Repair Shop restores Britain’s first black ballerina’s shoes

Repair Shop restores Britain’s first black ballerina’s shoes

Britain’s pioneering black professional ballerina, Julie Felix, saw her iconic pointed shoes restored on the BBC show *The Repair Shop*. The program, which highlights personal treasured items, featured the 67-year-old’s footwear 40 years after her debut solo performance. Felix gained fame in the US after recounting her experience of being barred from a London ballet company in the 1970s due to racial discrimination. She later returned to the UK, where she taught at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and now the shoes have been meticulously repaired.

“The moment left me speechless, as it was an outcome I had never imagined possible.”

According to Felix, the restoration idea came from her late mother. “It just turned out that life is busy as we all know it, and I never got the opportunity to get them fixed,” she explained. Each episode of *The Repair Shop* showcases individuals entrusting craftspeople with sentimental belongings, often with a personal story behind them. Felix, who once held the role of Head of Dance at St Martin’s Girls School in Solihull, expressed surprise at how the project surpassed her initial hopes. “My idea was to have them mounted somehow, just slightly salvaged in some way, but Dean exceeded my expectations,” she added.

Felix was later honored with an MBE for her contributions to the arts. The episode featuring her shoes will air on 8 April at 20:00 BST on BBC1. For more updates, follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram.