Pre-Pointe Parents In Your Back Pocket

By Judy Rice

Educate your parents about your pointe work procedure

You have a new crop of dancers who have reached that exciting stage we call pre-pointe!  All they can think about is getting those beautiful shoes on their feet and dancing like sprites across the studio.  Some parents also have preconceived notions of sending their daughter to class the first day with pointe shoes in hand and expecting to see her twirl around “on her toes” before the day is over.  We all know the expectations that are attached to “pointe work” and it is your job, as their pointe teacher, to be sure that your parameters are clearly stated ahead of time to prevent turmoil later on down the line.

If you have a class of dancers in the fall that have moved to the pre-pointe level, I suggest that you send out a separate letter and have a meeting of the students and their parents in which you state the specifics of your approach to new pointe students.  By having your procedures in writing, you have a source that clearly states your objectives and reasons for the tremendous amount of preparation it takes to properly train a pointe dancer.  Re-enforcing your policies in a meeting solidifies your objectives and promotes communication and understanding.

I feel that the most important information to pass on to all involved is the timeline and reasons for preparing the dancer for safe, injury free pointe work.  First of all, you should state that all dancers must have your permission to be in pre-pointe.  It is also important that you have been thoughtful about your class placement.  It is better to not allow a dancer into pre-pointe if she is not ready.  It lowers morale if you have to move a dancer out of pre-pointe, whereas promotion into a class is a bonus.  It is important to clarify that “pre-pointe” means before pointe shoes.  There are specific basic exercises that will be studied and through repetition, these exercises will strengthen the dancer’s entire body to allow her to move slowly into pointe work.  If you feel that most of your students will be ready for their pointe shoes by Christmas, let them know so that the parents can budget shoes into their holiday shopping.  If you feel that some dancers might be ready before others, tell the parents of all the students that some girls are more advanced and will be ready to get their shoes sooner.  That way, you have warned them and you won’t have parents calling you wondering why Sally got permission to purchase her shoes, but Susie didn’t.  Don’t be afraid to be stern.  Lay down the law and then stick to it!

Having a working relationship with your local dancewear store will prevent a lot of mis-communication.  Be sure that the store knows how you prefer to have the shoes fit.  Also, communicate to the store which brands and styles you prefer, as well as your preferences for ribbon and elastic width, and types of padding that you will allow.  Providing them with written guidelines will help you and the store communicate with the parents.

When the time comes for the students to purchase their first pair of pointe shoes you should hold another parent meeting.  You must be able to guide them to proper fit and preparation of the shoes.  The parents and students must be aware that there is a lot of work to be done with the shoe before they can be put on.  You need to educate them on ribbon and elastic placement and sewing, ribbon tying, and how to break in the shoes.  Make it clear that class time will be spent training the girls how to care for their shoes and feet.  They will be practicing tying the shoes and breaking them in.  Advise them to the fact that some dancers will break down their shoes faster than others and teach them how to recognize when, for the safety of the dancer, an old shoe must be re-enforced or a new pair purchased.  Be honest about the price of pointe shoes and accessories.  Alert them to watch for possible changes in the dancer’s feet that could be harmful and teach them techniques for dealing with calluses, blisters, bunions, etc.  Let them know that once they are able to put on the shoes, the dance process will be slow in order to prevent injury.  They might not get off the barre for a year!  It is a bonus if they do.

Educating your parents about your pointe work procedures will truly keep them on your side.  If you need additional guidance, I suggest that you purchase a video specializing in beginning pointe.  Have your pointe teachers, parents and dancers view it.  An educational DVD on the pre/beg. pointe process brings a voice of another professional to back up what you are saying and gives you more credibility.  The first pointe shoe experience is exciting, but it can also be painful and full of surprises.  Take the unrealistic expectations out of the process.  Any surprises should be positive bonuses.  Keep the communication up front and you will end up with your parents in your back pocket! For more information jrrice@umich.edu or visit Judy’s website @ www.behindbarres.com

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