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Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by Wallflower
6/19/2006  7:45:00 PM
Hello. I was in Ballet ( tap and Jazz) from the age of 3 or 4 untill I was 12, then I quit, mainly because I didn't have any friends in class and I was picked on and bullied all those years by the girls I was with. Now I find it very foolish that I quit, because I miss dance SO MUCH. I don't care about what they do, or what they say, I want to dance again, but my Mom will not let me join again. She is letting me teach myself though, if I can find a way. I am almost 14 now, just in a few months. It hasn't even been two years since I quit, maybe a year or less, but I have forgoten so much.

How can I do this? Do you think a video could do the trick? Even a book.

I was also thinking of going on Pointe, but I don't know my shoe size, and I don't know how! I have spoken to my old Ballet teacher, and he has said that I am old enough.

Do you think it is possible to teach myself to go on Pointe. I have heard it is from a few people, but I know that gossip sometimes is a lie.

Please help. I miss dance so much!
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by Anonymous
6/19/2006  9:14:00 PM
and then you can operate on your own feet with a kitchen knife and no anesthetic to fix the mess you've made of them...
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by lars123
6/19/2006  11:54:00 PM
First of all, even soft shoe technique can never be learned from a book or a video. Unlike ballroom, where you can pick up patterns easily off a video if you know the background, in ballet, there is no "pattern" even the simplest plie will be terribly wrong without a teacher to correct you. You may think you know what you are doing, but without a teacher, you will just be doing the step horribly wrong, I guarantee you. Secondly, NEVER ever go on pointe without a certified teacher's instruction. You do not know what you are doing. You will hurt yourself. There is no faking in pointe work. I'm sorry, I have been a ballerina for 6 years, and I know it is the one thing you cannot even begin to teach yourself. Don't even try. If your mom knew what was best for you she would enroll you in a class or not let you dance at all.
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by Wallflower
6/20/2006  9:11:00 AM
Thank you guys so much! I'm glad I asked this before I ruined my feet. So, it's best that I shouldn't teach myself, and i'm not allowed to go back to class, do I just forget about it? Ballet was my life when I was little. I can't forget about it, it's to hard . There has to be some way right? I miss it too much.
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by Laura
6/20/2006  9:33:00 AM
Have you tried talking, reasonably and calmly, to your mother about this? Two years have gone by since she made you quit. Do you feel able to face the circumstances at the studio again? Maybe there are other studios you can try to see if some are more friendly?

If you love dancing so much and can communicate this to your mother, perhaps she'll change her mind and let you try dancing again.
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by dancefreak14
6/30/2006  3:43:00 PM
Hi. You sound just like me. I am currently teaching myself pointe. I have been doing ballet for 8 years at a STATE acclaimed studio. People discouraged me from teaching myself but I did it because I was determined. I have yet to hurt myself. I am learning slowly, but my pointwork has gotten alot better. My pointe is if you know ENOUGH about ballet, it is possible. Before anyone jumps on me for encouraging this I want to say that my point is ITS IS POSSIBLE TO TEACH YOURSELF POINTE.I would get your parents approval, and talk to your doctor. Best of Luck, and be careful.
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by Lisa
6/30/2006  5:48:00 PM
Please show your mother this message board. I took ballet from the time I was 5 until I was 21 with a 2 year break during middle school - also due to peer pressure and feeling "picked on". I chose a new studio when I decided to start again and my mother was supportive when I asked her to help me search for a new studio. I went on to major in dance in college.

I no longer dance ballet, but it gave me a good base for my ballroom dancing (a life long dance sport) and gave me greater poise and self confidence in my life.

However, I must say dance (sport) injuries are serious and often do not surface for many years. I am now 44 and suffer from several different foot, joint, and tendon ailments attributable to dance (and to pointe). Proper warm up, proper technique, and proper care of minor injuries will improve your dancing now and prevent future physical impairments.

Is it possible to teach yourself? Probably yes. Is is wise? Probably no.
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by 20yearsOfdance
7/11/2006  11:41:00 PM
I've been dancing ballet pro for almost ten years now and I have to tell you teaching yourself at home can do wonders. Now I'm not saying its the perfect solution but it helps a great deal. For people who say you can't teach yourself pointe at home can stuff it! > I taught myself pointe at home when I was fifteen in my basement dance studio. With the help of my very loving mother(God rest her soul)to help mend my wounds I was successful and you can be too if you put forward the effort. I don't really think books will do much help but a video should work nicely. Now this isn't for everyone only people with the passion and art for dance and who don't fear hurting yourself evey once and a while. I admit I injured myself pretty bad sometimes but I never gave up and I kept at it and followed the video(which was VHS at the time)and did everything it told me. Now if you can't find a video on teaching you pointe then go to a very good ballet book of your choice and read CAREFULLY before you try anything. I'm one of those girls who couldn't stand the dreaded classroom and taunting little snot nosed girls who think their better than you. Ha! I showed them! Look who's dancing around the world and making a name for herself!
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by lars123
7/12/2006  8:49:00 AM
I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. It doesn't make any sense to say that if you really love something than you should be willing to hurt yourself over it. You can practice releves and such at home after you know what your doing, but it is not safe to try and learn all by yourself at home. Yes, the girls can be annoying, but they are just something you deal with, and I have met some of my best friends in ballet class. They also give you much needed competition. I'm sorry, but in my (and everyone else's) oppinion, it is never okay to intentionally injure yourself. You owe it to yourself to get professionally trained. Home practice should be in addition to class work. There are many things (such as center, balace, foot placement, leg straightening, foot pointing, arm styling, head placement, creativity, turnout, toe stance, musicality etc.)that a book can never ever teach you. You will be someone that knows ballet exercises but you will never be a dancer.
Re: Teach myself Pointe at home?
Posted by ElizParker
7/13/2006  11:18:00 AM
Since you quit dance before, your mother is probably hesitant because she thinks you might quit again. How about getting a part-time job? Then you can tell your mother you'll help pay for your dance lessons. If she's knows you're this serious, chances are she'll help you get started again.

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