Almost every woman, when she was a little girl, dreamed of becoming a ballerina and conquering peak after peak at the very tip of her fingers. And, it would seem, if in youth it was not possible to go to pointe shoes, then you can forget about a childhood dream? Not at all! There is a chance to learn to dance at your fingertips at any age. The main thing is a great desire!

What should adults do?

Before you take up ballet on your own or go to a studio with a teacher, you need to get permission from a doctor. This is because the exercises that will be studied load the joints, as well as the spine. Also, such a load is dangerous for varicose veins, so keep in mind that the negative consequences of dancing must be prevented.

Usually, in ballet studios and choreographic colleges, students are put on pointe shoes only at the end of the first year, and at the same time, every day is accompanied by intensive training. Adults will need more time to digest. basic exercises. First of all, you need to properly stretch the muscles of the entire body, and then learn how to balance. To achieve these goals, complexes are made up of various gymnastic exercises, some power load in the form of shallow squats, as well as leg movements at the barre.

First, students hold with both hands, then they need to learn how to use one hand, and eventually do all the exercises without the help of hands. The most common question is how old do you get on pointe shoes. And the answer is clear - the sooner the better.

How to do pointe shoes at home?

In order to realize your sword, you need to make sure that the muscles of the legs are sufficiently developed, as well as develop the instep of the foot. How to get on pointe shoes without pointe shoes? Training should start with the calf muscles, the most common walking at an accelerated pace is perfect here. Running is the next level. Start by choosing comfortable shoes so that walking is as enjoyable as possible, and over time, you can return to shoes with higher heels. Another available exercise is carried out right on the stairs. Stand on the step with your toes so that the heel does not touch the surface. In this position, you need to rise and fall to start about 30 times in 4 sets.

Foot stretch

This step is best done under the supervision of an experienced specialist. If you deal with this issue on your own, using videos and special literature, you can harm yourself, because each person is individual, and when training, one should take into account the peculiarities of health and capabilities. If you are just starting out training, you can try stretching your fingers with the help of someone.

First, warm up your feet well, for this you should sit on the floor, stretch your legs and ask the assistant to gently press on the arches of the feet until discomfort appears. Be sure to keep your knees straight, after stretching your feet, pull them towards you. But more serious exercises can be performed only under the supervision of a professional, so as not to harm yourself, especially if a person decides that he is ready to do everything to get on pointe shoes.

How to wear?

How to get on pointe shoes? The difference between ballerina shoes and ordinary shoes is in the main purpose. It lies in the fact that the foot should be fixed in a specific position during the dance. Therefore, the rules for wearing pointe shoes are special. To do this, you will need the following components: the pointe shoes themselves, a hammer, satin ribbons, liners, a needle and thread.

Instruction

The first thing you should do when choosing pointe shoes is, of course, try them on. The toe of the shoes is a kind of box, which should be hard and narrow, while the shoes should tightly wrap around the foot in order to fix the foot in the same position. If you neglect this rule, then soon the uneven load on the fingers will backfire with injuries and constant falls.

Another important rule is that it is forbidden to immediately pull brand new pointe shoes on the legs. First you need to prepare them for use. First of all, inspect the sock, if it is too hard, then you need to knead it with a hammer until it is soft enough. Also, in order for the foot to sit comfortably and securely in pointe shoes, you need to take care of special liners. They are silicone, fabric, paper. These options are considered not only the most convenient, but also suitable for repeated use. Pointe shoes are put on as follows:

• inserts must be placed in shoes;
• then wrap the ribbons around the ankle several times, tie them;
• remember that it is not recommended to tighten the tapes too tight so that blood circulation is not disturbed;
• hide the ends of the ribbons so that they do not interfere with you during the dance.

And most importantly - do not start dancing in pointe shoes on your own, you definitely cannot do without the help of a specialist. Otherwise, serious injury may result.

Beginning ballerinas and spectators of ballet performances think about how to stand on pointe shoes. To the dancers fluttering on the stage, everything seems to come easily. In fact, behind the removed theatrical shoes are bloody calluses, sprains, ankle injuries. Professionals do not recommend mastering the practice of standing on pointe on their own, because even beginner students of ballet schools are trained for this for a whole year.

Learning to stand on pointe shoes: real or not?

It can be difficult for a person without professional training to stand on their toes. If behind the experience of visiting the studio rhythmic gymnastics with many hours of standing on toes or academic dance - the chances of a successful result increase. But there are nuances.

• The load on the ligaments of the ankle and knee joints, the spine in the lumbar region increases, the development of varicose veins is possible.
• In pointe shoes, it is easy for a non-professional to get a sprain or rupture of ligaments or muscles; normal walking or a further dancing career can be put to rest.
• Academic dance teachers do not share the desire of girls to study ballet on their own, even using video lessons. The ideal option is to visit a ballet studio with an experienced teacher. He will select a set of exercises, taking into account physiological features specific student.

How to stand on pointe shoes? Need training!

How to stand on pointe shoes?

It takes a long time to develop the foot, there must be strong calf muscles. To stand on pointe shoes correctly means to stand on your toes. Much depends on the elevation of the foot. Girls who can walk high heels, this problem is less common.

Exercise can help prepare the muscles.

1. Half squats and work at the barre will be able to develop the necessary muscles. You need to learn how to properly pull your fingers both on your own and with an assistant. It shouldn't hurt, it's good if you feel slight discomfort.
2. Walking on toes around the house, going up and down the stairs is useful, you will have to give up the elevator.
3. Does it hurt to stand on pointe shoes? Painless this process only for professionals. Up to 5 minutes you will have to stand against the wall - exactly, on your toes, so that the foot is completely, except for the fingers themselves, the knee, buttocks, and shoulder blades touch the vertical support.
4. The rubber band stretches the foot away from you and towards you, the leg should feel resistance.
5. The development of the muscles of the legs with semi-squats will also help, when the heels are connected, the socks look apart, the knees are slightly bent. From this position, you need to try to put your feet on the toe and return to the starting position, lowering the foot to the heel.

The beauty and ease of movement will come with time, when the slight pain subsides. It is important to slowly perform the exercises and only after warming up the muscles.

Occupational risk and disease

Ballet has never ceased to amaze people all over the world. And the ballerinas seem like air fairies, for whom the laws of gravity do not exist. In fact, this ease is due to years of hard work, and occupational diseases are a common occurrence in the field of ballet. Ballerina's legs - the most vulnerable spot. They are unusually strong, strong and hardy. It cannot be otherwise, because they have to withstand the weight of a woman's body on a tiny patch of the floor when she is standing on tiptoe in pointe shoes.

This is the side of the coin that is inaccessible to an ordinary viewer and appears only behind the scenes. The most common injuries among ballerinas are sprains, sprains and dislocations. There are also frequent injuries of the hip joint, which can lead to a number of inflammations in the pelvic area.

professional and prerequisite is a break in the instep of the upper part of the foot, which consists in a forced sprain of the ligaments. In order to perform this unnatural bend, any objects are used. Due to constant overloads, the ligaments often do not withstand, and the entire ligamentous apparatus weakens and becomes loose. A ballerina's feet without pointe shoes don't get better with age. It is not uncommon for a leg to twist easily when running or jumping. The result of such beauty will be arthrosis, arthritis and thrombophlebitis.

The first signs of leg diseases among ballet dancers are associated with impaired blood circulation. Toenails change their color and thickness, that is, they either thicken or become brittle. Gradually, veins appear, which more and more noticeably shine through the skin on the ballerina's legs after the performance. Do not console yourself with hopes that this is just a cosmetic defect. Over time, the veins thicken and become more and more tortuous. They are already easy to feel after physical exertion. With the progression of the disease, the legs are filled, there is a feeling of heaviness in them. This is partly due to oxygen starvation of the muscles. In the veins, the processes of stagnation of blood begin.

After a certain period of time, spasms of the calf muscles may begin. Oxygen deficiency is also a characteristic feature of foot disease in ballerinas. There are swelling on the legs, there may be traces of skin - rashes and itching on the skin. The final stage of the development of the disease in the absence of timely treatment will be ulcers on the legs, blockage of blood vessels, and ruptures of the veins with subsequent bleeding.

Features of the structure and appearance of the legs

The legs of a professional ballerina without pointe shoes do not always look attractive. Another characteristic feature will be the so-called valgus deformity of the foot and the formation of bumps on the fingers. These phenomena are directly related to significant overloads that one has to experience during training and performances. They are expressed in the appearance of visible thickenings, which not only interfere with wearing shoes, but can also become inflamed and bleed. The deformation of the fingers looks like a curvature of them inside the foot, which begins with thumb and gradually affect others.

During the dance, the artist's foot experiences tension that goes beyond natural data. Over time, the forefoot becomes flattened. As a result of movements on the fingers, a transverse flat foot is formed, and the extreme metatarsal bones diverge to the sides and the forefoot expands. The development of hallux valgus is due to the fact that the ballerina's shoes tighten the leg in diameter, and because of the movement at the fingertips, the load on the thumb is enormous. Another feature of the development of the legs is the thickening of the metatarsal bones and the change in the length of the toes. Movements during the performance of the dance are directed around the axis of the foot. The foot twists and unrolls in opposite directions relative to the anterior and posterior sections.

The feet of a ballerina without professional shoes - pointe shoes require the highest care and attention in order not to hide them from prying eyes. For preventive purposes, the artists take contrast baths, make compresses, which help soften the feet and relax the leg muscles. In their free time, ballerinas try to put their feet on any available elevation in order to improve blood circulation in the lower extremities.

This article contains some tips on how to help girls who are finally ready to go pointe and make the process a little less confusing.

Steps

you are ready?

purchase and preparation of pointe shoes

Get the right shoes. Once you find a starter pointe dance studio, head to the store and buy pointe shoes.

• Don't buy pointe shoes online. Pointe shoes are extremely difficult to fit and you have to spend at least half an hour with a salesperson to find the right pair.

1. Follow the instructions. Once you've found a good pair of pointe shoes, check them out with an instructor. Do whatever your instructor says. If you need to purchase others, go shopping again. The qualified advice of your instructor is the most important information you can get for your safety and comfort. If possible, go shopping for your first pointe shoes with an instructor.

   Try out pointe shoes with the insole you are going to use. Don't start with silicone insoles. You must feel the floor. Instead, use an insole that resembles a thin sponge, wool or fabric insoles.

   Don't try to buy shoes bigger size, so to speak "for growth." Shoes should fit perfectly and should be slightly difficult to put on.

   • Make sure your pointe shoes fit perfectly on your foot. In them, your legs should look long and thin. If you have a light arch, make sure your shoes are flexible enough. Here are some good pointe shoes for people with light arches: Capezio's, Mirella's, and Bloch Sonata. If you have a strong arch, you should try: "Grshko" s "and" Russian "s".

2. Get ready for discomfort. At first, pointe shoes will not be comfortable. It may be difficult and uncomfortable for you to be in them, but don't worry, you will become much more comfortable with time. Be sure to accurately convey to the seller how you feel in pointe shoes. If they're a little uncomfortable, that's fine; pointe shoes are not designed to feel like you're wearing regular shoes.

   • If you're a little worried, buy beginner pointe shoes. They will support your feet better if you don't have the necessary strength in your legs to fully stand on your toes.

3. Get your dance shoes ready. Start wearing pointe shoes properly. Never put on pointe shoes abruptly; otherwise they'll just be a wasted pair of pointe shoes. Use your hands to do this and carefully put on the pointe shoes, taking into account the arch of the foot. First try them on with your hands at home before you try them out in the studio. As well as putting on pointe shoes correctly, it is very important not to overdo it until you have gained proper experience with pointe shoes.

start dancing in pointe shoes

Sign up for first class. Now that your shoes have been tried on, you can go to first class. In the beginner class, you will spend a lot of time at the barre, stretching and warming up. You probably won't hit the center at the beginning. Your instructor will decide this for you. Dancing en pointe is very difficult, and dancing well is even more difficult.

• Don't wear pointe shoes without your instructor; wait for your instructor's approval. Be patient. For many girls, the first classes seem boring, but they are critical to building strength.

1. Concentrate on aligning your whole body and turning. Remind yourself that the more you work at the barre, the stronger you will be for the center exercises.

   • Save the body strength. In pointe dancing, it is much more difficult to maintain balance and therefore it is very important to have a strong core. If you have a weak core, you will most likely hurt yourself, or it will simply be much more difficult for you than it should be.
   • Pull socks in regular shoes. This will help you stabilize yourself at the machine and in the center. In pointe shoes, your toes are not necessarily really drawn out. Try to develop the flexibility of your socks in regular shoes.

2. In the first session, you may only need 10 minutes to bring yourself to tears. When this happens, tell your instructor right away so you can take off your pointe shoes. To determine that you need to stop exercising, you need to check every minute whether the blood circulates correctly in your toes and the sensitivity of your fingers.

   • Don't get your fingers pink. This is known as sickle cell production. This is very bad for your feet, ankles and knees and will make it harder to dance, not to mention potentially leading to serious injury. Support your weight with your middle torso, shifting a little more towards your big toe.

3. After class, apply baby powder to your feet to absorb sweat and do the same with your insoles. Let your pointe shoes air out because if you don't, they will absorb sweat and deteriorate faster. Remember that pointe shoes can last up to about twenty-four hours without interruption, after which you will have to buy new ones. As soon as you feel comfortable in them, you will need new ones.

   Feet care. Your legs will probably ache or you will feel numb after exercising. The pain will decrease after a couple of weeks of classes. Epsom salt water baths are very good for your feet. And be sure to stretch your fingers a little each day because pointe dancing is stressful for them.

• Always keep your toenails trimmed short so they don't cut into the skin of your toes.
• Train everything. One way to ensure you fall is to relax your muscles. To keep your foot pointed, work your Achilles tendon and engage your calf muscle. To keep your leg straight, develop quadriceps. To stretch your leg muscles, train your thighs. To turn, use the hip and glute flexors. Use your abdominal muscles to keep your balance. To maintain good posture, exercise your back muscles.
• Don't stop exercising regularly just because you're on pointe. Only pointe work will not improve your ballet technique. Regular training will give you much more strength, which will help you in your pointe work!
• In soft slippers, focus on working with your feet and legs and pull your toes to the maximum! It will be easier for you to bend your feet in pointe shoes if you have this extra strength.
• Don't practice at home until you know what to do. You can practice as a first lesson, or you can make it a habit.
• Stay straight and graceful. Nothing looks worse than a hunched over dancer looking like she doesn't really want to be there. Keep your chest straight without slouching your back (unless the choreography so requires), and keep your chin level or slightly higher.
• It is important to always reach through the legs and torso. In the same way, when you pirouette, you must be tucked up to provide balance and strength.
• When you start, you should always feel like you're about to fall over when you put your weight on your thumb.

Warnings

• Make sure you are ready for pointe shoes. You need ballet flats for at least two to three years before you start pointe. Otherwise, it may cause serious injury. Never get on pointe too early. Starting too early can lead to leg deformity. This is not for the beginner dancer. To make sure you're ready, ask your dance teacher. Class time doesn't necessarily mean you're ready!
• Too broken pointe shoes - not very good. They should be flexible enough to get good arches and semi-pointe shoes. Anything more than this will take away arch support and your shoes will wear out faster. Professionals can probably dance in very soft shoes because their feet are so strong, but it takes years and even decades to achieve that kind of strength!
• When you are new to pointe dancing, always dance under the supervision of an instructor until he/she says that you can dance on your own.
• Get ready for finger pain!

Ballet is a special form of classical dance. Dancers who practice ballet look slim, and sometimes it may seem that if a strong wind blows, they can simply be blown away. In fact, slenderness hides the codes of hard training, labor and great strength of the back, legs, arms. Often, dancers have stronger legs than athletes because they work for endurance rather than weight gain. But ballerinas cannot immediately stand on pointe shoes. First there will be hard training. They get used to the pain and calluses on their feet. If you constantly engage in pointe shoes, then deformation of the fingers and foot will soon occur. This is an occupational disease of ballet dancers.

If you can't get on your heels, then there are 2 reasons for this: either your legs or ankles are poorly developed, or pointe shoes are too soft, broken incorrectly, or poorly designed. Here are some tips to help you solve these problems.

1. 1. So, if you have a problem with your legs, then before you stand on the patch, you need to work hard. It is better to talk to professionals about this so as not to harm yourself.
2. 2. If the problem is in pointe shoes, for example, a hard sole and it does not bend along the foot, then it must be processed. If pointe shoes are soft or the sole is broken, then it is better to replace them.
3. 3. How to break pointe shoes: Turn the heel of the shoe inside out so that the sole is visible. Then put it on (if you use earbuds, then with them). Place your foot on your toes (press a little, but don't carry all the weight). On the foot, you should find the point where the instep ends and the heel begins. Find the same point on pointe shoes. After that, you need to remove the shoe, rest it on the floor, and gently bend it at this point. The rest of the sole should remain straight. If you knead in this way, pointe shoes will support the foot better and last longer.