A
pointe shoe is a type of shoe worn by
ballet dancers when performing
pointe work. Pointe shoes were conceived in response to the desire for dancers to appear weightless and
sylph-like and have evolved to enable dancers to dance
en pointe (on the tips of their toes) for extended periods of time. They are normally worn by female dancers, though male dancers may wear them for unorthodox roles such as the ugly stepsisters in
Cinderella, or in dance companies that feature men dancing as women, such as
Les Ballets Trockadero. They are manufactured in a variety of colors, most commonly in shades of light pink.