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Preparing for Pointe Every little ballerina imagines herself standing on her sweet pink shoes, balancing confidently, gently stepping like a butterfly. This image is so tempting, that it can inspire a growing commitment to daily hard work. What is it about the classic ballet shoes that make them so charming and lovable? Is it the pink color, or the tiny strings that we put around the ankle? Or is it the grace of the dancer stepping on them? |
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| What must be achieved before the day we are able to wear the magical pointes? There is a lot of hard work, for sure, before we are ready to do our first pirouettes on pointes. There is also a lot to learn about how we stand, where we put our weight, how we balance, how we step and much, much more. | |
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What to accomplish? The first and major thing we have to improve before we get to wear the pointes is our Posture. How we stand is the most important question we have to answer every day of our practice. The weight of the body is not a cargo for the legs. If you stand loosely and you don’t feel the connections in your body, then all of the weight is pressing on your ankles and knees and you will look fat and heavy. The basic requirement for an excellent posture is to imagine the vertical center of your body, starting from the feet and passing up to the top of your head. Imagine a silk thread passing vertically through your center and continuing up, up, up… far above your head. Follow this silk thread. Bring all your body parts up /legs, torso, neck, head/ and release the tension in your muscles. Imagine - the thread is alive and movable. |
| Next you must search for, and then become conscious of, the Center of the body. It is located a few centimeters below the navel. It is a shiny ball of rays which distribute the directions in our body and connect all of its parts. Movement through the Center is of great importance for dance. The Center controls not only the connections, but the energy of movement. The Center is the secret to the ability to balance and to build a strong attitude towards dance. When you rise up on pointes, when you pirouette, when you jump, build an arabesque or just step in space it’s all about movement through the Center. | |
| The flexibility and strength in our feet is another important thing to observe and carry out. The feet are the “workers” of the pointes. They have to be very strong and sure in their steps and pas. They also connect us with the ground and stabilize our dance movements .Feet are special and they need special treatment. Try to give your feet attention and time to develop. First of all – do not wear uncomfortable shoes. Choose shoes which are supporting, soft and flexible. If you constantly wear hard shoes, your feet will be constantly stiff and tensed. Uncomfortable shoes can also damage the arch of your feet. | |
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The arch is the bottom of the feet and is very important for a healthy foot. An outward or inward foot position can often aggravate flat feet. When you step on your feet, try to distribute the body weight uniformly. Distribute the weight to all parts of the foot. Do not curve the foot inward or outward. The correct stance will help you to develop your arch and build strong feet. |
| The feet are also connected to the ankles. In fact they are brothers and share the responsibility when you step on pointes. That’s why they both have to be prepared for their task. Be aware of the right position of the ankles – up in a straight line above the feet! Do not loosen the ankles. Hold them straight up, without any curves. | |
| To prepare the feet and ankles for the magic moment of wearing pointes, you can practice and play a few exercises. These simple movements you can play in addition to the regular ballet classes – before, after, or separately. Some of them will improve the flexibility of your feet, others – their strength. Remember – the most important thing in each exercise is to accomplish it not only with your body, but with your thoughts. The thoughts design our performance. Our mind is one of the teachers we need on the way to perfection. So, think about your feet, ankles and posture. Imagine your feet moving true and sure. | |
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Flexibility |
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Collect some marbles /small balls, pellets/ Spread out a few small balls on the floor. With your toes try to move them from one place to another. You can arrange them by color or size. This exercise will train your feet while you play. The flexing and releasing of the toes and feet will develop their muscles and flexibility. You can even practice this exercise at home, while standing or sitting in a chair. |
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Practicing for pointes Sit on a mat. Legs straight out in front on the floor, back straight, hands resting on the ground for support. Practice the pointe position by dividing it into the following elements: |
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1. Flex the feet. |
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2. Stretch the Ankle. Try to stretch the top of the foot like the ankle. Do not attempt to stretch the toes. |
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3. Stretch the toes /Pointes/ Just the toes! On the way back – First flex the toes, then the ankle. Repeat at least 10 times each. |
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4. Stretch the toes /pointes/ (ankle stretched) – Hold the stretched ankle position. Repeatedly stretch and flex just the toes. Repeat 10 times /1- stretched pointes, 2 – flexed pointes/ |
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Building an arch Stand upright and set one foot forwards on the mat. Place an empty bottle of Deodorant (or any bottle) on the mat. The bottle can be made of any rigid material. Roll the bottle with the sole of your foot. This exercise will help you to relax the foot and mould your arch. It is a perfect device to release the tension in your foot after the hard work in class. You can practice it at home, standing or sitting on a chair. You can also suggest this exercise to your mama, after she has spent a long day walking in her high heels :) |
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Fan Make a fan with your toes. Try to move them independently, one by one. Start with your smallest toe and progress to the big toe. Spread the fan outwards and inwards. This exercise might be difficult for you. Do not torture yourself, but enjoy playing with your toes. |
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Foot massage When you have finished the exercises, take time to massage your feet. Press your foot firmly with your fingers. Give special attention to the arch on the sole of your foot. Massage the toes. Massage the ankles. Think about your feet and their mobility. |
| Now, walk around the hall. Do you feel something new in your feet? Do you feel all the parts of your feet warm and movable? Give special attention to the way you step on your feet. When you step distribute the weight on the whole foot. Feel the ankles and their connection to your feet. Feel that your feet are strong and ready. | |
| After this flexibility workout for your feet, you need to continue exercising their strength. I hope you remember the importance of a good Posture for the health and perfect performance in dance. Remember the magic thread that goes vertically upwards, passing directly through the Centre of your body. You will need these thoughts while performing the following movements: | |
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Strength |
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Half points |
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Stand in the Centre. Legs are in 6th or 1st position. Arms are in 1st position. Bend the knees and perform a Demi Plie. On the way up /right after the Demi Plie/ lift the torso up until you reach the half pointes position (standing on your toes, not the tips). Hold in this half points position and count to 10.Then slowly lower the heels to the ground. Do not loose your posture. Let your whole body stand up straight, while lowering the heels. Don’t forget to observe your posture and the fine thread that passes through your vertical centre. |
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B.
Perform the same exercise but in double fast time. Hold the half pointes position while you count to 5.Then slowly lower the heels to the ground for 5 counts. Breathe and remain open, smiling. You should not torture your body. Find the way to enjoy this correct movement. |
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C.
Perform the Half Pointe position for one count. Coming down from this position also for one count. Be aware for your posture. Try not to loose the body’s form while you “jump” on the half pointes. |
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Working the ankles Stand in the Center. Legs in 6th position; hands placed on the waist. Lift the right ankle up into the half pointe position. Stretch the foot up into the pointe and then press the tops of the toes to the floor. Press firmly but at the same time gently. Be aware not to overstretch the ankle and to keep it directly above the foot. Return the foot to the half pointe and let the heel down to the 6th position. While you do this, maintain the correct direction of foot, ankle, and knee – one above the other. The knee should be opened in the same direction as the foot. Do not curve your ankle out of line. It is good to perform this exercise after a long warm up or after class. Do not stretch the foot if it has not been prepared for this work. |
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Connection & Stability Stand in the Centre. Legs in 6th position; hands placed on the waist. In this position try to feel the connection between all of the parts of your body – the feet and ankles are connected with your upper body, arms and head; the feet are connected with your spine through the Centre of the body. |
| Again - Lift the torso, until you reach the half pointes position. Do you still feel the connection? Check your stability on your feet. Try to think of your body as a whole. Maintain the ankles above the feet. Do not curve them. Do not lift the toes off the ground. Trust them and let them ensure the connection between the body and the ground. | |
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Tips for correct foot improvement The basic rule for the correct foot development is No pain! If you feel any pain while practicing the following exercises, or in your regular ballet class, you must inform your teacher. The cause of this pain must be investigated thoroughly. If you dance through the pain you could permanently damage your feet and affect your future in ballet. The health of your feet is very important and should be observed by you and your teacher! Pain can be caused by the constant curving of the ankles above the feet. Flat feet could be another reason for pain or discomfort while you dance. In the case of flat feet, it is good to visit a specialist who can prescribe a special exercise treatment or orthopedic shoes. |
Take a serious observation of your performance at your daily ballet class. Answer the following questions for yourself:
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| The teacher in your ballet education is irreplaceable. If you have any doubts, any questions or misunderstandings about how to correctly perform any movements, you should not hesitate to ask your teacher. | |
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What else you should be aware of:
Basically, all the movements in a regular ballet class are very important. All the plies, tendus, relevés etc lead you to the desirable moment of stepping on pointes and becoming a real ballerina. You should be very precise with the way you accomplish your teacher’s requirements. Everyday work at the barre and in the centre of the dance hall will benefit your ability to attain that precious skill. Every single movement during the class is connected to furthering dance pas and variations. Prepare yourself for pointes by working consciously on the ballet material, by paying attention to the smallest details and by practicing with your body and your mind. |
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| One day your dream will come true. You will step confidently on the top of your pointes with the grace of a butterfly. Like a real Ballerina. | |
Words and things of importance that you need to remember:
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