How do you tell when a girl is ready for pointe work?
It is one of the most often asked questions in ballet, yet one to which there has not really been one definitive answer; How do I know when I (or one of my students) am ready for pointe work? Young girls dream of their first pair of pointe shoes for years before they will be allowed to get into them, and, until now, it has basically been up to the teacher to decide when each student makes the transition.
This has lead to many girls being allowed up too early, to keep up with their class, often resulting in chronic foot injuries that may plague even the most competent dancer throughout their career, or even permanent damage. Due to the variability in growth rates of girls in the 11 14 year age group (when most girls start en pointe) and the lack of complete closure of many of the growth plates in the feet until at least 16 18 years of age, strength of the feet and ankles is a huge factor in preventing injury when progressing onto pointe.
In Australia, many dance teachers have realised the importance of getting each girl individually assessed prior to going onto pointe. The best dancer within a class...
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