What is your pointe shoe secret? Episode 12: Kayo Nakazato
- Ikuko
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Episode 12 of the What is your pointe shoe secret? interview series features Kayo Nakazato （中里佳代さん）. For the first time in this series, this interview is published bilingually in Japanese and English. The interview was conducted in Japanese and it was translated to English by me. Click here for the original Japanese version.
Originally from Saitama, Japan, Kayo is a Soloist of Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse in France.
Unfortunately, I have not seen her performance. How do I know her? I have had a pleasure to make her a few leotards. She is a very friendly person and we got a conversation going. When I requested an interview with her, she kindly accepted it even though she was manic busy with her rehearsals as Swanilda in Coppelia.
Kayo shared us a lot of images and movie clips with us, including an exclusive. Obviously and needless to say, she is a very solid dancer. Hopefully I get to see her on stage in near future.
For now, let's find out about here secret, which supports her top-class technique and artistry. The interview is very very informative and mind-blowing. Enjoy!
What brand of pointe shoes do you wear?
I wear Bloch.
What model? Why do you like them?
Bloch Heritage. They fit the shape of my foot well, and they feel very comfortable. I can immediately dance in a brand new pair. They last quite long and feel almost perfect. I like that their soles are so thin the shoes do not wobble à terre.
Recently, I have been trying Flexus shoes. I have been trying them because, to me, the shoes look beautiful when I put them on, and because their insoles stick to the sole of my foot better than Heritage shoes.
But I have worn Flexus on stage only once so far. I am not used to Flexus shoes just yet. Because they are so different from Heritage I have not been able to make the best out of them. I might switch to Flexus at one point in the future but I am not sure yet.
What is your size and width?
Heritage: size 4.5, width 2x
Flexus: size 4.5, width 1x
How is your pointe shoe size compared to your regular street shoe size?
My street shoe size is 37, so the sizes are about the same.
Since when have you been using this brand?
I have been using Heritage since I was around 20 years old.
Do you ask for any customisation at the manufacturer's side?
I have had Heritage customised before. However, something was not right. So I ended up with ordering shoes without any customisation.
I have Flexus customised. I ask for thinner soles and higher heels. Also I have the shape of the vamp customised.
Do you do any customisation yourself? If so, how long does it take for you to finish customising a pair?
Because my Heritage is not a custom shoe, I cut the shank short myself. In addition, I make the vamp higher because my toes almost pop out. It takes about 20 minutes to customise a pair of shoes, including attaching ribbons and elastics.
Can you share a picture/ short movie clip or two of your pointe shoes with us?
Yes, I made a movie clip for you.
Do you like soft shanks better or hard shanks better?
I like them on the soft side. I think Heritage is quite a soft shoe to start with.
New shoes or old shoes?
Depends on choreography. I use hard shoes, like almost a brand new pair, when I perform a classical pas de deux. For the dance roles which require lots of through-demi pointe, for example the variations of Sylphide and Sugar Plum Fairy, I use slightly softer shoes. For neo-classical roles, I like to use very soft shoes that months-old shoes work just fine. I do not necessarily prefer one over the other because I need both. By the way, I like to take classes with relatively hard shoes on.
What support or protection do you use? Do you recommend any specific brands and products? Do you use the same support for both feet or different for each foot?
Basically, I use only toe pads for both feet. When I have an injury, I use Compeed patches and insert cotton between toes. I do not have a specific recommendation but I like toe pads with a thin bottom.
Do you use elastics and ribbons of any specific brands?
I use ribbons and elastics provided by the company. The ribbon is quite thin and elastic. The elastic is a mesh-type. I am not sure about the brands.
Sylphide
Have you tried any other brands before? If so, why did you change?
As a child, I used Chacott's Swanilda because they were the standard of the ballet school where I trained. After that, I used Freed Studio and other Japanese brands. I tried on Bloch when I moved overseas to pursue ballet training. Bloch turned out to be a good fit. So I switched.
Do you use different shoes for different roles?
As I have mentioned, I change shoes depending on the roles and the choreography. Not only do I change shoes for every act for a full-length ballet, but also I often switch shoes between a pas de deux and a variation in one grand pas de deux. I surprise many people because I switch shoes around so very often. It is actually a hustle. I envy dancers who use shoes like Gaynor Minden and Bloch Etu.
How long do a pair of shoes last?
It is difficult to tell exactly how long one specific pair last for because I switch shoes around all the time. Probably, a pair last for a few months for me. Shoes become too soft for a classical pas de deux in less than a month. Then I keep them for other roles I like to dance with soft shoes on.
Lastly, what is your ambition for this season?
It is probably to finish the rest of the season without an injury. Regardless the season, I always think it is important to look within myself, work hard day by day to continue to grow technically and artistically and to become a better dancer.
Thank you so much, Kayo san!
