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 Allison DeBona
Ballet West demi-soloist
 If you've seen Breaking Pointe, you'll recognize Ballet West demi-soloist Allison DeBona.
Although the first episode didn't paint Allison as the most sympathetic character, she's a strong supporter of the show.
"I think they're doing a great job, and my story helped draw people in. That whole personal situation (her relationship with fellow dancer Rex Tilton) was real at the time."
Viewers responded strongly to the Rex-Allison storyline, including some who tweeted that they'd be happy to be his girlfriend if she didn't want to be. "He's such a humble guy - he would never expect all these girls to go mad over him," Allison says.
"Keep watching," she goes on. "As the episodes continue you'll really get a sense of how we operate." The show, which began with contract renewals, will continue with casting for the spring season.
Personal stories will also develop in interesting ways. "We're ballerinas, trained to act well. It took a few weeks for them to get to know us, and for us to open up, to be silly or upset in front of the camera. (Then) we realized that we couldn't hold back our emotions."
The first episode's most emotional scene showed Katie (Kathleen Martin) not receiving a contract for next season. "It was gut-wrenching - that was when she really found out," Allison says. The situation was difficult but "it's a very real aspect of our lives."
Allison was one of the first dancers to say, "Let's do it," when the company was given a vote about being filmed. She saw it as an opportunity to dispel preconceived notions and myths about professional ballet and to increase Ballet West's visibility.
She has great pride in the company and believes that artistic director Adam Sklute "likes unique dancers," including those with different body types and of different ages. "He really appreciates young talent like Beckanne (Sisk) but also the older dancers who've experienced life and can draw on that."
 She calls the company "a bunch of smart dancers." Her colleagues, many of whom have graduated from or are attending college, are "level-headed, very dynamic and smart about how they treat their bodies." She also describes them as having diverse interests, from creating custom leotards to following sports. (Originally from Pittsburgh, she's a Steelers fan and says principal Christiana Bennett, from Massachusetts, loves the Red Sox.)
Allison began her own career relatively late, after earning a bachelor's degree in ballet from Indiana University. "People told me I couldn't be a professional if I went to college. I'm so grateful to have gotten a job at age 24," she says. She was promoted to demi-soloist last year.
Earlier, she had interrupted her training in eighth grade, returning as a high-school junior. Having a "normal life" for a few years gave her valuable perspective. "It was hard to get back and my body had changed, but (the break) made me appreciate it more," she says.
 One constant throughout her training and career has been Grishko pointe shoes. "I'm a Grishko girl," she says.
She has a high, flexible arch and "the longest, craziest" flexible toes. (She says that the remark she made on the show about Beckanne's "fat feet" is actually a standing joke between them. "Mine are too narrow," she explains.)
Grishkos give her the support she needs behind her toes without making it difficult to point and they "stay stronger, longer" than many other shoes. "They don't melt on my feet or break in weird places," she says.
Also, unlike so many dancers, "I don't mess around with my shoes - people are amazed," she says. After a bit of added glue, "I put them on my feet and dance and they feel great."
Allison wore stock shoes until two years ago, when she consulted with Judy Weiss for a special order with a slightly lowered vamp and heel. She wears 2007s wit h a Hard shank in size 6XX.
She notes one more benefit of the fit and support of her Grishkos: "I never get blisters, anywhere."
Photos courtesy of Ballet West and Allison DeBona.
Top to bottom: Ballet West demi-soloist Allison DeBona, photo by Erik Ostling; in Nicolo Fonte's Bolero, photo by Jesse Coss; with Elizabeth McGrath in Yiri Kylian's Sinfonietta, photo by Luke Isley; with Adrian Fry in Yiri Kylian's Petite Mort, photo by Beau Pearson; in George Balanchine's Emeralds, photo by Beau Pearson
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Fitting Notes
