OKay...so i am sixteen years old and i am going to start a ballet class in a coulple of weeks. I don't think i am going to be exceptionally gifted or be able to go en pointe this year or anything. I am really flexible and i can tumble and do left and right splits. Not to mention I have had some hip hop dance training. but what i am trying to say is how long will it take me to go en pointe. I am going to University next year. And they have a good dance program there. Could I be en pointe by my senior year? just tell me about how long it would take. I don't wanna be a prima ballerina or anytihng i just want to be able to dance for plays and stuff. THANKS A BUNCH GUYS!!
2007-03-10 13:13:11 · 8 answers · asked by sucha_social_butterfly 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Dancing
i have a high arch....that's what my dance teacher says. i am pretty thin(about 102)
2007-03-11 10:15:11 · update #1
id hate to say it but yea, u need many years of ballet training to even think about pointe shoes.
been dancing ballet since i was 3, now im 17.
began pointe at 9.
but, high arches are good, but risk injury in the ankle if ur ankles arent strong enough. flexibility doesnt mean that much....technique does.
best of luck, i hope u take on ballet
:)
2007-03-12 09:48:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm 16 and i have been on pointe shoes for about 2 years. but i have also been taking ballet since i was 4...
and getting pointe shoes doesn't have anything to do with being flexible. i mean i'm sure it's a good thing, but going on pointe is all about your feet. how is your arch? you need to have a pretty decent arch in order to be able to go on pointe. Also, you must have EXTREMELY strong ankles because ALL of the weight of your body is going to be put on your ankles and your toes. if your ankles are not strong enough, you could do one of several things, which are all extremely bad and could lead to you not being able to dance ever again. You could go over on your box (which is the hard part on the end of the shoe, in other words, your ankle would go way too far over), or your ankle could turn a weird way while you are up, or your ankle could just totally give out and end up breaking.
So my reccomendation would be to go to a dance store and get a theraband. which is basically a long, wide, thin piece of colored elastic. What you can do is wrap is around your foot and then point and flex it about 20 times per foot each day. also, go in circles with the foot that is in the theraband. You can also just stand parallel and just do about ten rises(basically just going up on your tiptoes and going back down) then do the same thing turned out, in first position, second, third, fourth, and fifth, and on the fifth position do relevé's instead of just going up. this will hurt your arches really bad at first and willl make your calves really sore, but i promise it WILL help you get on pointe ALOT faster!
2007-03-10 17:18:58 · answer #2 · answered by kissesfromhvn807 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i started ballet when i was 8 and was on pointe by age 11 and a little bit... i was a bit early tho, most people had at least 4 or 5 years of training. I would really work on strengthening your body, since it sounds like you already ahve flesibility, and esp. work on your feet. you can have any experienced dancer or teacher show you the proper way to stretch and strengthen your feet. I think you should be able to be enpointe in 4 years, but it will tkae work, and also don't expect to be doing a lot of work immmeadietly, it takes years to be as competent en pointe as in flat shoes
2007-03-10 16:01:35 · answer #3 · answered by Joe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
at my dance studio you are required to have atleast 3 years of ballet experience, sometimes more, and take at least two pre-pointe classes. mostly it depends on natural talent and what your teachers see in your. and I hate to say this; but hip hop training will not do much for you in ballet. also, ballet requires muscles that most people do not use regularly, like the ones in your back that you feel when you do an arabesque. so, it can take up to five years of training until you are ready to go en pointe, maybe sooner if you are talented.
2007-03-10 13:19:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, its almost physically impossible for you to go en pointe until at least 3 solid years of intense ballet training, i mean, its good to strive for somthing and everything is possible, so dont give up and always remember to work hard and you will be en pointe anytime soon.
Good Luck!
2007-03-10 14:04:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, contrary to the other's responses, I went to a new studio when I was about 11...I had taken ballet since I was 3 but not intensively...I was not skinny, I had good ankles though...they put me on pointe in a week...I reccomend a gamba pointe shoe as a started vs. a wooden soul, gamba starters are cardboard (at least mine were) & they're what most of the people in my calss got...get nice pads....i don't recommend gel however (this increases blistering)....if you love it & are willing to work you should be able to achieve your goal...if you are a strong hip hop dancer, then you must have a little meat on your bones....just work with that...& good luck!
2007-03-10 16:50:07 · answer #6 · answered by Lauren Elizabeth 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depending on your studio, they will have you en pointe no SHORTER than 6 months. You have to have VERY strong ankles for pointe, and the ballet training you receive in soft shoe will help condition your body so that you can safetly being pointe :)
2007-03-10 14:05:27 · answer #7 · answered by CelticPixie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's usually 3-4 years of basic ballet before you even put on those torture chamber toe shoes.Your foot muscles have to develop and those callouses have to form in the pointe shoes. It will be a while before you can pirouette on your tippy toes.
2007-03-10 13:26:05 · answer #8 · answered by bomullock 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋