Ballet Pointe Shoe Discomfort: An Exploration Through the use of Real-Time Assessments while Performing en Pointe Movements

Despite the advancement in technology, the ballet pointe shoe remains unchanged and very few research and studies have investigated it. The pointe shoe is still in use today and poses many disadvantages to the ballet dancer's foot health. This research aims to uncover ballet dancers' feet discomfort while dancing en pointe, in the hopes of contributing to the improvement of the future design of pointe shoes. This research brought together a human-centred approach in order to comprehend and gain different perspectives on the topic in a real-time setting. Real-time assessments were obtained using questionnaires, a 3-D feet model apparatus and thermographic imaging in a simulated ballet laboratory. Results demonstrated the relationship of the various methods used and their contribution on examining real-time pointe shoe discomfort and pointe shoe design recommendations.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Design (M.Des.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Industrial Design

Grantor dc:publisher

Carleton University

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Ayoub, Christel

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © 2021 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

10.22215/etd/2021-14473

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/42326