Pointe-Too late?

Question

I took ballet and tap for only one year when i was 9, i am now 14. I had stopped ballet and went onto soccer and hip-hop dance. I would really like to start dancing again, i love it. And i am extremely interisted in doing pointe. I know that it is very hard but i am up for the challenge. Pointe is beautiful and i would love to be able to do it. Does anyone know how many years i would need of ballet to be ready for pointe? Or even if there is a way to cram in all of the ballet classes that i would need into just one year, in order to be ready for pointe? I really hope it isnt too late. I am in 9th grade now and i would love to be dancing pointe by 11th grade. I would really appreciate any help, information, concerns, tips, etc.

Thanks.

Sara

Answer 1

Hi, hun.

It's definitely not too late to start pointe. I'm 18 and will be going on pointe probably within 6 months(this is after taking 9 years of dance when I was really little(and actually did maybe a year of pointe then, quit when I was 12, and just went back into ballet 6 months ago). I spent a couple months in a regular ballet class then went into pre-pointe, but I remembered a LOT of what I learned when I was younger.

Really, pointe depends on you. You have to work up the strength in your ankles and feet, and be pretty solid in your ballet technique. I think that if you start in ballet classes now, and let your teacher know that you really want to do pointe(and work very hard to show him/her your dedication and prove that you really want it), you probably will be at least starting pointe by 11th grade. You just have to work hard, practice a lot, and play through the pain. It will hurt at first, but if you work through it, it's totally worth it.

Good luck hun! Let everyone know how things work out for you! :)

Answer 2

it might take a while. your ankels need to be strong enough to go on pointe

Answer 3

well sara....

It'll depend on your effort and talent........

14 isn't really too late to start...

In my school....there are 15 and 17 yr olds that are just starting...

Nureyev didn't start until he was in his late teens.

(if you don't know who that is....search him on the net.)

Answer 4

hey there sara

Im 13 and i have been doing pointe for almost three years. you dont have to be doing ballet for long to be able to go onto pointe. if your ankles are strong enough then  you might be able to go straight up. go and ask your dance teacher if she could help you get started. i hope you have fun on pointe like i do. i do eistedfods all over the place on pointe and i love and im sure you will too. at first it may hurt your feet but you will get used to it and you feet wont hurt the more you practise.! have fun

hope i have helped

Rach