dance moms -- pointe class?

[undercovermom]

dd, 16, stopped taking dance classes at her studio 2 years ago when she made the school dance team.

two years later, dd and the team have parted company. our old studio has gone really down hill, and so dd decided to try a new studio. she has always loved ballet, but never took a pointe class, so that's the first thing she signed up for at the new studio. she's being fitted for her first pair of pointe shoes as we speak.

any advice?

 

[cabanafrau]

Expect some soreness, blisters & bruising, even if shoes are great fit, dd is ready, etc., etc. DD & friends are working through their first year on pointe. DD is fortunate enough to be the one amongst about half a dozen friends to have feet that are "ideally suited to pointe". Even with that, she has times where blisters pop up -- she keeps Band-Aid in business & lately has suffered some bruising underneath her toe nails.

We were recommended an herbal remedy for keeping the inflammation down & she treats her toes most nights. It is called Arnica & she chose the liquid herbal extract to appy to the edges of her toe nails. She says it really does help. You can also get creams & ointments with Arnica in them, which seem like they would be easier to use, but she wanted the liquid & that's what she's using. We got it at a local vitamin store. The form she got it in says it's actually a dietary herbal supplement, but she puts a drop on her toes at night & says it does soothe the bruised feeling.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

In my experience you can't just sign up for pointe. You have to have so many years of ballet and then the director decides if your body and skill level is enough for pointe. Good luck!

 

[DebD4T]

In my experience you can't just sign up for pointe. You have to have so many years of ballet and then the director decides if your body and skill level is enough for pointe. Good luck!

Same here. DD#1 was just accepted into pointe class this year. (She is 13 and has been dancing for 10 years)

In the school DD#1 goes to, for at least the first year of pointe class, the students do not get to wear pointe shoes. The first year is all about strengthening their ankles and legs.

DD#1's director does not allow anyone under the age of 13 to enroll in pointe class.

I guess every school is different.

 

[rascalmom]

My dance years are long over & only one of my dd's are still doing any dance (just hip hop), but I danced through college, and older dd did ballet until she was 18.

Pointe isn't something you just "sign up" for, particularly after a two year break. Did the teacher evaluate her? If she wasn't thoroughly evaluated, I would not allow her to use the shoes until she is ready. Two years is a long break in ballet & even though her body is in shape from the school dance team, it is NOT the same as being in condition for ballet.

That said, I WAS ready when I moved to pointe & still had some damage.....it is extremely hard on your body.

It is your dd's & your choice, but I would really question an instructor who was willing to do this "cold". What are their credentials? Do they have a degree in pedagogy?

If you go ahead though - lambswool, moleskin, etc.

She will need more than one pair of pointe shoes by the end of the semester.

 

[bsnyder]

Remind her that it's always going to be a difficult class and that the discomfort caused by it will never completely go away.

My dd is in her second year on pointe, and she's not what I would call a "grin and bear it" personality type when it comes to physical pain. In other words, she is not a stoic. She's the type who complains loudly and often.

So, as a mom, I think you need to be prepared to deal with some of this stuff - to the degree that your child is a "complainer". I think especially when it comes to physically pain, we moms don't like to see our kids hurting. Makes it hard for me, to hear the complaints, but I also know how much DD wants to improve her dance skills, and pointe, without question, is a key part of her strategy. So, I try to give lots and lots of encouragement, and kudos to her, for being able to handle the pain (I tell her constantly that she's A LOT tougher than me - that seems to really please her!)

 

[CraftyMouse]

In my experience you can't just sign up for pointe. You have to have so many years of ballet and then the director decides if your body and skill level is enough for pointe. Good luck!

Most definitely! Pointe is not like other disciplines. You have to make sure your legs, and particularly your ankles, are strong enough. One of the tests the girls had to go through at DD's former studio was standing in releve for 60 seconds without any wobbling. If they couldn't do it, they couldn't go on pointe. And remember, that this was with a teacher that had been teaching them for many years and knew their abilities.

Personally I would encourage your DD to take a straight ballet class for a year before going on pointe, just to be on the safe side.

 

[SC Minnie]

DD14 is in her 2 semester of pointe. Her instructor started a class last Feb. The minimum age was 13 and the girls had to have years of ballet. They also had to be invited into the class. From Feb-June they manly worked on strengthening their ankles with barre exercises. They DID NOT preform in the June recital. Several of the girls in DD's class still can't stand w/o the aid of the barre. DD and the girls that can really put forth effort outside of class and it shows.

I took pointe for several years in my teens. Yes, there is foot/ankle pain. When DD complains I tell her this class was her decision to try for. She knew it wasn't going to be easy.

I think some of my issues with my feet/ankles today are a result of years of pointe. But to be honest, if I could go back in time I would still do it.

 

[amyhughes]

My ankles still aren't right from going en Pointe, and for years my toes looked messed up (blisters, toe nails etc.). My ankles will still pop loudly, though not as often as they used to. One thing I would recommend when/if she does this taking it SLOW. She can hurt her toes, ankles, knees, and back if she moves too quickly.

It is a wonderful experience I wouldn't take back for the world, but it is HARD WORK. Best of luck to her, I know it can be high pressure to go en pointe when you are in ballet for so long and others that are your age are doing so. Just make sure you weigh all the options before allowing her to go.

On a side note with pointe shoes I would recommend toe wool, bandaids & Neosporin for after class. She will also need her back rubbed and her legs rubbed sometimes because her muscles will be changing as well and toning in different places.

 

[undercovermom]

I'm very comfortable with this studio, it's a no-recital studio so they emphasize technique. and it's a small class. we met with the studio owner before we signed up, and he felt she was ready for pointe, but I suppose the instructor will do a more thorough evaluation -- if she spends weeks or even a couple of months in the class doing pre-pointe exercises, that would be just fine.

 

[DebD4T]

I'm very comfortable with this studio, it's a no-recital studio so they emphasize technique. and it's a small class. we met with the studio owner before we signed up, and he felt she was ready for pointe, but I suppose the instructor will do a more thorough evaluation -- if she spends weeks or even a couple of months in the class doing pre-pointe exercises, that would be just fine.

JMO...I would put off purchasing the pointe shoes until a more thorough evaluation is done. Having the shoes may prove too tempting for your DD. I would hate to see irreparable damage done to her due to unpreparedness.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

DD13 goes back and forth about going en pointe. Back in May, her ballet instructor said DD was ready. But, then we moved. Her new teacher is currently evaluating her. I'm not in a rush because I want her to be ready and strong. She's not sure she even wants to. But I told her the other day that if she's even a little interested, she should try it. If she doesn't care for it after 6 months or so, then she knows it's not for her. She's stronger in tap and jazz anyway. But, I'm afraid that if she doesn't at least try it, she'll regret it down the line. I think it's because she recognizes that its not her strongest dance style, that she's hesitant. But ultimately, it'll be up to her.