I'm really confused about something so if anyone has any advice or info it would be greatly appreciated. I had my first pointe class last week so I am new, but something has been bothering me. Today I practiced a bit on my own and I noticed something; when I am in first, fourth, and fifth position I can very easily get en pointe. However, if I am in second I can't seem to get all the way up !! I remember now my teacher telling me I am not all the way up, but here's the clincher, I am 5' 1" ...thus I am short and I didn't believe that my height is hindering me, but now it feels like because I may not have long legs I can't get all the way up to second position en pointe. Is that even possible?? I know it sounds crazy but does anyone understand what I mean??

I know EXACTLY what you mean- I just started pointe last week, and it's really hard. To me, it seems like a test of how far you can get over your shoe, and how well you can hold your turnout. And it's really hard to hold it that far out, and I am not as far over my shoe as I would like to get!

SalimaC - I don't believe your height has anything at all to do with it. The construction of your foot - and even the fit of your shoe does. <P>Check with your teacher, and see if you are going out to too wide a second position. Also as your continue your studies your feet will get stronger - and more flexible. This will help. <P> The strength in your foot will enable you to use (bend) the shoe in a more correct fashion. When one is a beginner its more like the shoe using the dancer than the dancer using the shoe. <P>If you have any technical ballet books at home - try to find pictures of the different types of feet - and you will see that the construction has a great deal to do with it. And do check to make sure the second is not too wide.<P>I am not sure that I would recommend practicing by yourself, when you are so new on pointe. You should be under the supervision of a teacher, both for safety reasons, and also to keep from learning bad habits. So think this over - talk about it with your teacher.

to me it sounds like you are not getting over-correctly arching- your foot in the shoe. this is common in first pointe classes. Remember that next time, and try to stregthen your feet and always use them to your best advantage.

You may want to try a smaller second position until your feet are ready. I myself have a hard time keeping full turn out in a wide second. At my teacher's request, I now narrow the width of the second position in order to keep my turn out and to be completely over my box.

Whoops!<p>[This message has been edited by Bree (edited June 20, 2001).]

I noticed today that satin on my pointe shoes are wearing out......however, i noticed that its only the bottom part of the satin thats slowing wearing down. I'm not sure, but is this an obvious sign that I am probably not going up all the way en pointe? I thought I was but how can I make sure? Is there something noticeably different that a dancer can tell if she is all the way up or not?

Salima - I think that the satin on the bottom of your pointe shoes will wear out faster - because it gets used more. It is what scrapes along the floor in tendu - when you are not even up on pointe. And degagé, grand battement, rond de jambe a terre, etc.<P>So in my opinion it is not by itself an indication that you are not fully up on your platforms. You can ask your teacher for her opinion as to whether you are fully up on the platforms - and you can also probably see it in the mirror - and feel it.