Kamala

Some of the people at that sales table at the Met during ABT's season have told me that the European dancers think the practice of selling autographed shoes is "creepy" (or some such). But I did notice they were selling shoes by Vishneva and Osipova in recent years at $500 -- I don't know if anybody paid that, but that's what they were asking.

Men don't go through as many shoes as women, of course, so if you see some from a favored dancer, I'd suggest grabbing them! I have autographed shoes from Hallberg, Cornejo, and Gomes. Gomes even wrote the dates of his performance as Basilio, along with his autograph. Proceeds go to the dancer's emergency fund, so I think many dancers recognize the value of their donations.

The creepy factor is understandable-they are probably thinking why would anyone want my sweaty smelly shoes.

Also if the company is more stringent with their shoe inventory-they might be wearing them until they are truly dead dead.

Since it is not a practice in Europe, then the shoes would be worth more because they would be rare.

Men, because they don't go through so many, might also consider them their lucky shoes if they had really good performances in them. If it is going to a good cause, most would be willing to donate because when you think about it-they would get tossed otherwise.

I finally got some time and caught up on her US adventures. She mentioned auditioning for the LA Ballet ( I think that is what she said-she kind of mumbled when she said the company and that she didn't make it.

The one thing she did that has me still cringing- she had some procedure done on her knee and then posts a video of herself doing pirouettes in flip flops in a store aisle.

K

Does anyone know how to go about finding the value of a pair of ballerinas' slippers? We have a signed pair of Nina Ananiashvili from one of her performances with the Bolshoi ballet ---- I understand that she is now retired and wondered what they might be worth --- any info would be appreciated!

Judi,

They are worth what someone is willing to pay. A lot of different factors would go into pricing-were they from a notiable performance (first performance in a role or very last performance ever), how much of a demand there is for the item, and how hard are they to come by. Like art, I would think, a deceased dancer's shoes would be worth more because they would be limited over a living dancer who might be retired.

K

She just posted today on her YT Channel- her daily vlog series ( called Project Prima) that she is in Paris to audition for the Paris Opera Ballet.