Adult males doing Pointe?

[Geezer]

I'm just curious if any males on this forum have ever tried, or want to try going "En Pointe"? Although there would be no practical reason for doing it, I think it could add a new adventure for males who feel they've gone as far as they can.

 

Your thoughts?

[Garyecht]

I've never spent a nanosecond thinking about dancing on pointe. In fact, I remain perplexed as to why so many adult females want to do this. But that's just me.

 

One thing that I've come to like about Spanish/flamenco dance is the difference between male and female dancing. Ballet has some of that in that females are on pointe while males do more the big jumps and turns. Modern seems to have even less distinction between the sexes, at least to my eye. Personally, I like the differentiation both as a performer and as an audience member.

[Hans]

I'm curious about why you feel you've gone as far as you can...and I have reservations about that as a motivation for starting pointe work.

 

I have taught pre-pointe and pointe for several years now, and I can't say that has fueled any desire to try pointe myself. I think ballet is difficult enough without the further encumbrance of pointe shoes!

[lilcris]

I know a pre-pro male dancer who does some barre exercises in pointe shoes - he uses them as a strengthening tool and because he thinks it's fun.

 

Anyway, a lot of men don't even consider it, but you want to try. So why don't you?

[Geezer]

I know a pre-pro male dancer who does some barre exercises in pointe shoes - he uses them as a strengthening tool and because he thinks it's fun.

 

Anyway, a lot of men don't even consider it, but you want to try. So why don't you?

 

Because I'm still getting used to ballet. I'm way too old so Pointe isn't in my future, but I've heard that Pointe for males is gaining more acceptance.

[kylara7]

I have seen men in pointe shoes doing class in a variety of places, for a variety of reasons: wanted to see what it was like, teaching pre-pointe and pointe to young dancers and wanted primary experience to "test the theory", wanted to strengthen feet and ankles (you can stretch your feet and ankles in pointe shoes in a way that you can't replicate otherwise), personal challenge, because it looked interesting, etc. The very BEST part about being an adult recreational dancer is that you can do whatever you want...without hurting anyone else or putting yourself in danger so having good teachers to assess and guide you is key.

 

I'm an adult female dancer who took up ballet as an adult and started pointe in the past year. Many people ask "why the heck?" and all I can say is "because I want to and because I can"...with a BIG cat-with-the-canary grin For myself, I like a personal challenge, a physical challenge, and I want to satisfy my curiosity about all things ballet (I have also volunteered on tech crew because I'm a nerd who likes gadgets and "how things work" and I like learning about what goes on behind the scenes to make them happen).

 

I have found that pre-pointe and pointe have really made me learn about my feet, from my ankles to my toes, and gain control and strength in my intrinsic foot muscles (my shoe size has dropped by at least 1/2 a size as a result of pointe!) I have learned a lot more about pelvic placement and weight placement in general, use of my rotators, lots of little technique issues, etc because being en pointe really exposes any of one's weaknesses in those areas. I work differently in flat shoes as result of this new awareness. It's done fantastic things for my legs, from an aesthetic viewpoint ;) And I have a whole new level of awe and appreciation for professional dancers when I watch ballet.

 

If you want to try it, educate yourself, find good teachers, and go for it! You can always try and then bail if it's not for you, but you DON'T want to wonder "what if?", is my personal opinion. Personally, I applaud the men that try it and think it's awesome...if you were in my class, I'd be standing at the barre next to you egging you on

[Balletbrit]

I'm also wondering what it's like to try pointe. I've sometimes seen guys use pointe as an exercise to strengthen their ankles ( personally, I think ice skating could do the same trick!! LOL!!). I know that balancing on pointe would be monumentally harder than on demi pointe, but is it really difficult to remain on pointe with the aid of a barre?

 

Kylara7...you mentioned in a post that you would email me.

Balletbrit1@yahoo.com

 

Also want to wish everyone Happy Holidays!!

 

Balletbrit.

[gav]

I've sometimes seen guys use pointe as an exercise to strengthen their ankles ( personally, I think ice skating could do the same trick!! LOL!!).

 

Ice skates should support your ankles, not flop around them. There's no way to fully articulate your foot and ankle in either figure or hockey skates, so they absolutely will not allow you to strengthen your ankles the same way as ballet, en pointe or not. If the skates you're wearing do that, get new ones!

[Hans]

If you are going on pointe, your ankles should already be strong. Going on pointe with weak ankles is asking for an injury.

 

There's nothing wrong with doing pointe exercises on demi-pointe in order to get stronger, though.

[Balletbrit]

I guess I touched at least ONE nerve with my "ice skating" comment. It WAS only mentioned in jest. So for anyone else who took my comment as serious, I do apologize.

 

Balletbrit

[gav]

Oh, no. The "off topic" emoticon makes me seem more annoyed than I was. I've just seen so many people skating in unsupportive, dangerous (or poorly tied) boots over the years that I thought it was worth issuing a Public Service Announcement!

[mom57]

My daughter says there are men on pointe in the open class she takes sometimes. There were also men getting fitted at Russian pointe when we were there for fittings.

[Geezer]

I don't think any part of ballet training should be off limits to either males or females. If a guy wants do Pointe, good for him. If a girl wants do the lifting in PDD class, good for her. Granted these are not too common, but I think it ads a great deal of diversity to ballet classes.

[olddude]

I have been doing pre-pointe for a year or so - that is, I take a 1-hour pointe class every week, but I wear flats - maybe I should say it's a demi-pointe class for me! Kylara said it well about improving strength, precision, and balance. In fact, I think that's why I was encouraged to do it by my teachers. Three teachers have encouraged me, none of them has done anything more than joke about me actually getting those shoes! (I am now agitating for a half-hour of pas de deux after the class ... not sure that will go over, but worth a shot!)

[Geezer]

I would think that Pointe would help a male dancer improve his balance and strengthen his feet and ankles. If that is a valid point (no pun intended), then I do wonder why Pointe isn't more widely offered to males? Please keep in mind that I do not claim to have a vast knowledge of ballet from many years of training. I'm just a guy who takes ballet lessons as a form of exercise. I would certainly not offer myself as any kind of an expert. I just participate, observe and ask a few questions.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Geezer