Beginning Pointe

[Guest kristindancer27]

Hi,

 

I'm 19 years old, and a beginner-ballet student. (I took ballet for about three years when I was younger, since then concentrated on figure skating and am now back to ballet.) The class I'm taking now is just through my school, and I'm only there about once a week.

 

I am interested in going on pointe in the future. I realize I have to wait a while and become more experienced first, so I was thinking of taking an adult beginner pointe class at the end of next year some time. Do you think this is a good way to begin?

Thanks,

 

Kristin

[Victoria Leigh]

Hi Kristin, welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers!

 

Actually, to even think about pointe work, you need to be taking a minimum of 3 classs a week for quite a while before going on pointe. Two to three years, most likely, depending on how long ago your early training happened. If you are basically a beginner now, and only doing one class a week, I would not even begin to think about pointe. We firmly believe that once a week is not enough for anyone beyond a pre-ballet child. So, the suggestion would be to increase your number of classes now, and then see where you are in a couple of years. You should be at an Int. technique level before going on pointe.

[Guest kristindancer27]

Well actually.. I'm not exactly sure where I am on the technique. I know that the class I'm taking is past grade 6 ballet (so at the intermediate level.) So I'm not complete beginner, but I consider myself that since I haven't taken it in so many years. I'm able to keep up in the intermediate class, but still some of the other girls are a lot more experienced than me.

 

So.. would you recommend that I start taking more ballet than just through the school if I want to improve my technique? And then maybe after next year I can get approval to start learning pointe at an adult class?

 

I want to make sure I do everything right. I know poite can be dangerous if not done properly!

Thanks!

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, the suggestion is to take at least 3 classes a week, and they should be hour and a half classes. You might want to also check out the "Sticky" thread at the top of the YD and Pointe Shoe Topics forums, entitled "Facts of Life about Pointe Work".