Pointe Work Safety and Preparation
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Before you begin pointe work classes there are a few things you need to know.
Dancing en pointe is seen as a ‘rite of passage’ for all professional ballet dancers as well as some adult ballet dancers and can be hugely rewarding and enjoyable practice. However, dancing en pointe carries with it a greater risk of injury than training in ballet class in regular soft shoes and there is a specific amount of experience and strength which is needed before you begin.
To put it into context, a professional ballet student begins preparing the feet and body for pointe work approximately 4 years before even putting on a pair of pointe shoes! This preparation consists of a variety of body conditioning and foot and ankle strengthening exercises which are very remedial and repetitious. After the students progress has been checked by a teacher a decision will be made as to when they can begin pointe work.
With my adult ballet dancers, I try to stick to the same format - ensuring the correct level of ballet training and the prerequisite capabilities are met (such as being able balance on one leg unsupported for a period of time and being able to perform a determined number of calf raises), checking the core stability, ensuring the feet and ankles have enough mobility and strength to being to able to withstand the body weight and pressure insides the pointe shoes and providing all the essential conditioning exercises which must be done outside of our classes together for a period of time which I will set depending on all the factors above.
Then you will be able to purchase your pointe shoes and begin training en pointe!
Sheila en pointe during the Norfolk Ballet Retreat 2020.
What you need to know
Your pointe shoes must be fitted by specialist in person and shouldn’t be purchased online. Purchasing a pair of pointe shoes which do not correctly fit your feet is not only an expensive mistake but can also result in injury. You will need to visit a dance shop such as Bloch, Freed and Capezio.
Pointe shoes come in a variety of designs, widths and styles and unless you have them made bespoke, they will arrive in a prototype form. This allows you to ‘mould’ them into whatever you want! Preparing your pointe shoes to be worn is a very individual and ritualistic process and each dancer has their own preference and tricks for creating shoes that feel like an extension on their own feet.
Your pointe shoes would fit like socks, so tight! However your toes shouldn't be curled or crossed. Remember that you will also need to cut your toenails short to comfortably wear your pointe shoes. Toe jewellery and gel pedicured nails are not recommended.
You have a choice of toe protection to use inside your shoes if necessary. These are sold in the same dance shops and online. See the 6 recommended to pads here.
Common Pointe Work Injuries Include:
Blisters and corns are probably the most common pointe work injury and can be very painful especially if in the ‘wrong’ place! The secret is don’t wait for them to come - tape your toes individually using micropore tape and consider using individual gel toe pads.
Ingrowing toenails are common and also very painful. Making sure your toenails are healthy and hard is essential. Manage your diet to ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals that support nail growth and when cutting your nails, always round off the edges or the nail. You may need to seek medical advice if the issue doesn’t improve or becomes more painful.
Bunions in dancers are often a result of repetitive strain and pressure on the big and baby toe joints. It’s vital to stretch and relieve the muscles in and around the foot and lower leg area daily. Please consult your doctor if your bunions are causing you pain or you are worried about how pointe work will effect them.
More extreme injuries seen in professional dancers are twisted or sprained ankles, broken toes or metatarsals, shin splints and osgood schlatters.
Preparing for Pointe Work at Home
You will need
1) A sturdy ballet barre or good substitute. See Frequently Asked Questions for more info.
2) Ideally a sprung floor and not concrete, carpet, stone or slippery vanished wood. Home friendly ballet flooring can be bought online here. Please see Recommended by Karis for more information on where to buy portable ballet barres.
3) To have started the exercises below and incorporated them into your daily routine. Once you begin pointe work it is advisable that you continue to practice these.
4) Have read and therefore agreed to the Safety and Liability Waiver.
Conditioning Exercises For Pointe Work
Metatarsal Contractions
These remedial exercises are as much a brain exercise as they are a foot one! They require a lot of concentration and repetition.
Begin sitting like me in this picture with one foot flat on the floor. Align your foot so that your second toe is in line with your shin bone and make sure your toes are flat. Now contract your foot to make a dome shape, imagining leaving your toes where they are on the floor - don’t let them curl!
By raising the underneath part of the middle of your foot into a dome shape while keeping your toes straight, the metatarsal heads (the big knuckles you can see protruding from my foot) will also lift away from the floor, creating a bridge. Hold the contraction for a few seconds and then release. Repeat this 10 times on each foot.
These exercises aren by far the most important conditioning exercises for any dancer, especially those who wish to dance en pointe. I recommend a daily practice but if this is not possible, then no less than 4 times a week.
Single Leg Calf Rises
A professional dancer needs to perform a minimum of 32 single leg calf rises consecutively. To begin pointe work, I require clients to be able to perform between 12-16 consecutive calf rises with correct alignment of the ankle joint. The heel and ankle should be perfectly aligned over the ball of the foot, with the body weight placed directly over the big toe, second toe and possibility third toe (depending on the shape of the foot).
The knee joint should also be lengthened with the muscles of the thigh activated to ensure the knee doesn’t bend when you lift your heel from the floor. Use the glute of the standing leg to assist your calf raise.
Glut Bridges
Lie on the floor face up with your feet hip width apart, shoulders relaxed and arms at the side with palms facing the ceiling. Pelvis is neutral to begin.
Now, flatten your lower spine to the ground by squeezing your glutes like you are holding a your winning lottery ticket between your buttocks! Then lift your pelvis off of the floor, keeping your rib cage closed, abdominals and glutes engaged until your upper body forms a diagonal line with your thigh bones and knees.
The secret is to maintain the glut activation and pelvic tuck even as you lower the pelvis back to the floor.
Repeat this movement 10 times in sets of 3 (30 in total) with a 15 second rest in between each set. I recommend this exercises be done 4 times a week.
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If you have any further questions regarding pointe work, please feel free to ask.
Please read our Safety and Liability Waiver.