Hi, ok here's the thing and I'm 13 and I just recently started to take ballet. I was wondering, on average, how long (if its not already to late) would it take for me to get through ballet and start pointe? Any advice on this and/or how I can work towards this goal would be great!! Thanks so much for your help!!!<P>------------------<BR>>'+'< Annie

I'm not quite sure what you mean by getting through ballet? <P>If you've only just started recently you're going to have to train for quite a while before going on pointe: it usually takes years of training before your feet are going to be ready. Have you spoken to your teacher about this? I think that's the best thing to do, really.

Welcome to the board Wildcat - it great to have you join us!!<P>Red Shoes is right - you have to go along with the advice of your teacher. She makes the determination as to whether you are ready or not.<P>It is certainly not too late to undertake the study of ballet and, assuming that you work hard under good supervision, it is entirely possible that you will acquire the skills and strength for pointe. <P>As a general rule it usually takes 2-3 lessons per week for at least 2-3 yrs before a student is ready, and over 12 yrs. old. But it is a individual matter - and in certainly the decision of your teacher.<P>Here is a thread you might want to read:<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000332.html><B>POINTE ASSESSING READINESS</B></A>

Welcome, Wildcat! Congratulations on your decision to study ballet. <P>You mention getting through ballet as a prerequisite for getting to pointe. You may already know this, but just in case you don't, being ready for pointe does not mean you leave "regular ballet" behind. Even professionals take daily technique class. <BR>You've already been given some good guidelines here for what preparation is necessary before you go on pointe. Once you reach that stage, you will be taking both technique classes and pointe classes. Your teacher will be able to decide when it's time, and will help you along.<P>I hope you are enjoying your ballet classes so far!

But... hey, wildcat, I'm sort of shocked by what you said... How can you ever get trough ballet to go sur les pointes, while pointe work IS ballet? You don't do ballet for pointe, oh no, you do pointe for ballet! Pointe is just one of the many, many things that ballet includes, it is to make you look very light, weightless, so fragile, but strong. You do ballet (assuming you do it) your whole live (assuming you do), adn a part of it is pointe. It is only to let the ballet look more expressive, but it's not another dance form, let alone style or something.<P>Sorry that i felt out a bit, but i just couldn't resist to write this. <P> <P>------------------<BR>The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything...<P>

out of curiousity, wildcat--you say you've just started...how long is just? oh, and do you follow a syllabus?

Just recently means about like 1-2 months ago (I am VERY new to the ballet world) With that said I'am not quite sure if we follow a sylabus or not I will ask my instructor.