How long did it take you..........?

Question

how long did it take you to get good at pointe? i was watching some videos on youtube of like 11 year old en pointe at the Youth America Grand Prix, i was like, whoa, shes better than me! how long did it take you be able to perform a variation? a pirouette? fouettes? anything else? i am starting ballet in the fall again since age 8, and i want to know how long it takes other people. I have ok arches, and pretty strong legs. Everyone says that i have amazing turnout for a beginner, my feet are almost at a 180 degree turnout, and this is totally natural, i am not forcing it. any other beginning pointe tips would be amazing. thanks

Answer 1

It took me about 6 months to get good at pointe, BUT I was 16 when I finally got on so I was really strong already, AND I went to a summer dance intensive, so that helped me alot as well. I went to a great dance school too :-D.

My main suggestions are patience, hard-work, and receptiveness to criticism/corrections. It definitely takes strong feet and entire body awareness. I think what helped me was that I had ballet classes AND pointe classes so I had a chance to keep my technique strong AND work on my pointe technique on top of that. My teachers ensured that we gradually mastered the basics of dancing en pointe (turns, balancing, not sinking in your shoe, keeping your foot active including your toes, etc.) so that when we faced greater challenges, we could safely conquer them.

I got to perform a solo variation after a year of being en pointe. pirouettes and fouettes were given in class. Fouettes weren't given on a regular basis though. I graduated before I got to the advanced pointe class.

Good luck and take care of your body! (it's the only one you've got! :p)

Answer 2

If you're going to be doing pointe for the first time then buy gaynor mindens, they strenthen your feet alot. I couldn't get in the box for a while, then I bought gaynor mindens, used them for a year and then I bought blochs and I was on the box.

They made my ankles and feet so much stronger. I have very strong and muscular legs, but it doesn't help with pointe, you need strong feet and ankles.

Answer 3

It took me about 2 years to get on the box because I had a sucky arch. But now everything's okay now that I'm on the box. It just depends on your arch and your turnout and how strong you are.