One of the most common assumptions about ballet is that the ultimate goal is to dance on pointe. In reality, that isn’t true for most dancers, and it certainly isn’t necessary to ‘go on pointe’ to become an accomplished ballet dancer, or to enjoy the many physical and mental benefits offered by a ballet training.
I have attended ballet classes and taught ballet, consistently throughout my life, and although I did pointe work for a some years and acheived a reasonable level, it was never my favourite part of ballet.. It is an element of classical ballet which, yes, adds a level of beauty, and ‘magic’ perhaps, to the final performance, but …
Ballet does not NEED to include pointe work, for it to be beautiful and magical, either for the dancer or the audience.
There is a certain joy to taking part in ballet class, however many times you’ve done it before. Many adult ‘returners’ say that coming back to the barre makes them feel at home, it’s familiar, it’s consistent, it will always be challenging, and it is always a wonderful excape from day to day life. And the release and happiness when dancing a combination in the centre, (whether you get it right or not!), is always so fun and rewarding! Quite apart from the enjoyment and social aspect of the class, the mental and physical workout has been confirmed as being fantastic for our health as we grow older, especially as it increases strength and improves balance and coordination.
It strikes me that adding the element of pointe work to the training of adult dancers who attend class with recreational rather than professional aims, is pointless. (Excuse the pun!) And I would never, ever advocate someone doing pointe work (child, teenager or adult), unless they had the bone structure, ankle mobility and strength required.
When I was around 12 years old – a very long time ago now! – I was put on pointe before I was really ready. At the time, teachers simply didn’t have access to the continually developing knowledge about strength, alignment, and safe progression that ballet teachers have today. Looking back, I don’t really think I had the strength required in my ankles and feet, or in my turn out, to acheive much on pointe. As I reached the major exams which require some dancing on pointe,, I managed enough – but I never felt completely comfortable with it. However, as I stated above – pointe work is just a small part of a ballet training, even at a more advanced level.
Later, in my early twenties, I broke a metatarsal (when falling down the stairs – not while dancing!) It would have been a good while before I’d have been able to do pointe work again, but in fact, I never felt any desire to do so. I didn’t put on pointe shoes again for a very long time. For many years, I taught children ballet, and did millions of pliés and tendus and relevés, with increasingly good technique myself, as I explained and demonstrated to children in many different ways through the years. The repetition, the focus on the detail of really doing things as correctly as possible, and the continual improvement in my strength, alignment and control, meant that I became a far stronger dancer by the time I turned 50, than I had been aged 18.
In my early 50’s, when taking another group of students to be fitted for their first pointe shoes, I became curious about trying it again myself. I was fitted for some shoes and was amazed at how easily I could now dance on pointe! Proving that only when really properly prepared, through daily training, should anyone do this strange thing known as pointe work!
(Unfortunately, you won’t be seeing me performing on pointe very often now though, as arthritis began affecting my over-used big toe joint, and I don’t want to risk it getting too bad.)
Nobody should go on pointe – whether they are a child, teenager, or adult – unless they have the necessary strength, alignment, control, and technical understanding required. Pointe work places significant demands on the entire body and it is easy to cause long term damage. It should never be viewed as an important step towards becoming a “real” ballet dancer. I often see children on pointe, who train with other teachers locally and around the world, who are not yet ready, and I worry for them as they are likely to experience pain in later life which will have been caused by damage they do to their joints now. You may not see many of my students on pointe – but you can have completely confidence that those who do dance on pointe in my school’s productions, are really well prepared and are dancing safely and comfortably.
If you want to return to ballet or wish your child to learn this beautiful dance form, join Bourn to Dance today. I offer classical ballet classes in Cambridge for children aged 4½ and above, teenagers, and adults. I also offer short ‘booster’ courses of private lessons for young dancers who want extra coaching to improve their ballet technique and artistry. Visit the website today to learn more about Bourn to Dance.