Although every teacher is different, the goals of the introductory point class are similar no matter where you dance. These goals include strengthening the feet and ankles, breaking in the point shoes, and learning proper execution of skills while wearing point shoes.
To strengthen the feet, your teacher may instruct in a variety of methods including midpoint work, exercises for the feet and ankles, and basic relieved at the barre. Instruction may also be given for additional work that can be done outside of class to help you gain strength and skill.
Breaking in point shoes is simply the wording used to describe taking the shoe from its initial factory condition to where it is conformed to the shape of your foot. This may include some work with your shoe in hand, softening hard spots and bending the shank. I highly suggest waiting for a teacher’s instruction before bending, softening, or attempting to break in the shoes. Doing so on your own may permanently damage or improperly break in the shoes.
In addition to manually softening the shoes, your feet will serve as your greatest break in tool. Simply doing relieves will do much to help the shoes mold to your feet. Again, be careful about doing too much outside of your teacher’s watchful eye. Doing steps incorrectly in point shoes may cause the shoes to break in improperly or lead to an injury.
Last, a basic point class will include barre work and eventually center work doing the steps you already know. Plies, relieves, tends, jetés, and other basic technical steps will help you learn placement, understand positioning, and gain strength as you develop your point skills.
In an introductory point class, you may find yourself spending only a few minutes actually dancing in the shoes. Do not be alarmed. It takes dedication and time over the course of many months and years to develop a strong point technique. You will gain strength, increase grace, and expand your dancing horizons as you begin to point. There will be blisters, frustration, and pain, but the beauty of the dance will always make it worthwhile!
I have used this technique on my clients for quite a while now with great success, while adding renewed life and spring to tired out muscles. AI stretching prevents injury, as conventional stretching can cause real harm such as muscle pulls and tears.
Isolate the muscle or group you want to stretch, then contract the muscle opposite. This causes the isolated muscle or group to relax straight away, and when it does, it is ready to stretch.
Gently and quickly stretch the isolated muscle until it can’t be stretched any further; now give yourself a gentle pull with your hands or rope. Go as far as you can and then hold the stretch for no more than 2 seconds then release, do this for a total of 5 repetitions on the isolated muscle or group.
The reason for just a 2-second stretch, is because when a muscle realizes that it is being forced into a stretch, it contracts to protect itself from being overstretched.
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