Guest bunhead0614 Posted May 13, 2003 Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 I have a problem. I don't have flat feet, yet I don't have a natural beautiful wonderful arch. When I first started ballet my teacher was always like pointe your toe and stuff but I never knew what that meant. Anyway now I know what it means and I try. Every time I think I am pointing to it's fullest obviously I am not because my teacher says something. Are there any excersies to help me with my arch to get a better pointe. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted May 13, 2003 Administrators Report Share Posted May 13, 2003 Michelle, all of the exercises at the barre in your ballet class are designed to help you really develop and use your feet. You can add some exercises with a theraband at home and before classes to try and increase the flexibility of your feet and develop your instep. But there is really nothing better than tendus to develop the feet! If you do not have really good feet, then how well you use them really becomes crucial. Articulation is the key word! You must WORK your feet. Use the floor in your tendus and dégagés and frappés and pas de chevals to develop the muscles under the foot, and then be VERY aware of how you use them in the center, ALL of the time. Quote Link to comment
ConstanzaElisabeth Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 i have strong feet with a fairly good, strong arch and point, but i was wondering if stretching your feet with footstretchers and things after teh growth plates and everything are fused. im 16, and i havent grown in quite a few years, and stretching my feet doesnt seem to do much for them. also, how long should one hold a stretch like this? thank you. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted May 14, 2003 Administrators Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 It should be okay, as long as you don't overdo it, Constanza. I really don't know how long, but I think most stretches should be held anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds or so, and then released. Quote Link to comment
Dolphingirl Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 I just wanted to say that it *is* possible to improve your point, and even your arch, if you have none. Before I went to an SI in the summer of 2001, I had pretty much flat feet...if you saw my mom's you'd see what I mean. Now I get compliments from my teacher all the time about how nice and pointed, yet strong, my feet are. All I did was point a lot, and extra hard, and do a little bit with a (very stretchy) theraband, which was a freebie from a friend. So there is hope out there! Quote Link to comment
BlackbirdBallerina Posted May 15, 2003 Report Share Posted May 15, 2003 If you looked at my feet when I'm just standing, you'd be sure they were flat. And they are. But when I pointe them (sitting on the floor with my legs straight) they will almost touch the floor on their own, and they're very short, so I would think that would make it harder. So I'm thinking there isn't much relationship between your natural arch and how flexible the top of your foot is. My Mom has very high natural arches and she can't pointe her toes all they way at all! Quote Link to comment
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