Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 7/7/2010

Question
My whole life I've wanted to do ballet. As a toddler/young child, I did take lessons, and apparently I was quite good, too. But I gave it up to pursue soccer. Now, I'm 15 years old and recently began a beginners ballet class. I am 5'4", 111 lbs, with a very small frame. I am slightly bow-legged in that my knees do not touch when my feet are together, but my instructor said that I can overcome that in my dance. In my class, I am one of the worst because the entire class is an adult and they have all been trained in ballet, and are just re-familiarizing themselves in the art. It is my goal to dance "en pointe", and I want to know if that dream is possible, and what I have to do to achieve it.
Thank you so much for this!

Answer
Hi Kelsey.

Certainly your dream to dance in pointe shoes is possible, and you seem willing to do what it takes to get there. Something that will help you immensely is The Perfect Pointe Book, which you can check out this link:

http://www.linkbrander.com/go/70655

This book is a download, with text, photos and video. It covers the basics of ballet technique, gives you self-assessment tests to determine your strength levels as you progress in ballet classes, and also gives you specific exercises to strengthen your foot muscles, your turnout muscles and your postural muscles.

The wonderful thing about this book is that it would help you achieve good basic ballet technique, good pirouettes and good allegro even if you were NEVER planning to go on pointe. And yet it is designed to get you into pointe shoes more safely. I think it will give you a focus - and a plan!

It costs $47.77 USD. If that's a possibility, check it out. You will refer to it for help in training in ballet and pointe shoes for many years.

I have many articles about ballet technique that you may also find interesting at :

http://www.balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com/

If I can help further please let me know.

All the best, Dianne