How thick do your ankles have to be to go on pointe??

Question

I've been doing ballet for as long as I can remember. I just recently stoped ballet and joined my school's dance team. If I start ballet up again, should I ask my teacher about going on pointe? How thick do your ankles have to be? Are there any ankle-strengthening exercises that I can do??

-My teacher said before I left the studio that I needed stronger ankles to go on pointe.. I know that muscle tone, balance etc. are also needed... All I need to worry about is the ankles.

I am 15 years old! :)

Answer 1

everyone has said this already, and probably alot better than I am gonna say, but the thickness of your ankles does not have anything to do with it. you need to be very strong, be able to do most ballet steps flat (not on pointe) already, and have been doing ballet seriously for many years. If you start up again, you should wait at least a year before asking her about pointe, and you need to be careful, make sure youre actually ready and don't just have some fantasy about pointe shoes, they hurt a lot, it makes you feel really helpless the first few weeks because you cant do any of the basic steps that you could do flat (my first class I could barely manage a passe, and I did peke turns with much dificulty, wobbling and bent knees, ), so think it through carefully, but pointe is really fun and a rewarding experience likenumber 3 times a day, on both feet, in all 5 positions, and do some no other.
I wont restate what everyone else has said about the releves, those are very important!!!!!!!!!!!! do 3 times a day!!!
do a set with flexed arches and on passe. as well as in the 5 positons and parallell, and increase by 10 as soon as they start to feel easier and your muscles are not as tired, your ankles should feel weak and tired after each one. ask your teacher about other excercises, tell her you would like to learn some excercises for you ankles

Answer 2

It is not about size, it is about strength! How old are you? You must be at least 11 and have 4 years previous experience, or else it is really bad to go on pointe. Your teacher should know if you are ready for the exercises and stuff. Pointe is a lot harder than beginners ballet. Are you ready?

Here is a workout/stretch you can do that I have posted on previous answers. It really does work, that is why I tell many people to do so.
64 releves 1st position
64 releves 2nd position
64 releves right foot coupe
64 releves left foot coupe
64 releves right foot attitude
64 releves left foot attitude

Answer 3

there really is no certain thickness, just the strength. take a few classes first before you ask about pointe. if you're just starting back up again i would not think they would let you onto pointe the first year so take a year, and maybe towards the middle or end of the year ask your teacher if she/he thinks your ready or what you could work on to work towards getting onto pointe. some excerices that would help would be: releves, eleves, broken ankle excercises, (really any excercise you do that you feel your ankles "burning" or getting tired" good luck with ballet and i hope this helps you :)

Answer 4

When I was photographing a school in NY I over heard them Talking about X-rays before the girls were allowed on point. I think it had to do with if the bones had finished growing or not.
Seems they could do real damage if they tryed it to soon.
Ya might want to get with a Dr. or qualified instructor for a real answer.

PS hope to see you someday when I'm back at the school

Answer 5

having thick ankles has nothing to do with it.
to go on toe you must have exceptional muscle tone and balance.
and the toe shoes help.
If you don't know that, you either had a really poor instructor, or don't pay attention.

Answer 6

No, the thickness does not matter. Just practice non-pointe exercises.