en pointe en masse
Installation by Ballet Des Moines Creative Director and Mainframe artist, Jami Milne
En pointe en masse presents 84 pairs of pointe shoes, less than half the number required during a season by Ballet Des Moines dancers, arranged to reveal the life cycle of a dancer’s journey. From the pristine satin of a student’s first pair to the battered remains of a professional’s "dead" shoes, each pair tells a story of discipline and transformation. Together, they reflect the dual nature of ballet: the elegance and poise that meet relentless training, raw athleticism, and unwavering precision.
Thank you to those individuals and dance studios that contributed to the installation, including dancers from Ballet Des Moines, Des Moines DanzArts Studio, Elite Dance Outfitters, and Robert Thomas Dancenter.
did you know?
Ballet Des Moines pointe shoes dancers go through roughly 20 pairs of pointe shoes in a given season. With 15 pointe shoes dancers at Ballet Des Moines in the 25/26 season, that’s 300 pairs of pointe shoes. At an average cost of $150 per pair, that’s a pointe shoe budget of $45,000.
THE POINTE SHOE
Created by Ballet Des Moines intern Madison Frette, this short video follows the ongoing evolution of the pointe shoe, tracing its development from 18th-century origins through continual improvements in structure and support. It highlights how advances in design and materials have allowed the shoe to meet the ever-growing physical and artistic demands of ballet dancers.
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A long-standing partnership grounded in arts, equality and accessibility.
Ballet Des Moines company dancers in a preview of Beau Kenyon’s of Gravity and Light during the April 2022 First Friday.
SHE
Interviews by Emily Kestel, Fearless editor
Portraits by Jami Milne, Ballet Des Moines creative director
APRIL 2023
In anticipation of the spring production of SHE, an evening of powerful beauty created by the dance world’s leading and emerging female voices, Ballet Des Moines has partnered with the Business Record’s Fearless initiative to shine a spotlight on 10 women from our community.
Exploring the topic of female leadership, the interview and portrait series sheds light not just on the successes of these incredible women, but also the compromises, fears, and ongoing pressures they have faced and continue to face in pursuing their passions.
A portrait installation in collaboration with the interviews debuted during Female in Focus: A Winefest + Ballet Des Moines dining experience and could be seen at Mainframe Studios, Studio 246.
Fearless Editor Emily Kestel interviews longtime president and CEO of Oakridge Neighborhood, Teree Caldwell-Johnson. The community would mourn the passing of Teree just one year later.
Artist and photographer Jami Milne’s installation of backlit portraits. Show above: Jo Christine Miles, Director of Principal Foundation.
The portrait installation located in Studio 246 at Mainframe Studios throughout April 2023.
CONSIDER THE MEANINGFUL
ARTIST AKWI NJI
FEBRUARY 2023
This participatory artwork invited community members to reflect upon what is truly meaningful, highlighting how acts of caring help us to make meaning in the world. In collaboration with multidisciplinary artist, Akwi Nji, and installed at Mainframe Studios, consider the meaningful encouraged participation from community members throughout the month of February, 2023.
