Ballet Dance Pointe

How To Get Rid Of A Sickle In Ballet Dancing

A very common problem that ballet dancers battle with, even some of the professionals, are sickled feet. There is nothing worse than seeing a beautiful arabesque performed on stage, and the extension of the leg is broken by a foot that looks like a banana. This problem can be rectified, although it is a very difficult habit to break.

When children start off their ballet training, they need to be shown how to go up on demi pointe and how to point their feet correctly. To prevent training sickled feet, beginners normally do a lot of parrallel foot work both on the floor and standing up. If you rise parallel, and the heels aren't pressed together, the chances are good that the foot is sickled. The same goes on the floor. Some dancers, due to large calves or thigh muscles won't be able to get the heels together, but you can easily see in these positions if the foot is pointed straight or not.

Once the dancer moves onto turned out tendus, she is normally taught to lead with the heel when sliding the foot away from the body and with the toe as the foot returns. In this way sickles are also nipped in the butt. A good rule, if your baby toes aren't too long, is that the baby toe should be off the floor when your foot is pointed devant.

Because ballet training is about muscle memory, you have to repetitively train your body to do movements automatically, and incorrect training can form bad habits that are extremely difficult to break. If you have a sickle, you will battle when it comes to pointe work, which is standing on your toes. You will place your foot in an extremely precarious position on pointe and put a lot of strain on the ankles. Because of this it is imperative that sickles are corrected before getting pointe shoes.

Here are some good exercises that can help you to rectify those sickled feet.

1. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Turn your legs out from the hip and try and let your baby toes touch the floor with stretched feet. This is how your foot should feel when you are pointing it.

2. Stand with your feet parallel and place a tennis ball between your ankles. Rise and if the tennis ball drops, then you are sickling.

3. Do slow rises with your feet parallel and keep your heels together as much as you can. Concentrate the weight placement on the first three toes of the feet.

4. Use mirrors, and check your feet. You will soon be able to see when you are sickling and be able to rectify it. You won't always be able to feel you are sickling if you are used to doing it.

With perseverance and determination, you will be able to rid yourself of your sickle, but don't expect it to happen overnight.

About the Author

Michel Maling has been
teaching ballet
for the last twenty years. It is a wonderful career and very rewarding. Visit her blog at
http://balletdancing4u.blogspot.com
for more on the art of ballet dancing.

what's the best make of pointe ballet dance shoes?

i'm ordering some new pointe ballet shoes but not sure what make to get Sansha, Gamba or Capezio? please help asap!!!!

What is best for one person can be a disaster for another. You cannot just order pointe shoes. You must schedule a fitting which should take about an hour. Even with an experienced fitter there who can see your feet and make suggestions as to what might work for you, you need to try them on. There are different hardness of shanks, different vamp lengths, boxes and heels. You have to get the one that is right for your foot and your development as a dancer. Once you have gotten pointe shoes for awhile , then you can order them online. if you just order them online without trying them on, chances are you will be throwing out your money and if they don't fit you correctly you can get injured.

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