Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 11/25/2008

Question
Hi, I'm thirteen years old and when I was younger from the ages of 3-7 I took ballet, and then later from the ages of 7-9 I took hip hop and jazz. Just last year, I thought about pursuing ballet again because in one of my classes at school we were talking a lot about it. I've started to take two classes a week(3 hours a week) in a III/IV class with girls around my age who have been doing ballet since they were little. My legs are very strong because I do Dance Dance Revolution a lot and I'm one of the best dancers in the class. I've caught on very quickly over the past few months since September and I also plan to do a ballet program this summer at a performing arts camp. How long do you think it will take for me to reach pointe? And, should I ask my teacher to tell me when I'm ready?

Answer
Hi Sylvie. Yes, ask your teacher when she thinks you might be ready for pointe shoes, and if there is anything in particular you should focus on improving. I wouldn't be able to tell you when you'd  be ready without seeing you in ballet class.

You could also get The Perfect Pointe Book which will enable you to assess your strength in specific muscles, and methodically strengthen them. The author's link is at http://www.theballetstore.com It is a download with photos and videos and lots of instruction. This would help you get ahead faster, and safely. It will help you perfect your basic ballet positions and ballet movements as well as get stronger.


All the best, Dianne