone. This is a complex process as excess makeup can soak and misshape the shoe. Such damage can immediately result in an unwearable “dead” shoe that does not give a defined point and can cause injury to the dancer.

Today some dance supplies, including shoes and hosiery, are available in a wider range of shades, specifically developed for dancers of color. However, these products are sold at premium prices and many dancers continue to pancake their shoes.