When Is A Ballerina Ready To Begin Pointe Work?
Beginning pointe work is a very exciting milestone for a ballerina. Dancing on your toes requires years of training to develop the necessary strength of the legs, ankles, and feet, but there is much more than just time to prepare for pointe work. Most ballet teachers have very strict requirements before starting Pointe classes. Before we discuss when the time is right to start pointe classes, let’s look at what pointe classes entail. Pointe work occurs when a ballerina uses pointe shoes to perform her routine. Pointe shoes allow the ballerina to perform in a way that makes the ballerina seem taller and almost weightless. Performing on pointe adds to the beauty and majesty of the routine, but pointe shoes do not offer enough support to allow a ballerina to do this easily. There is still a tremendous amount of strength and practice that must be met before a ballerina can perform on pointe. One of the more important things to consider when interested in pointe is age. Although the proper
