Mikhail Baryshnikov started designing his pointe shoes in 1994 with the help of Nadine Revene, director of design at New York-based ASCO, Inc. Together they designed and manufactured a complete line of pointes and ballet shoes.
After many months of research and testing with professional dancers, ASCO released its Baryshnikov line of shoes in 1996. The shoes were made in a pale peach satin that had a matte finish and a soft peach canvas. They were designed with fabrics and colors to eliminate the need for dancers to "pancake" their shoes to get rid of the shine that can be distracting during performance. Their unusual diagonal side seam was designed to allow the dancer to connect with their shoe and feel more secure. It was a streamlined, delicate looking shoe that was built for both students and professionals.
The box had a shape that allowed room for the whole foot to spread, but still maintain support en pointe. It was made from an artificial, solution-activated material. The Baryshnikov pointe featured a modified wing shape for easy roll-through and articulation.
Comfort was also a consideration, padding was attached to the insole and the inner platform that was made from reaction material for added shock support from jumps. (This design carried the American Podiatric Medical Association seal of acceptance.) The insole could be purchased separately to use as toe padding or as a filler to fill empty spaces in a shoe. The outside of the shoe had a soft, anti-slip suede leather.
Demi-Strong: softer roll-through, average nicely curved arch
Strong: for dancers who need more resistance, average to high instep
Flexible but strong: A very responsive shank.
Extra Strong: For dancers with very strong arches and highly developed muscles who need a strong uplift.
These shoes were fitted approximately 2 to 2 and 1/2 sizes smaller than the dancers street shoe size.
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