Virtisse

The Virtisse story begins with three women, each one from a different background but each one with a unified vision, to create the best pointe shoe for a new generation of ballet dancers using science, industry expertise and a whole lot of grit. Tired of disenfranchisement, the three of us came together to break boundaries and transform the pointe shoe industry.  

Although we are new to the market, we have over thirty years of experience to answer the question “Who are you”? We are a woman run and woman owned company with a passion for ballet. Our mission is to collectively shine a new and unconventional light on the ballet world and embrace those who may feel and experience non-conforming treatment. Together, along with our shared and beloved dance community, we present Virtisse.  

Irene Wilson is the first woman to successfully market Russian-made pointe shoes in the US market starting in the early 1990’s. Khabira Temesheva Isenzhulova, PhD (aka Dr. K), is the only person to have earned a PhD in engineering with a revolutionary thesis in pointe shoe technology and has created and supervised the production of premium quality pointe shoes for the world’s most recognized pointe shoe manufacturers. Leading the Virtisse team is Christine Wilson, a financial guru whose experience includes tech start-ups and venture capital experience.

Our criteria for the best products rests on function, durability and foremost the ability for performing artists to articulate and freely express their movement. Modern science, creativity and an understanding production technology are our guiding principles. We design and produce durable and beautiful pointe shoes that are anatomically correct and take into consideration the physiology of today’s ballet dancers.

Virtisse is the realization of our vision and we are thrilled to bring these extraordinary products to the dance world.