For more information on ballet pointe work, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/prepointe

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For helpful tips on pointe work, please take a look at this:
http://tinyurl.com/prepointe
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It is one of the most often asked questions in ballet, yet one to which there has not really been one
definitive answer; "How do I know when I (or one of my students) am ready for pointe work?"
Young girls dream of their first pair of pointe shoes for years before they will be allowed to get into
them, and, until now, it has basically been up to the teacher to decide when each student makes
the transition.
This has lead to many girls being allowed up too early, to "keep up with their class", often resulting
in chronic foot injuries that may plague even the most competent dancer throughout their career,
or even permanent damage. Due to the variability in growth rates of girls in the 11 - 14 year age
group (when moist girls start en pointe) and the lack of complete closure of many of the growth
plates in the feet until at least 16 - 18 years of age, strength of the feet and ankles is a huge factor
in preventing injury when progressing to toe shoes.
In Australia, many dance teachers have realised the importance of getting each girl individually
assessed prior to going onto pointe. The 'best dancer' within a class may not necessarily have the
strongest feet, and many weakness can be hidden inside regular ballet slippers. They advise each
girl to undertake an assessment with a Special Dance Physical Therapist, who will perform
screening tests that take much of the responsibility off the dance teacher in deciding who is able to
go onto pointe and when. Following an initial assessment, special strengthening and mobility
exercises are taught to strengthen any weaknesses in the dancers feet, ankles, hips and core
muscles, to help the girls cope with the demands of pointe work.
A Dance Physical Therapist will see hundreds of girls each year for such assessments. The
teachers find the resulting written reports on each girl extremely helpful for tailoring corrections in
class, and all note the dramatic improvement in the girls overall approach to dance, both
technically, and energetically, once they have their assessment, and have specific goals to work
towards.
As there is a limited number of dancers a therapist can see day to day, and due to the enormous
global interest in Ballet, a program was developed that made this process available to the world. It
is based around 4 stages, each with clearly described tests to assess each girls current strength
and mobility, explanations of what any weaknesses may mean, and programs of specific exercises
to help improve all the highlighted areas. Once a girl can correctly perform all of the tests in each
stage (each has a check-list to ensure that they are performed correctly) she should be strong
enough to commence pointe work under the guidance of a qualified teacher. All of the tests and
exercises are clearly demonstrated with clear photographs of both the correct and incorrect
positions.
"The Perfect Pointe Book" is the essential companion to any dancer, either aspiring to progress
to toe shoes, or already en pointe, and is an excellent resource for teachers of pointe work.

2. Lisa Howell (B.Phty) is a Physical Therapist (Physiotherapist) based in Sydney, Australia, who
specialises in the assessment and treatment of dancers of all ages, from young students to
professional level, and teachers. She is dedicated to the education of dancers to help prevent
injury, and to develop optimal performance at every level. She produces a FREE weekly dancers
newsletter with tips on all aspects of dance to help spread her knowledge to the world. To find out
more about “The Perfect Pointe Book” or to receive the newsletter, click here Pointe
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Howell
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For helpful tips on pointe work, please take a look at this:
http://tinyurl.com/prepointe
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