LaBrie Dance, Smithfield

In 1887, 17-year-old Italian immigrant Salvatore Capezio moved to New York to sell theatrical shoes, opening his first shop near the old Metropolitan Opera House. Of course, he quickly found himself dealing with the intense demands of the professional dancers that frequented the store, and Capezio began challenging himself to master the delicate balance and construction of pointe shoes. By the 1930s, his designs carried dancers across the stages of Broadway, and innovations bearing his name continue to appear today in such television and film productions as Dancing with the Stars and Black Swan. Committed to the needs of performers in dance, theater, and recreation, the Capezio team continues to fulfill young Sal's legacy by crafting footwear for ballet, tap, and ballroom dancing, and gymnastics— they have even crafted custom footwear for notable celebrities and companies such as Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Barnum & Bailey Circus, and Cirque du Soleil.