The Repair Shop delivers emotional restoration of ballet shoes worn by Britain’s first Black professional ballerina

by

On the latest episode of The Repair Shop, the cherished pointe shoes of Britain’s first Black professional ballerina were carefully restored.

Julie Felix brought in the ballet shoes she wore for her very first professional solo performance, about forty years ago. She’d had them specially dyed to match her skin color.

Felix shared a story from the 1970s about being turned down by a London ballet company because of her race. They told her they couldn’t include a dancer with her skin color in their performance of Swan Lake.

That experience prompted her to look for new possibilities, and she eventually joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem. After seven years with the company, she had the chance to perform on pointe at the prestigious Royal Opera House.

Felix told Lucia Scalisi and Dean Westmoreland that these were the shoes he had on when his parents came to watch him perform at the Royal Opera House.

She continued, saying she told her mother, ‘You were right, I did it, and I’m here now.’ She gestured to the items on the table, explaining they represented all the hard work, love, and dedication her mother had given her.

When Felix saw the repaired shoes, he was deeply moved. He described feeling as though he’d been punched in the stomach and momentarily lost his breath. He genuinely cried, and even talking about it now brings tears to his eyes, especially when he thinks of his mother. He knew the shoes were exactly what she would have wanted.

She asked me, ‘Julie, once you’re done with these shoes, could you please have them repaired so I can display them at home as a reminder of coming to see you perform at the Royal Opera House?’ That really touched me deeply, because it felt like I was pouring out my heart, just as I did when I was performing on stage while she was still alive.

Looking up at the highest seats in the theater, I immediately told my mother, ‘I’m here, I’ve achieved my goal,’ and the memory flooded back to me.

Now, the shoes are front and centre in Felix’s home, and she sees them “everyday”.

I’m easily drawn to beautiful things,” she explained. “I’d always point them out to my mum, hoping she could display them in her home where she could enjoy them daily. So, I’m grateful to The Repair Shop for making that possible.

In 2024, Felix received an MBE for her significant work in dance education. She was Head of Dance at St Martin’s Girls School in Solihull until she retired.

The Repair Shop continues on Wednesday 15 April at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

As a total TV buff, I just have to share – you need to add The Repair Shop to your watchlist on the TopMob app! Seriously, download it now. It gives you awesome daily TV recommendations, plus all sorts of cool features and extras. It’s become my go-to for finding what to watch next.

Authors

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah writes about entertainment for TopMob, covering everything from popular TV shows and reality TV to important documentaries. Before joining TopMob, she worked at The Tab, where she focused on reality television and celebrity news. She has a journalism degree.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2026-04-09 13:04