POINTE

[Guest balletjumbie]

i am doing advanced 1 RAD in march 2004, how many hours of pointe work should i being doing? Right now i only have 1 hour a week.

[Mel Johnson]

Since you're at Advanced 1, pointe should be at least 3 hours per week, on three different days.

[balletowoman]

Mmmh, I wouldn't be so specific, and whilst I think 3 hours of pointes per week (3 times 1 hour) would be great, I'm not sure that amount is necessary...

 

I think you could struggle to cover all the material properly (build enough strength and muscle memory) in a one hour slot (in fact, it's always better to have more classes lasting less long, than one big class -esp for pointes), but I would personally advise 2 different classes, each of at least 45 min (so as you have one hour now, add one of at least 20 min) and that should IMO, be enough.

 

It also depends on how many hours of syllabus work (not pointes) you take per week, and how many hours of general ballet (not necessarily syllabus). All this will have an impact on how well rounded you will feel...

Also your natural talent will have an impact! (so if you passed your adv. foundation, or failing that, your intermediate with distinction, you may need fewer hours in Adv 1 than someone who struggled to pass those levels).

 

I think yes, more is better, but I would say the most important will be the hours you take in ballet in general... Very few of my students take 3 hours of pointes, and they still do very well in their exams.

Also, it's difficult to advise generally how many hours you need to take. Certainly 2 lessons are necessary at this level, but to refine the advice would be something that is done individually, and I think asking your teacher, who knows your level and what you would need, would be a better bet.

[Mel Johnson]

Let me explain my reasoning, here. Advanced 1 is one step below the final level, at the end of which you must be functioning as an entry-level professional. Solo Seal is sort of the cherry on top, but Advanced 2 should qualify a student to dance as a corps member anywhere in the world. As a result, a base of strength and stamina must be built. The pointe syllabus material may indeed be covered in one hour. But a mixed class of syllabus and original material, and one entirely "free" class are both essential for building the aforementioned strength and stamina. During Advanced 2, pointe will have to be every day. Technique class, from Intermediate on, should be every day but one, whether it is syllabus or free. This amount of activity is necessary to build the "dancing" quality of the student, and not just the "technical" quality. A complaint is often heard of both RAD and Cecchetti students is that they do the book quite well, but they can't cut loose and dance!

[Guest balletjumbie]

i passed my intermediate with distinction and presently do 1 1/2 hours of advanced 1 technique 1 1/2 hrs of advanced 2 and a free class along with one hr of point. What was said by Mr Johnson about the RAD is true. Doing the ISTD syllabus i think i was a better dancer even technique wise as well as being able to move more freely. With the RAD classes i feel almost robotic.

Edited November 25, 2003 by balletjumbie

[balletowoman]

Yes, I quite like your reasonning Mel in this sense...

 

I agree in any case that -and that goes for ANY syllabus- it cannot work whatever you do at this level if you ONLY do the syllabus classes... It may work to 'pass' the exam, but if you want to be a well rounded dancer, then the syllabus only doesn't cut it!