An Evening With Anne Polajenko "The right time to Pointe"

When is the right time to begin Pointe?

        This is a somewhat controversial subject with two distinct schools of thought.
        One camp holds that Pointe work should not be started before the age of 11 when the growth spaces between bones of the feet are almost closed. They maintain that going up on the toes prematurely can and will distort the feet since the foot is so flexible at that point.
        The other side believes this very flexibility is an asset which should be exploited. These teachers will put children on Pointe at age nine or ten when the foot is still flexible enough to be shaped to the Pointe work. It should be noted though that these teachers are very careful and only do a limited amount of strengthening exercises at the barre and do so for a long time.
         Whatever the method, clearly the feet are only part of the issue. The student's overall technique must be sufficient to allow Pointe work. An average of three, 1 1/2 hour classes per week for three years should be required as a minimum. Then comes the individual's physique. Are the child's knees and back strong enough to withstand the effort? Does she have any anatomical problems such as severely swayed back or hyper-extended knees which can impact on her ability to perform exercises on Pointe? These, and may other physical factors, will weigh heavily in the decision. As always, common sense should be the guide.
So'Dança Pointe shoes are available only from size 1 ( Adult 4 in normal street size)
 
    ----- Anne Polajenko
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      We hope you all had a fantastic weekend, filled with excitement and loads of dance!
A few things to remember:
          1. So Danca Picture Contest is still up and going (for rules see last weds post)
          2. Lakers are no longer in the runner up teams in the nba, o.O I know, I was amazed as well.
          3. Thor was a pretty good movie, I recommend it. Not horrible like I had previously expected.
          4. Keep checking the blog and keep an eye on So Danca, we have a lot of new things coming out and you won't want to miss any of it :)

  love from your humble blogger,