| How does a teacher decide when a dancer can go | | | | there comes a time when dedication is required to |
| onto pointe? | | | | ensure safety. |
| I have mentioned a few times in my articles about | | | | This dedication has to show up before pointe work |
| ballet shoes and pointe shoes, that it is a good | | | | begins. |
| strategy to start doing strengthening exercises for the | | | | Developing good technique in ballet, means pushing |
| feet before starting classes in pointe shoes. | | | | your physique to the max without sacrificingsafety. |
| One or two classes a week will not prepare the feet, | | | | Preserving the integrity of the joints and muscles may |
| or whole body, for pointe work. Three classes a week | | | | mean a restraint of advancement. Fellow students |
| for at least a year will enhance the preparation, but | | | | who are a little older, more physically developed and |
| even then, to achieve the optimum strength there are | | | | stronger, may go into pointe class sooner than others |
| exercises a student can do every day. | | | | who are not. |
| The dancers I talk to seem very motivated to get into | | | | I've had students who are "born pros". When I've had |
| a class, so I am assuming that adding an exercise | | | | to hold them back in some way, I explain exactly why |
| regimen to their already busy day would not be a | | | | and they really get it. They are willing to build strength |
| problem. | | | | for good dance technique, knowing that they will catch |
| Lisa Howell, a dance medicine specialist, has written a | | | | up once the strength has been established. |
| wonderful training series for young students who | | | | This attitude reflects a positive outlook and a visionary |
| aspire to do pointe work. | | | | one. Children are more than capable of this. Whether |
| She explains many fine points of anatomy, especially | | | | or not they have a great talent, some have an instinct |
| of the foot structure and muscles. She covers turnout, | | | | for the more productive approach to their progress. |
| hip placement, and more. | | | | They are ready to suffer (and they do!) a short term |
| Students wonder "do I have the right arches for | | | | disappointment. |
| pointe?" ...."do I have the right toes, the right ankles, | | | | It's truly difficult for a teacher to work out a long range |
| enough turnout?"...."why does my teacher say I'm not | | | | plan for every individual student, to get them to build |
| ready?" | | | | strength for future pointe work. |
| I've always advocated holding a student back, if there | | | | If a student can find a prepared series of |
| is the slightest reservation in my mind about putting her | | | | assessments and exercises, and can assess her own |
| on pointe. Weak technique in any area can be | | | | progress, the ones who want to advance in this way, |
| improved, so why risk an injury or deviated growth | | | | will. This strategy will help prevent injuries and teach |
| pattern in a child? | | | | the dancer to avoid dancing in pain. |
| Concentration and awareness is extremely important | | | | The good news is, you can have your own plan for |
| in ballet class. It is recreational for many children, but | | | | building strength to do pointe classes! |