Almost every dance student starts ballet because they want to dance in pointe shoes. They know they will have to work hard to get their foot muscles strong enough for the beautiful pink satin toe shoes. Adult ballet beginners know they may not get into toe shoes. Yet many will work very hard to see if they can.
Are there special exercises that could make this easier for both the young and old ballet beginner? It is a given that each wants to find the best ballet teacher in their area. And a dance academy that has a pleasant encouraging atmosphere.
Or one that fulfills their expectations of discipline and drive...
What can a ballet beginner do at home to get closer to being ready for pointe shoes?
At home, exercises for pre pointe can be learned and practiced six days a week. Always have a day of rest. But bear in mind that the ballet barre exercises you do in every class, also get you ready to dance in pointe shoes. Not perfectly, but pretty close to.
Every ballet position and exercise prepares you to dance en pointe. Understanding correct posture (which is natural posture of the spine), just to start, will help you get the best ballet position in plies, tendus, and all the ballet exercises done at the barre.
Correct ballet positions use your core muscles perfectly - pulling up the lower abdominal muscles. Holding in your stomach as you breathe adequately. Does this help you prepare for pointe shoes? Oh yes!
Understanding correct ballet turnout, how to increase it and how to hold it correctly with the right hip muscles...yes, this helps you to be ready for pointe shoes.
Understanding that ballet stretches, done with comprehension, relax and tone your muscles - yes, this too gets you more prepared to dance in toe shoes.
And, yes there is more. Very special exercises that isolate and strengthen the foot muscles, those little tiny muscles that are particular to the sole of the foot. The advantage you have in taking time to learn these pointe shoe exercises is that you will determine exactly which foot movements have a weakness.
You can work on your particular weaknesses until you have perfect confidence that your feet have the right ballet muscles functioning correctly.
When the sole of the foot muscles get strong, the muscles of the lower legs -the calf and shin muscles - get a relief from over-exertion. This can prevent shin splints and Achilles Tendon inflammation.
When the sole of the foot muscles get strong and sensitive, ballet foot control will be better in releves, and jumps - and for pointe work!
Also, learning how to take care of your ballet muscles is part of the process. Knowing how to massage your calves and feet properly is not to be slighted. Using a tennis ball, or a Pinkie ball, helps you prevent inflammation and injuries.
Learning some details about nutrition, the best kind of protein, and how magnesium resolves muscle cramps will help you too.
And THEN when you go to buy pointe shoes, you will be ready! Whatever you can do in soft shoes, you will be able to do in pointe shoes. Of course it will take some getting used to. I recommend that you learn the best ballet stretches and get your own ballet muscles dancers guide to be ready for pointe shoes.
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