A BAILARINA QUE PINTAVA SUAS SAPATILHAS

In "A BAILARINA QUE PINTAVA SUAS SAPATILHAS" (The Ballerina Who Painted Her Pointe Shoes), Ingrid Silva shares a heartfelt and empowering story full of love and representation. She opens up to young readers about her journey in ballet—from her childhood in a Rio de Janeiro suburb to her experience at New York’s Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she rose to international fame. Ingrid recounts how she faced racial and social prejudice and inspires children to discover themselves through her story.
She also explains why she spent years painting her pointe shoes to match her skin tone:
“Ballet shoes were originally made with only light-skinned people in mind—that’s why they’re that pale pink color. But for me, they needed to match my skin. So I started painting them brown because I couldn’t find a single pair in my color anywhere.”
The book also includes a glossary and shares important values with children, emphasizing respect for the diversity of people of different colors, body types, genders, and heights—not only in dance, but in the world at large. It encourages kids to be whoever they want to be and to never give up on their dreams.