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Dancing en pointe (pronounced , often anglicised as or ) is the action of rising to the tips of the Toe s while performing Steps from Ballet . Also known as '''pointe work''', it is performed using hard–toed and stiff-shanked Pointe Shoes . Dancing en pointe requires considerable strength and skill and is a central part of a female ballet dancer's Training and repertory. To a less extent, pointe work is also practiced by male dancers. Although this is one of the most graceful forms of dance, it can be very painful and may cause permanent damage to the feet. HISTORY In 1832 , the ballerina Marie Taglioni danced the full length of the Romantic Ballet '' La Sylphide '' en pointe and is credited as the developer and pioneer of the pointe technique. Taglioni first rose en pointe with soft Ballet Slippers that had a reinforced toe area, although not nearly as stiff as modern pointe shoes. The area was reinforced by stitching around the front and sides of the slipper. Unlike today, the moments on pointe were very brief and consisted of mostly balanced poses and ''relevés''. Although a development of Romantic Ballet and a central element of Ballet dancing in general, other dance forms such as Jazz Dance , Street Dance and Tap Dance also have short steps that are performed on the toes. In tap dance this is called a "toe stand." In the 1920s and 1930s , Harriet Hoctor , a Burlesque and Vaudeville Dancer , wore pointe shoes fitted with Steel shanks and platforms to allow tapping en pointe and backwards bends whilst en pointe. Other dancers fitted Ball Bearing s inside between the platform to allow for faster turns but the dangers of the steel shanks snapping meant that such practices quickly ceased. PREPARING FOR POINTE Young girls usually start dancing ''en pointe'' between the ages of ten and fifteen; they are not considered ready for pointe work unless they have been studying classical ballet for three or more years, with a frequency of two or more classes per week. They should also be in an intermediate or advanced level of ballet and be able to hold their turnout from the hips while performing center combinations. All of this requires careful evaluation on the part of the teacher. In the more serious dance academies, a professional's advice is required to make sure the dancers' feet have Ossified sufficiently; serious foot deformities can result from starting pointe too early. Students must not dance en pointe until the bones of their feet are fully developed and the muscles in the arches, ankles, legs, pelvic area and abdominals are strong enough to bear the stress; injuries, such as breaking the ankle, can occur because of weak, untrained muscles. Dancing ''en pointe'' requires one to use the entire body for support, including the legs and abdominal musclesFit feet - ballet dancers and pointe work Dance Magazine Sept 1997 Marian Horosko. Once a dancer is ready, preparation for pointe work is a slow and gradual process. At first, it is just strengthening exercises at the barre - for example, simply rising en pointe and returning. According to the teacher's preferences and syllabus, the dancers might first be taught to "roll-through" from flat to half-pointe to pointe and down again. Then variations in speed and position may be introduced -- for perhaps no more than five or ten minutes. It is often only after six months to a year of such exercises that one can start dancing en pointe in the center. The entire process takes time and close supervision by the teacher. The pointe work of beginning students should always be supervised. The first exercises at the ''barre'' are usually ''relevés'' and ''échappés''Testo programmatico per lo studio della danza classica - Teatro alla Scala, A. M. Prina done on both feet. Only once the student is fully comfortable in executing the steps on both feet (and the tendons are strong enough), steps ending on one foot are introduced, first at the ''barre'', later on in the centre like doing small hops en pointe and things relevant to that. In centre practice, Mme Vaganova suggests as first exercises ''temps levés'' on both feet (same as ''relevés'') and ''échappés'' on pointes. Pointe Shoes are not like regular soft ballet shoes; they consist of satin, with a shank--or sole--comprised of stiffened leather, canvas, and burlap sealed with glue. The box, or reinforced toe area of the shoe is made of stiffened and reinforced canvas and/or burlap. Elastic and ribbon are used to secure pointe shoes onto the dancers' feet, although the latter adds an element of decoration as well. Most dancers like to prepare a new pair of ''pointe'' shoes before wearing them for the first time. Preparation usually consists in making the hard shank more supple, so that the shoes can actually bend in half ''pointe''; sometimes sensitive spots on the box can be softned to offer less friction against the feet. POINTE TECHNIQUE There are several methods that dancers use to rise on the toes. In one method (French school, RAD syllabus), the dancer rises on her toes by passing through half-pointe or "demi-pointe"; in the second method, the dancer springs onto her toes with a small hop (Russian and Italian schools)Theory and Practice of Classical Theatrical Dancing, C. Beaumont, S. Idzikowski. In the latter case, less stress is put on the calf muscles. The effort exerted to remain on pointe must be shared by the whole body, not only the legs; the abdominal muscles must be engaged and the back should be kept straight, while the neck muscles should be relaxed. COMMON INJURIES See Also: Pointe-related injuries Dancing en pointe can place stress on the dancer's feet. Common injuries related to dancing en pointe are:
Cuts can also occur between toes, as a result of the pressure of a dancer's toenails digging into the toes next to them; however, with proper trimming and filing of rough corners or use of a protective barrier, this rarely happens. Pointe dancers should cut toenails straight across, not curved, to prevent this. INJURY PREVENTION Because pointe work can cause friction between the toes and the hard box of the pointe shoe, dancers use several methods to prevent chafing and Blister s. Dancers often use lamb's Wool or "toepads" made out of soft material or Gel . Folded paper toweling is also a popular padding material. Wads of lamb's wool may also be used just in certain areas where a dancer feels the most pain. Many dancers also use sports tape to tape around their toes in order to further prevent blisters and bruised toenails. Some pointe dancers are able to wear their pointe shoes without any padding to protect their feet. REFERENCES SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS Dance en pointe |
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