3 methods of beginning pointe work

Every studio and teacher treats pointe differently. It is impossible to know at exactly what age you or your child will get her first pair of pointe shoes. Every student has a different story, and the dancer's readiness (assessed by teachers, fitters, and possibly doctors) must be considered along with the studio's standards. It is impossible for me to explain the mindset of every studio and teacher, but in this post I want to try to help dancers and parents understand major methods of teaching beginning pointe.

There are three major approaches to putting dancers up en pointe to begin pointe work. I will be calling them "the flat method," "the demi method," and "the full pointe method."  I have come up with these terms because they accurately explain how each method works; they are not universal names that you can expect anyone else to recognize. Also note that I am providing age ranges based on my experience as well a the experiences of others. All studios are different and many dancers go en pointe at different ages. Do not expect your experiences to be identical to what is described. 

The full pointe method

In this method of beginning pointe, students start wearing pointe shoes at a young age with little specific pre pointe work beforehand. Many girls go up around age 9 or 10, but some schools allow students as young as 7 or so get pointe shoes if their teachers think they are ready. The students have usually had at least 3 or 4 years of ballet before going up, and they must demonstrate good strength, technique, and commitment to training in ballet and other exercises multiple times a week. When the girls get their pointe shoes, they usually spend about 15 minutes per class doing basic pointe exercises. This should not exceed about 30 or 45 minutes per week. The students will gradually increase the amount of pointe they do as they age and advance in level. They should begin doing full classes en pointe when they are about 11 or 12 years old (after the growth plates of the foot are fully hardened) and/or they have been en pointe for about 2 years. Sometimes this method is associated with traditional methods of Cecchetti and Vaganova ballet training

Benefits: Students are usually taught a lot about pointe shoes and have a good understanding of the shoes and their feet because of the time taken to work with them en pointe. Students also feel less pain in their shoes because they spend less time en pointe per class, and by the time they do full classes en pointe they are used to pointe shoes and therefore have fewer minor foot problems (blisters, etc.). 

Problems: Students MUST only work en pointe with a teacher and for only a short amount of time per class or she risks severe and irreversible damage to the feet and growth plates. Some doctors, fitters, and other dancers (and dance parents) really disapprove of this method and are sometimes vocal against it. Dancers who start pointe before puberty can outgrow pointe shoes very quickly, which will result in the dancer and parents spending a lot of time and money at the dance store (pointe shoes must fit exactly with no growing room). 

The demi method

This method of teaching requires students to wear pre pointe shoes or demi pointe shoes (these terms mean the same thing) for a period of time (ranging 6 months to 2 years) before the students get their first pair of "real" pointe shoes. Pre pointe shoes are like pointe shoes: they are made of satin and have a hard toe box made of a papier mâché type material.  However pre pointe shoes have no hard shank. They are about as flexible as brand new full sole ballet slippers. Pre pointe shoes are meant to strengthen students' feet and get them used to wearing tougher shoes; they will NOT support a student's weight on full pointe. Students should NEVER rise to full pointe in pre pointe shoes unless a teacher specifically says to do so as part of a supported barre exercise . I like to explain pre pointe shoes as similar to a training bra. The pre pointe shoes provide no support. They just train the dancer to get used to a piece of equipment she will need in the near future. Students training with the demi method usually get their pre pointe shoes between ages 9 and 11, and they usually go en pointe around age 12 or a bit older.

Pre pointe shoes

Benefits: Students are usually very strong and prepared to take good care of their pointe shoes after they have trained for a while with pre pointe shoes. This method also helps ease students from easier flat shoes to tougher pointe shoes. There will be less of a shock with how hard and stiff regular pointe shoes can be. 

Problems: Students must not rise to full pointe in pre pointe shoes. This can cause serious injury and damage to the shoes if the dancer is not supported. Pre pointe shoes look almost identical to real pointe shoes, so students can sometimes make a mistake and think the shoes will support them when they really do not. Also, students will need a professional fitting for pre pointe shoes, but not all dancewear stores carry them. Check with the teacher to find out the best way to acquire pre pointe shoes. 

The flat method

In this approach to pointe, students stay in flat ballet shoes until their teachers deem them completely ready for pointe. Pre pointe exercises are often done (in flat shoes) for a year or more to strengthen the feet to prepare for pointe shoes. Students working with the flat method usually go en pointe between ages 12 and 14 after the growth plates have hardened and the students have demonstrated responsibility and commitment to ballet.  Some schools may require a doctor's visit to make sure the bones and joints are mature and healthy enough to stand the rigors of pointe.  After students get their pointe shoes, they may spend up to half of each class working en pointe at the barre and eventually in the center. Dancers usually do not do whole classes en pointe until they have been up for at least one year. 

Benefits: Little risk of foot damage from overworking pointe too young. Students are usually more mature and careful with their shoes and bodies when working en pointe. Students tend to outgrow fewer pairs of shoes when they begin pointe later, so it can be less of a cost to the parents. 

Problems: Students have to wait longer to get their pointe shoes and may become upset when they see younger girls (usually from other studios) who already have pointe shoes because they train under another method. Students can also become overwhelmed with the big change from easy, comfortable flat shoes to tougher stiff pointe shoes. Students may feel a lot of discomfort when beginning pointe exercises. 

There is absolutely no one right way to begin pointe, and every school and student is different. I hope this post helped broaden your understanding of methods of pointe work.