Ballet Exercises - How to Strengthen For Pointe Work?

by Jenny
(Greece)

Ballet Exercises - How to Strengthen For Pointe Work?

Hi! I am 14 years old i used to dance ballet when I was eight for 2 and a half years!one and a half year ago I started again but only hip hop and modern and the last one year ballet too!(I work home by myself too!)I have try to stay on pointe shoes many times and I think i can!I don't want to ask my teacher because she will tell me than it is too early so what exercises can I do home to streanghten my legs and generally my ability to dance better?
oh!Can I wear them?And will it be too old for me to do it professionally after years?
PLEASE ANSWER,
JENNY

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Reply by Odette
To:- Ballet Exercises - How to Strengthen For Pointe Work?


Remember, just like I did before I went en pointe, ballet students MUST take responsibility for their own strengthening prior to beginning pointe work.
Australian dancer, Lisa Howell has made a video which explains how pre-point strengthening works.
Don't leave it to your teacher!
You can watch this pre-pointe video
yourself here (just wait for the page to load up then the video is on the top right of the page).

Hi Jenny,
Thank you for your message, it’s great to hear from you. You clearly have a lot of enthusiasm for dancing, which is what I like to hear!

I know there are teachers who don’t always agree with what you want to do, like when to start pointe, but there’s often a lot of sense in what they say. You don’t want your teacher to hold you back, or discourage you, but you also have to work together to reach your best as a dancer.

It would be good to talk to your teacher about pointe, so you can get an idea on whether you are ready. If you don’t want to do this, then you will never know what she says. Even if she says it’s too early, you might still get positive feedback that you can focus on until you are ready.

The best thing I can suggest for you, is to look at Lisa Howell’s pre-pointe ebook. Pointe work is a very important stage and if you want to start, then there is a lot of information to tell you before you do! Take a look at the video above which will give you a taster to the book. It is crucial to understand the techniques/ tips/ tricks before you can really excel in pointe work.

Your ballet classes are the most important time to improve your dancing ability. You must focus 110% in every class and use each exercise to strengthen your skills. There is always more to work on, so listen carefully to the corrections your teacher gives and work your hardest to reach your personal best.

To dance professionally, it isn’t just about how many years you have been dancing. It is also factors like where you train and what your ability is like to whether you could have a chance for a career. The amount of training is crucial and it is a very serious stage if you decide to dance professionally. It is the training beforehand that prepares you for a professional career.

Let me know your thoughts and keep in touch!

Best wishes,
Odette