History of ballet
Ballet originated in the Renaissance court as an outgrowth of court pageantry in Italy, where aristocratic weddings were lavish celebrations. Tutus, ballet slippers and pointe work were not yet used. The choreography was adapted from court dance steps. Performers dressed in fashions of the times. For women that meant formal gowns that covered their legs to the ankle. Early ballet was participatory, with the audience joining the dance towards the end.
Ballet boot
Ballerinas began dancing "en pointe" in the Romantic era, with the first recorded performance in 1832 by Marie Taglioni, in "La Sylphide". The soft satin slippers that were used took many decades to develop into the stiff-tipped pointe shoes that we have come to recognize in the 20th and 21st centuries, which allow for a greater range of virtuosic technique. Aside from the ballet "pointe" shoe, another common ancestor to ballet boots and shoes is a Viennese fetish boot (circa 1900), which sported a dramatic 11-inch (28-centimetre) heel; the heel was actually longer than the sole of the shoe, thus making standing and/or walking impossible. Having grown in popularity since the 1980s, ballet boots and shoes are now available worldwide and for online purchase.