The ethereal grace and beauty of a ballerina en pointe draws us in and captivates us. For ballet students young and old, it is only natural to aspire to pointe work. Why should this goal be only available to young, aspiring pre-professionals?
Many adult students are now asking “Am I too old to start pointe?”
No! There is no upper age limit on starting pointe. In fact, learning pointe work as an adult is actually safer, since growth is completed, and bones and soft tissues are fully matured.
Safely and successfully progressing onto pointe is all about strength and neuromuscular control. These elements are the same for ballet students of any age. The question is not “are you too old”, but rather “are you ready”?
Requirements for starting pointe:
- Neuromuscular control – This is essentially the sciency word for technique, and it’s the most crucial element for starting pointe. You must be able to control what your joints and muscles are doing throughout every single movement. Starting pointe without good control is a fast track for injury. For example, you need to be able to control your ankle when pointing so that you do not sickle or wing. If you push up onto pointe without a straight ankle, you will very likely end up with an ankle sprain.
- Strength – Estimates vary, but evidence generally suggests that pointe work can increase the force through your joints by up to 12 times body weight. You need the muscles strength in your core, hips, legs, feet and ankles to support this extra pressure.
- Commitment – Learning pointe is challenging, and it take time and dedication. Pointe work is inherently risky, so is not something you can just do every now and again when you feel like it. Ideally, students should be attending ballet classes at least twice a week and practicing pointe-specific strengthening exercises two to three times a week.
The first step in learning point is preparing your body
If you’re serious about learning pointe, a pre-pointe assessment is a great place to start. A well-designed assessment will identify areas of weakness or gaps in your technique that need to be improved before you can start. From this, an exercise program can be created to prepare a dancer for the demands of pointe.
A thorough pre-pointe assessment will look for:
- Posture, during both standing and moving
- Core control
- Hip stability
- Foot and ankle control and range of motion
- Overall strength and fitness
- Ballet technique
- Turnout control
- General body awareness
Adult-specific pointe considerations
While the technique requirements are the same for dancers of any age, starting pointe as an adult does present a few unique differences:
- Strength requirements – Adults typically require more strength than their younger counterparts. One reason is that a healthy adult should weight more than a 12-year-old girl! Remember that 12 times body weight force through your joints? It’s essential you have the strength to protect your soft tissues. Following are some more reason why you probably need extra strength…
- Previous aches, pains and injuries – As adults, we all come to ballet with a history of aches and pains. Pointe work is notorious for exacerbating any pre-existing issues. Your best defence is to strength in the surrounding supporting structures to protect any areas prone to damage. An adult-specific assessment will identify any areas of concern for you and provide appropriate exercises.
- Foot and ankle shape – Pointe requires significant foot and ankle flexibility. You need to be able to create at least a straight line along your shin to your big toe. Young dancers typically develop this flexibility by gently stretching the soft tissues while their bodies are still growing. After growth is complete, improving foot flexibility can be very challenging. Most adult can achieve enough range of motion, but if you do have stiffer feet and ankles, be prepared to put in a ton of hard work to get those feet ready!
- ***If you only have a minor restriction to your pointe range, you may still be able to go onto pointe, but you will need super strength to support your soft tissues. You will also need higher levels of neuromuscular control to ensure you can learn to safely work within your limitations. There is no one-size-fits-all solutions to working with reduced foot and ankle flexibility. So, it is imperative you work closely with a specialist physio or coach to avoid injury***
- Life commitments – Traditionally, teachers insist ballet students attend classes at least 3 times a week to learn pointe. This is to ensure students have enough strength and technique training to learn pointe safely. However, for many adults, work, life, and family commitments mean this would be impossible. It is entirely possible to work on your strength and technique outside of class! Your overall commitment to training is far more important than actual hours in a studio.
Will I be able to go on pointe?
For the vast majority of students, the answer probably yes. However, when you can start pointe is a much more important questions. It’s common for students to need a few weeks or months of training before they are ready. Very often the goal of the initial assessment is to identify weaknesses and technique gaps. Then, at the end of the assessment, you will be provided with a training program to work on at home. Most students will be able to return for a re-assessment in 3-6 month, and most often then answer is yes!
Book your assessment
If you are serious about starting pointe, an initial pre-pointe assessment will provide you with the tools to prepare your body. Or, if you’ve been training for awhile and think you might be ready, an assessment will teach you how to progress safely and effectively for your body.
Initial assessments last approxamately 1 hour and are $60 USD / £45 GBP.
If you would like some quick, individualized advice with a few exercises to get you started, you can book a FREE introductory session.
Pre-pointe assessments are based on the latest dance science research and guidelines. You can find more information at International Association of Dance Medicine and Science.