Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 4/7/2008

Question
QUESTION: I'm 12 years old and been doing tap and Jazz for about a 1 year. I also been singing since I've been 6 and acting since I've been 6 acting for 6 years as well. I want to to more dance so I can be rounded in performing arts. I was wondering if I were to start ballet how long would it take to get to point work. I have a good turn out and I'm good at bar exercises. I already have a private teacher who is my jazz and tap teacher, she is really supportive in whatever I do in dance. To get to the real question...Do I have a chance to do good in ballet and go on point?
thank you so much,
Maddy

ANSWER: Hi Maddy. Definitely you can learn ballet and go onto pointe at some time. It's hard to say when, but the general rule is 3 years of ballet behind you and three classes per week in the past year. Of course every student has different abilities, different teachers and different work habits.

If you are serious about it, yes, you can do it. It sounds like you are very busy already. If you do get in a couple of ballet classes a week, you will enhance all your dancing abilities and (depending on your training) learn technique to prevent injury.

There are also excellent support books out now. One I would recommend is at http://www.theballetstore.com, The Perfect Pointe Book. It is written for pre-pointe and pointe students. It is also a fantastic source of information on basic technique in general. The link to it is on the front page of the site. The author is a dance medicine specialist and she is very knowledgeable.  If you do start ballet, her info will help you progress safely and faster. There are also lots of articles to read on that site that may interest you.

Of course your body will strengthen according to your ability to concentrate along with a good diet too. You are used to working hard, so try it definitely for a year or two. All the work you pour into ballet will add to all of your stage craft - so go for it!

Please feel free to ask me any further questions. All the best, Dianne.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much!! Do you know any exercises that will help me with strengthen my ankles, I know that that is very important in ballet. I've been practicing relieves a lot, I can do about 45 of them before I get sore ankles. Do you know anything else I can do before I start classes with my private dance teacher because my mom wan me to start ballet in the summer (I'm busy right now).
Thank you so much,
Maddy

Answer
Hi Maddy. You can do any of the strengthening exercises I write about at http://www.theballetstore.com. There are exercises for the foot muscles, the torso muscles and leg muscles.

Slow motion press ups checking for postural correctness are useful and will help prepare you for pointe work. I also refer to those in several of the articles. And anything in the Perfect Pointe Book. In fact, the author prepares charts for you to map your progress.

All of the exercises will contribute to how strong you get - and how the other areas of the body support, for example, the muscles in the foot/ankle/calf area. Unless you are sure of the accuracy of your movements, repetition isn't necessarily useful. There is a lot of information to understand that will enable you to get the most out of practicing.

All the best, Dianne.