Pointe Technique Book

[Guest Hazel]

I don't know if this is the right forum for this question so please move it if it isn't.

I've been working hard all summer earning money and am considering buying "The Pointe Book. Shoes, training and technique" by J. Barringer, S.Schlesinger. I've seen it mentioned a few times on the site so I hope you'll know which one I'm talking about. My question is, is it worth £15 of my hard earned money?

Is it a good information source for a "not aiming to be professional" pointe student that's somewhere between beginner and advanced?

Thanks in advance

[Guest Lolly]

I would try and get it from the library before you buy it. I have it, and it is interesting and kind of useful but I think it is quite American - you will know that we can't get all of the pointe shoes here that they have there! It isn't my favourite dance book by any means. (If it was me I would save up a bit longer and get the Ward Warren one!) But I am just one opinion...;)

[Mel Johnson]

While on the other hand, I am quite sure that the Pointe Book contains such a concentration of pointe-specific material, that it's well worth £15. It will save you time, energy, and technical trouble, not to mention injury (injury? I said not to mention injury!) no matter what level of pointework one essays. For a mature reader, it's a sine qua non!

[Guest Hazel]

Somehow, I seriously doubt that any library I have access to would have it in stock or be able to get it for me. I think its a bit too specialised for them. Their idea of a ballet book would more likely be a children's my first ballet book or something similar.

Lolly, I'm not sure which book your talking about when you say the Ward Warren one?

Anyway thanks for your advice, I'll think I probably will end up getting it (whenever I get round to ordering it!)

[Victoria Leigh]

Classical Ballet Technique by Gretchen Ward Warren. It's a wonderful book that every serious student as well as all teachers should have!

[Guest Hazel]

Thank you Ms Leigh

[Guest pointe]

I shouldn't be here, but here's my opinion on this book:

 

I have the 1998 revised edition. It's worth the buy, I bought it when I was studying in Australia back in 1998. I remembered that I was a high demand book there, I'd to wait something like 2 to 3 weeks for it.

 

The contents - worth the read. Only the section on pointe shoes suppliers are a little outdated, in terms of the pointe shoes models available in the market, but the writers will definitely have difficult time updating this section, as there are always rapid changes.

 

Other issues like selecting pointe shoes, preparation before wearing, extending the life of pointe shoes, injury prevention while doing pointework are worth reading - as a guide for beginners, besides consulting their teachers and other pointe experts as well.

 

I would not say that the book is American, although the writers are Americans. I think the book is more of a reference, a particularly useful guide. The writers did even mentioned that pointe shoes can be a very personal thing, so most dancers will often find ways for the pointe shoes to work for the to their maximum benefit possible... pointework is the extension of ballet technique that is extremely difficult but very fulfilling to master.

 

IMO, if one is able to master pointework very well, that is the pinnacle of ballet training that any ballet students would want to "die" for, including myself. ;)

 

~pointe~

[Guest Hazel]

By the way I just mail ordered the book the other day but its not arrived yet. If I see the Classical Ballet Technique any where then I might get that too.

[Mel Johnson]

It's money well spent. I consider both books among the essential readings for today's ballet student.

[Guest Hazel]

The Pointe Book juist arrived in this morning's post and I've just extracted my nose from it and on first glance I think it will be a book I dip into time and time again for information.

[Victoria Leigh]

Classical Ballet Technique, by Gretchen Ward Warren, should also be available on Amazon.com. Click on the link above to order! If not, try Barnes and Noble.