The story behind Britain’s first Black ballet dancer and her pointe shoes

• Britain's first professional black ballerina, Julie Felix, appeared on BBC's The Repair Shop to have her historic pointe shoes meticulously restored.
• Felix brought the ballet shoes she wore for her first professional solo performance four decades ago, which held significant sentimental value.
• She shared her experience of racial discrimination in the 1970s, being rejected by a London ballet company due to her race, which led her to join the all-black Dance Theatre Of Harlem in New York.
• The restored shoes symbolise her achievement of performing a solo role at the Royal Opera House, a moment she shared with her late mother, who was her staunchest supporter.
• Felix, who received an MBE in 2024 for services to dance education, was deeply moved by the restoration, fulfilling her mother's wish to display the shoes in their home.

IN FULL

The emotional story behind Britain’s first Black professional ballet dancer and her pointe shoes