I am an adult who has been taking ballet for just about 2 years. I would like to know how to improve my changements. I admire the more advanced dancers whose feet are beautifully pointed during the jump, but my feet are always kind of "floppy" in the air.<BR>Is it just a matter of practice to attain this look?

Hello Vanessa - welcome to the board - it's great that you have joined us. We are practically neighbors - I am in San Diego.<P>Doing changements well is a matter of practice and strength - and intent. When you jump from your demi-plié, go up into the air in fifth position and then change. Feel as though your two feet were pencil points in the air.<P>Feel the energy go through your body into your legs and out your toes. Push away from the earth, push the floor away. The change from front to back, or back to front should occur after the point in the air has been achieved. Stand in front of the mirror and make pencil points.<P>You can also practice this holding and using the barre - to get the feel of it. You can also practice it for a while as a simple jump up without the change until you get that pencil point. <P>And of course a good demi-plié is essential. And be patient with yourself. How long you have been dancing is only one component - it also depends on how many classes per week you take and the worthiness of the instruction.<P>You can prepare for the changement when you do a tendu - every tendu must be fully articulated through the foot. That will give the foot suppleness and strength - and that will aid all your jumps.<P>Here is a thread we have about tendu:<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000192.html><B>TENDU - A WASTE OF TIME?</B></a><P>

Vanessa - I don't know if you do pointework or not (some adults do and some don't) but if you do, try doing changements in pointe shoes that are relatively broken in. The extra resistance you need to point your foot against the sole of the shoe really helps when you get back into soft slippers.<P>If you aren't en pointe yet but are going to be, ask your teacher about getting demi-pointe shoes and learning to work in those. I can't tell you how much my feet improved simply by wearing deshanked pointe shoes in regular class.

Yes, that is true - I always took out the shanks of my old pointe shoes and wore them as slippers to class. I also put a foam rubber insert - easily bought at the foot care counter in the supermarket - or drugstore. That also helped a great deal.<P>Thanks, Bree....

I agree with Basheva about tendus being crucial in the development of strength and articulation in the feet. I find that often adults do well when they concentrate on the space between the ball of their foot and the tips of their toes. The finished look in the air is aided by awareness and activity in this part of the foot.<P>If you don't already do so, you may wish to add something for this area to your warm-up. For example, standing facing the barre in first position, and, with one foot, press to the ball (knee bends), and then really press through the toes until you are to the tips, lift slightly from the floor, and then come back down, feeling the tips of your toes on the floor before going back to the ball of the foot and down to first position. Equal time for both feet, of course.<P>I love Basheva's pencil points. When I teach the young ones little jumps in first position, we call it pencil points (in the air) and diamonds (good demi on the ground).<P>Hope that helps, Vanessa, and, WELCOME!

Thank you very much for all of your suggestions. You guys gave some great advice--I'm definately going to try these ideas and see if I can improve.<P>Bree-- I'm not yet on pointe, but I hope one day to try it if I ever reach that level!