CORRECTING pointe shoe MISCONCEPTIONS 

If a competitive dancer wanted to go into ballet for the first time, would they be able to go en pointe right away if they were strong enough? I have been a competitive dancer for six years and have started thinking about trying ballet.

ru-vid.comw4wjePb1iOI?feature=share I think this would be great in a reaction my jaw dropped also I’m a dancer who has been working hard for pointe why may I not be gaining strong because I target my core,turnout, and calf’s which my doctor who tells us when we are ready for pointe it gets fitted

"You need to do ballet for X years before you can go on pointe" - this is very dependent on who the dancer is, age, maturity, other experiences, strength, and understanding of movement.

This isn't a myth... but does skeletal development impact when it is appropriate for a child to go en pointe? I usually see students first being talked about being considered when they're 11/12 years old... but I'm curious if there's any benefit to waiting until the child is done growing and has fully formed growth plates... even if perhaps the only benefit is a reduction in risk of injury/damage over time, because lets be honest, the vast majority of athletic movement is more damaging to the structure of the body over time than less rigorous and demanding exercise.

@@Chaotic_Pixie this depends on the teacher,your studio, and your pt a girl in my studio is very tiny and the PT told her she couldn’t do pointe until she grew

Yes, this would be a super fun video! The smell is a dead giveaway for some brands. I used to be able to identify shoes by the way the glue smelled back when I fit them ~15 years ago.

Yes!!!

That would be cool!

this ^^^

TIZZLE~TIZZLE 🌹😎👍👍 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 & 💎💎💎💎💎 Always Love & Good Vibes From Las Vegas, Nevada. Sincerely, Tom Weidler

First class at age 15. The teacher asked where I'd studied before. But my father told me ballet dancers have to start when they are age 3 or 4 or 5. And my teacher never told me I should pursue it. Once she asked how old I was and then just nodded. I assumed she felt it was too bad that I wasn't young enough to really train. I do so wish I'd had a mentor to encourage me because the talent was there, and I was naturally turned out, thin, and athletically gifted.

@@Trenchant468 that’s another myth that you have to look a certain way to become a dancer. You don’t always have to be thin.

@@rachelroberts5775 Back then, in ballet especially, it was a requirement. I’m simply saying for me I it wasn’t one of the many obstacles to entry people face.

The shoes are made on a form that used to always be made of wood, and they were called “blocked” shoes, but the shoe is taken off the form of course, like she said, layers of fabric and glue that hardens. I always assumed that the phrase “made on a wood block” is what made people think a pointe shoe had wood in it. That, and the fact that sometimes they can sound “blocky” when all the swans run onstage in new shoes!

I went to a school that did not allow padding except lambs wool and most people did not follow it (my family made me) and it caused so many problems because there wasn’t a shoe that fit my foot at the time 😭😭😭😭 I’m not sure how long padding has been allowed but it’s such a necessity for some people

@@elizabethresurreccion7234 ö

That's what I was going to ask - it makes me wince to see 7 yr olds go en pointe bc I'm pretty sure it will mess with the way their feet grow since they are not fully developed yet😅

One of my teachers was put en pointe too young and she has LOTS of problems because of it. Which is why she doesn’t let anyone under 10 get pointe shoes and she doesn’t make pointe mandatory. I’m not a professional but I’d say it’s true because it’s understandable why it could be so damaging.

It's true, yet when it exactly happens does depend on the dancer, some go a little younger too, but it's a risky move on the teacher's part, so the dancer should have very very good technique to even consider this

The research I undertook stated the feet were fine to begin basic pointe work once the growth plates in the feet were at least 80% developed

Hi - dance physiotherapist here! There are a few things to clear up here: Firstly growth plates occur on the ends of long bones, so on the femur (thigh bone), tibia and fibula (two long shin bones), humerus (upper arm) and radius/ulna (two forearm bones), the long bones in our feet are the metatarsals, and they have growth plates on the distal ends. (This is just so people don't think every bone has a growth plate!) Secondly, you do get injuries relating to overuse and growth plates, such as Osgood-Schlatter's disease, but these types of injuries occur when the muscles are tight and pull on the growth plates. This particular condition is actually common in children who play lots of football whilst growing. These types of injuries are usually extremely painful, but not permanent and can be managed conservatively. So whilst injuries relating to growth plates do occur, they occur in many sports and are likely to happen from activities relating to muscles that affect the long bones (like OS, where tight quads are the culprit) If you were to fall off a relevé with pointe shoes on, you may well fracture the bones closer to the plates, but that could happen in heels and isn't to do with the pointe shoes per se. So to conclude: Pointe shoes are unlikely to cause injuries relating to growth plates any more than any other sport. What's more likely is fractures from overuse, or other injuries which could occur in any sport if practiced at a high enough intensity at a young enough age Hope this helps!

Yes strength, control and alignment should be the main factors; however, the dancer shouldn't probably be younger than 10. When you are little your bones are not fully developed and going on pointe could be a Major risk.

Yes that’s how my teacher does it and nobody breaks anything

@@gabriellabale1128 as someone who only has a background in understanding human anatomy, I'd argue the growth plates should be fused and that's going to be no earlier than age 12 most likely but easily as old as 18 or 19 depending on the genetics and athletic conditioning of the female in question. The onset of puberty is key in the fusion of growth plates and that's often delayed in athletic females, particularly those in dance and gymnastics.

@@Chaotic_Pixie Thank you for that. I don't know that much about anatomy, but I do know that age should play a factor to going on pointe. I have seen teachers put dancers at the age of 7 on pointe and by the age of 13 they have so many feet problems and there point work really isn't more advanced then those who started at 11.

Haha

"I do jazz, tap, and toe!" Geez.....

Oh God I have a visceral reaction when people say "toe shoes" lol.

I quit ballet when I was 13 because they said I would never be able to go en pointe. I was flexible, but I have weak ankles. I was so mad I stopped going to class. I didn’t see the reason to continue if I wasn’t going to progress at all. I had been dancing since I was 5 and was getting bored. They only had one class for what I called “remedial ballet,” and I was in it. So they refused to put me in another class. I was the only one in the class who took it seriously! They didn’t even tell me what I could do to strengthen my ankles.

I know your not talking to me but I want to answer. Honestly I’ve never been to a place that does fittings never not want to fit people, like they will fit anyone as long as the dancer is ready. I personally like Gaynor Mendens because they last way longer but it’s really personal preference. Demi pointe shoes might also be of help here so you can get your body ready to do pointe work before jumping completely back in. Check with your teacher first before doing anything though, she knows your abilities more than I do. Hope everything goes well, much love ❤️

Welcome to the...mature...group of pointe-ers here! There's quite a few of us!

@@idioticbagel2833 thank you so much! 😄

Get a professional fitting at a pointe shop. Especially since you'll most likely start at the beginner level until your turn out and body is strong enough for pointe. I have a royal toe, meaning 2nd toe is longer than bigger toe it causes lots of problems. My shoes has changed brands and style several times until I found something that works. I needed to be fitted for this, in person. She does virtual fittings but maybe it's best for those in a pointe shoe already. Do it in person. Good luck & Welcome back!

In a different video Josephine from the pointeshop mentioned that they love to fit people who want to get back to dance and are "a little older'. So if you have the opportunity to get fitted by her, you definetely should!

Yes! I also want to know more about the Nikolai Grishkos. 2 of my students have them and they fit beautifully. They are gorgeous from the front - very comfortable and flattering, as well as supportive too. But the inside of the heel is so weird, and creates this bump and pucker when en pointe. Part of me wants Josephine to influence the company to change that. :o)))). PS: I'm a Charlotte also.

I'd also love to know more about the En l'air by RP.

Why not

OMG! Congrats! My first pair of pointe shoes were the Bloch Heritage, but now I been using the Bloch European Balance for years as they fit my feet better.

@@saoirse_the_thespian wow that’s so cool!!!!

I started pointe at 16 and in two years I couldn't break in a shank LMFAO I'm jealous

Big toe pads! Best invention ever.

I got a pair in the new production and hated them; too short, too stiff, and the suede tips made finding the platform, and balancing, impossible. I did a virtual fitting with GM and went up a half size, down a shank and stayed with the satin platform. I just got them in and thankfully they are great. My old GMs are totally dead so, yay! I recommend a virtual fitting if your local store, like mine, doesn't carry many models or shanks. It's free so nothing to lose and if you aren't doing a custom, they are returnable.

@@vermillion9nelson188 Thank you so much!

You sound like a young person trying to include every world even you can think of. Global politics are very complicated; obviously Russian sanctions are political- and they are there for a purpose. Just be Because performances are outside their country doesn’t mean that they are not representing and bringing in income. As far as Covid- it shouldn’t change peoples daily practice routines; too many make a huge deal out of how Covid has changed day to day life, when in reality the lasting impact has proven to be minimal unless you were Ill

Not really, the shoe specs are based more on the characteristics of the foot than experience from the dancer, you can be a beginner on hard shoes, or a professional in soft shoes, you might need more wings, or less vamp, or whatever that allows your foot to do pointe properly

Oh honey- oh- you did what? I’m sorry but it’s miracle your still in one peice.

True, but the black eye makeup is far too heavy.

@@lilianevanfrankrijk7490 it’s not heavy at all Karen