1888 Articles Home
Health Articles
Exercise Articles
Exercise RSS
How do you know if it is safe to begin Pointe work? This can be answered by asking yourself some simple questions. How strong are my feet, ankles and legs, and do I have good technique?
Author:
Alan Turner
Article Tools:??
??
??
??
A good thing for young dancers to remember and not to underestimate, is the use of good floor pressure throughout all your barre work as this will give the needed strength in the legs and feet.
As regards the feet, when the foot is pointed the metatarsal muscles in the foot should feel hard.
Taking these points into consideration you can understand why the teacher usually makes the decision, as to whether or not the student is ready to go ?en Pointe?. The teacher can see the pupil?s progression, and throughout the class observe the body working and its alignment to enable them to access these areas.
Another thing to take into consideration is your core strength.
Generally before beginning Pointe work a dancer will have increased the amount of demi Pointe work in preparation for this. A very important point here is that demi Pointe work is performed in demi Pointe shoes also know as soft blocks and not Pointe Shoes.
Demi Pointe work will strengthen the feet, ankles, legs, and also improve the balance. Constant rising up onto demi Pointe during a combination of exercises will help build strength in the feet and ankles.
Technique is another very important issue. It should be noted that performing demi Pointe work will be ineffective if not done correctly. Also good coordination of the body is important to ensure there is no strain on any of the muscles or joints.
Posture also plays a major role in this, standing correctly with feet not rolling in or out and ankles held strongly, legs muscles should be pulled up and the pelvis held without tilting, abdominal muscles lifted and held firmly finishing with the shoulders held slightly forwards and the neck long.
When performing any of the exercises at the barre or in the centre, make sure the posture is held, and leg and abdominal muscles are strong enough to lift the body on to demi Pointe, and subsequently Pointe. You want to have the feeling of pulling up right through the body from tip to toe. One way to describe this is to imagine that you have a string attached to the crown of your head and you are being pulled up by it.
If you take these thing into consideration along with good communication with your dance teacher, trying to work hard throughout the class you will find that you are ready for Pointe work in no time at all.
About Author
I have spent several years as a professional dancers, enjoying rolls in such shows as Fiddler on the Roof and The King and I. Finishing my dance career in 1990 with a brief stint as a choreographer.
In 1989 I opened a retail shop in Liverpool UK with my wife Gill, who I met a dance college. During those years the shop has grown substantially to be one of the UKs leading dancewear suppliers. In 1995 I was approached by Freed of London Ltd to work for them in the north west of England, Wales and Scotland. This really was a great opportunity to work for a world renowned Pointe Shoe manufacturer, giving me a chance to see the traditional way of making Pointe Shoes, the turnshoe method. Also through the Liverpool shop I went on Pointe Shoe fitting courses with Gamba and more recently Grishko. So all in all giving me 23 years experience of fitting Pointe shoes, not only for young female dancers but also in recent years male dancers are getting Pointe Shoes to really work their feet.
We now employ five members of staff, which my wife Gill and I have been able to train in Pointe Shoe fitting and help build the shops reputation of a place of excellence, especially for Pointe Shoes.
Article Source:
http://www.1888articles.com/author-alan-turner-44481.html
Article source: http://www.1888articles.com/am-i-ready-to-start-pointe-work-0149622.html
breaking dawn part 2 breaking dawn part 2 whitney cummings msnbc i will always love you maine caucus whitney houston has died
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.