Ballet pointe shoes are special footwear that allow dancers to perform on the tips of their toes. They have a long and fascinating history of innovation and evolution, from the first ballet slippers worn by Marie Camargo in the 1730s, to the flying machine invented by Charles Didelot in the 1790s, to the romantic pointe shoes popularized by Marie Taglioni in the 1830s. Pointe shoes are made of various materials, such as satin, leather, canvas, paper, glue and burlap, and are shaped by hand using a technique called "turn-shoe" method. Each pair of pointe shoes is customized to fit the dancer's foot shape, size and strength. Some dancers prefer traditional pointe shoes that wear out quickly but offer more flexibility and sensitivity, while others opt for more durable and supportive pointe shoes that use modern materials and technology. Pointe shoes are not only functional tools, but also symbols of ballet's beauty, grace and mystique.