Pointe, or ballet dancing on your toes, is what every little ballerina looks forward to someday doing. However, it takes a lot of strength and focus, so one must endure several years of hard training to reach the point that their feet and ankles will be able to handle the stress of holding one's entire weight. When someone goes on pointe, they have to take it slow and start with beginner exercises to develop their muscles for this form of dance.
Shoe maintenance
Pointe shoes and pointe work is unlike any other form of dance or dance shoe. An ill-fitting shoe can destroy a ballerina's feet and make dancing on her toes nearly impossible, while a properly fit pointe shoe can help her enhance her arch, turn out and effectively dance on pointe. Before starting on pointe, have a trained professional fit your foot for pointe shoes so you can find one that fits the shape of your foot as well as the strength of your ankles and flexibility of your arch. Always take your time in putting on your shoes with any needed padding or lamb's wool and ensure that you tie your ribbons well to prevent the shoe from slipping and causing a potential ankle injury.
Stretching and strength
The most important aspect of pointe work is the strength of a ballerina's ankles. A ballerina must have incredibly strong ankles to support the weight of her whole body. Strengthen your ankles through slow and long stretches of the foot and ankle region. Releves and Eleves are key. Start at the barre in first position and do ten eleves (rise straight up, hold for a beat then back down with straight legs) followed by ten releves (plie, then rise up, hold for a beat, then lower the heels back down into a plie). Following this, let go of the barre and repeat the same sequence. Repeat in second position, fourth position and fifth position.
At the barre
Work at the barre is vital to the development of basic pointe skills as it helps with balance and teaches you use core muscles to lift the weight off the toes and roll through the foot to achieve the necessary arch and strength to complete the skills. Then do some tendu combinations to work on pushing through the arch and accentuating your feet. Do tendus to the front, side and back on both feet. Move on to piques, the French word meaning "to prick." Do piques starting on one foot and stepping up to the other, raising the first leg off the ground in coupe or passe. Practice to the front, side and back on each leg.
Across the floor
Move across the floor with some toe hops. Start in a demi-plie then plie to sous-sus. Hop on your toes all the way across the floor. Then do bourees across the floor. Start in sous-sus and gently pound your toes into the floor, keeping your ankles tightly together and traveling across the dance floor.
Combinations in the center
Combine some basic steps and elements for short-center floor combinations meant to slowly strength the ankles. You don't want to push too hard too fast, which can lead to premature injuries and strains. Try some echappes, fondues, tendus, plies and balance sequences to slowly build your foot and ankle strength.
