Ballet dancing experts?

I do ballet for about 5 hours a week. i am quite good on flat shoes - i get merit/distinction in my exams - (last one grade 5) but i find pointe work really hard - my feet are almost flat so i find it impossible to get right up on my pointes AND turn out my feet AND straighten my legs at the same time. what am i doing wrong?

Ballet dancing experts?
First of all .. Forcing turnout in the feet will distort the position of the entire body, ( it is obvious you have noticed this judging by your question) ... and often results in injury, especially to the knee. All turnout occurs primarily through hip external rotation. It is not your legs;feet that will make you a strong en point dancer , it is your underlying stomach muscles/ pelvic floor that will hold en point.


Pilates is used significantly to help improve core strength and flexibility, it is this CORE strength that gives you the ability to hold your whole body from head to toe, in correct alingment for pointe .. sew your ribs to your hips and all the work is done between the belly button and the pelvic floor, do this and everything else will just fall naturally into place.
Reply:My feet are like that too. My best advice is just to keep practicing, it took me a *while* to get all the way on my box esp. on my left foot, my weak one. Practice doing eleves, turn out, keep your legs straight and go up on to the box of your shoe as far as you can. The more you practice the more you'll get up onto your box little by little.





(do this at the barre, less chance to accidentally hurt yourself.)
Reply:You need to strech out more before you dance. Try to also warm up a lot at the bar on pointe.



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