TO THE BALLET STUDENT AND PARENT:
Not everyone should dance on pointe!

The decision to start pointe work should be made only by a skilled and knowledgeable ballet teacher.

Students attempting pointe work before being ready risk, at the very least, building bad habits which may take years to correct. More serious is the potential for injury or permanent damage to the bone or muscle structure of the foot, which far outweighs the risk of disappointment.

To avoid these problems, a teacher must consider several things in selecting students who are ready to begin pointe work:

Age -- No student should attempt pointe work before the age of 10. The pressure of the body's weight on the foot and toes, which are still soft and growing before that age, can cause malformation of the bones and joints. Many teachers prefer to wait until the student is 11 or 12 years old.

Training -- The student must have had at least two to three years of serious ballet training and be currently taking at least three classes per week. This is the minimum time and preparation needed for a student to develop sufficient technique and strength to prepare her for pointe work.

Bone Structure -- The structure of the student's ankle and foot is of great importance. The ideal foot has toes of nearly equal length which provide a "squared-off" platform on which to stand. Students having a long big toe may experience some difficulty and discomfort on pointe, since the entire body weight must be supported on just the big toes, but this type foot does not necessarily prevent the dancer from dancing well, safely, or relatively pain free.

The most difficult foot shape to work with is when the second toe is the longest. If the difference in length is slight, certain modifications can help relieve the pressure on that toe. If the difference in length is great, the teacher may discourage the student from attempting pointe work.

The second structural consideration is the degree of flexibility in the ankle and amount of natural arch in the instep. A student whose feet have insufficient flexibility and /or arch will not be able to place the ankle in a direct line between the knee and the toes on pointe. The dancer who is not able to stand on the tip of her pointe shoes should not be allowed to attempt pointe work.

A foot that has an extremely flexible ankle and/or an extremely high instep will need special care and consideration from a teacher with a watchful eye. This type ankle is often very weak and may require extra strengthening work before pointe work is attempted.

Physique -- The student's individual physique must be carefully evaluated. She should have strong abdominal and back muscles which hold the torso in proper alignment, and she should show consistent use of these muscles in and out of ballet class.

Strong leg, ankle, and foot muscles must be able to hold the entire leg in proper alignment. Supinated or pronated ankles are a great risk on pointe and careful attention must be paid to assure that the muscles around the ankle are sufficiently retrained to hold the ankle strongly in correct position.

A student who is overweight risks damage or injury from the extra pressure placed on the toes and should be encouraged to lose her extra weight slowly and sensibly before beginning pointe work.

Attitude -- The student must have a good attitude: paying close attention to and working diligently on the corrections given by her teacher.

Peers -- It is important for students and parents to understand that the guidelines listed above are minimum age and technique requirements. Because students develop at different rates, it is unlikely that an entire class would be ready to attempt pointe work at the same time. Most students who require further work on posture, strength, or other special problems will eventually be able to join their classmates on pointe.

In a few cases, after careful consideration of the student's physique and foot structure, the teacher may deem it best for the student that she not attempt pointe work at all.