Pointe vs. weight. how heavy is too heavy to be dancing en pointe

Pointe vs. Weight. How heavy is too heavy to be dancing en pointe?

It is possible that a dancer who is slightly heavier does has enough strength to hold their weight en pointe, however how heavy is too heavy to dance en pointe? This article, from Lisa Howell, discusses the issue of pointe work with heavier girls and offers some suggestion to a sensible diet and exercise programme to maintain whilst dancing.

Weight, pointe, Lisa Howell, Dance, Ballet

It is possible that a dancer who is slightly heavier does has enough strength to hold their weight en pointe, however how heavy is too heavy to dance en pointe? This issue of "weight" is very common in dancing, and often girls get a distorted idea of what is normal when involved in dance for a long period of time. However it is commonly asked what is about the ideal weight for pointe work.

It is possible to be too big for pointe work, and bigger girls do need to be stronger to go en pointe due to more pressure going through the ankle ligaments. However, you do not need to be a 'stick' either! "Les Trocaderos De Monte Carlo" there are plenty of fully grown men en pointe, who I am sure will be vastly heavier than any girl.

Basically, it depends whether you carry weight as muscle or as fatty tissue, and how strong you are. If you have done all the preparation exercises in The Perfect Pointe Book, and are sure that you are doing all the tests correctly and can demonstrate your strength to you teacher. I feel it is reasonable to dance on pointe.
If you know that you could do with losing a little weight, do make sure you go about it sensibly. Starving is not the way to lose weight, and will actually often slow your metabolism down, as well as making you crave the foods you are missing. The first thing I would do is cut out all the simple sugars in your diet. (Sugar, sweets, white bread, crackers, potatoes and white rice etc). Replace them with whole grain versions as much as possible, and have fruits to satisfy you sweet cravings as much as possible.

It is often really hard at first, so maybe give yourself one day when you can have a small amount of your favourite food if it is not in the good list! This means you wont be as tempted to break your good habits on other days, and before long, you will probably not feel like the "treats" anymore!

The next is to take a look at your weekly exercise regime. How much cardio-vascular exercise do you get each week? According to the Heart Society Guidelines, at least 30 mins of aerobic activity, three times per week is essential for a healthy heart, and this is a good level to have as a baseline. When we are dancing, it is often not sustained aerobic work (although it can be very tiring) so maybe try to include some swimming, brisk walking or jogging to keep you heart rate up for the 30 mins, three times a week.

Good things take time, but do not get discouraged! This is a very health practice to get into for the rest of your life, and I promise that you will feel the benefits before long. Keep up a good intake of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean protein (eggs, tofu, fish, red meat and or chicken) and remember to drink loads of water to keep yourself hydrated!

 

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Pointe lessons

Pointe Lessons

Many dancers will tell you that Pointe is the most difficult move they have ever encountered. They may be doing it with ease now but it isnt a move that too many pick up immediately. It takes hours and days and weeks of practice. A dancer needs to have strong legs to help them keep their balance. They also may suffer from sore toes in the process yet they continue to learn.

If you want to learn Pointe it is very important you have a good instructor. Most of them wont take students that havent studied ballet for at least three years. Many instructors have different levels of Pointe classes that they teach and they will test students to decide which class they will fit into. They also strive to keep the classes small so you may find there is a waiting list for the next set of classes.

Many of the Pointe classes are only about 30 minutes in length for beginners. This is due to their bodies not being prepared to stay on their toes for longer than that. As a student advances to more difficult Pointe lessons, the classes will increase to 45 minutes and then a full hour in length. You will need to look into the specifics of what is offered as part of point lessons with a given instructor.

Pointe lessons arent going to be easy and they are going to be time consuming. The instructor is going to expect you to practice on your own time as well. You will need to be prepared for each of your lessons. This means being on time and ready to work. There are certain shoes to wear for Pointe and if you arent wearing them you wont be allowed to participate that day in class.

While learning Pointe can be frustrating at times, it can also be very rewarding. Many dancers know that if they want to have a successfully career in ballet they will need to master it. They are dedicated to learning from the lessons and doing all they can to improve their current skills. For them it is extremely rewarding to see the result of their efforts over a period of time.

 

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