This Ballerina’s Reaction to Getting Pointe Shoes That Match Her Skin Tone Is Going Viral

Inclusivity is something to dance about—just ask Kira Robinson. The ballerina is going viral after posting a TikTok of herself opening a pair of new pointe shoes. These shoes are different than any she’s owned before because they match her complexion.

“I finally got brown pointe shoes,” Robinson says in the video. “This is so exciting because this means I don’t need to pancake my shoes anymore.” She later adds, “I can’t tell you how revolutionary this is that I don’t have to pancake them with foundation to make them my skin color.”

The video has garnered more than 1.4 million views and is receiving so much attention that Robinson was interviewed on Good Morning America. “I received a lot of comments on my TikTok about how representation is super necessary in the dance world and how a lot of people don’t have that or see that often,” the 18-year-old ballet major said on the show. She’s currently studying at the University of Oklahoma and explains that it’s “frustrating and annoying” to use makeup to color her shoes: “The dance world is slow to accept POC [person of color] dancers, and I’ve just had to deal with it and do what I need to do to perform.”

Robinson discovered that the brand, Suffolk Pointe Shoe Co., was releasing pointe shoes and immediately decided to purchase a pair. “I’ve been wearing pink ones ever since I was a young girl, but when I heard they were creating brown ones, I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I knew I had to grab a pair.”

Suffolk started offering brown satin pointe shoes in fall 2020 after noticing a demand for different shade options. “Dance teachers began to change their dress codes,” company director Keri Suffolk explained on GMA. “Professional dancers have been able to pancake their shoes for quite a while, but for a performance, even professionals must wear what the artistic director or choreographer has determined to be the look they want for the piece. Social change in several forms has challenged many to ask why dress codes and costuming choices are limited to pink shoes only.”

She continued, “Dance reflects the creativity and humanity of our society, and pointe shoes should reflect artists of all colors, rather than limit or exclude.” As for Robinson, she’s hoping this step forward will show other BIPOC that they, too, can be dancers. “When they see me in brown tights and pointe shoes, it can be inspiring for them,” she said. “I hope that people will look up to me and realize there can always be a brown ballerina on the stage.”