{"id":11068,"date":"2018-04-27T15:55:02","date_gmt":"2018-04-27T19:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=11068"},"modified":"2018-04-27T15:55:02","modified_gmt":"2018-04-27T19:55:02","slug":"revolutionizing-the-pointe-shoe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/2018\/04\/revolutionizing-the-pointe-shoe\/","title":{"rendered":"Revolutionizing the Pointe Shoe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By Julie Watterson<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brittany Buckner\u2019s research aims to revolutionize ballerinas\u2019 pointe shoes, making them less expensive and more durable. Inspired by three young ballerinas in her family, she has dedicated her <\/em>Master\u2019s of Science in Textiles<\/em><\/a> research to evaluating the challenges of pointe shoes. Thanks to funding from the <\/em>Osborne Foundation<\/em><\/a>, she plans to continue her studies at <\/em>NC State University\u2019s<\/em><\/a> Wilson College of Textiles<\/em><\/a> and focus her Ph.D. work on redesigning the pointe shoe.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Buckner discussed her journey and what led her to Textiles as well as the focus of her research: common problems encountered by consumers of pointe shoes. She hopes to collect data by surveying<\/a> ballerinas and dancers. The survey is open through July 29. Respondents under the age of 18 are welcome to respond but will need their parents’ permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an undergraduate, she studied Apparel Design and Merchandising at Appalachian State University after starting out as a theater major at Lenoir-Rhyne University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When pursuing a graduate degree what brought you to the Wilson College of Textiles?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NC State\u2019s reputation for having the best textile school not only in North Carolina, but within the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What inspired you to focus your research on pointe shoes?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n