Getting pointe shoes for the first time is typically every young ballerina's dream.  But dancing en pointe is not necessarily a "rite of passage" for a dancer; it takes discipline, hard work, and a serious passion for the art of ballet, in particular.

If dancing en pointe is a goal for your child, here's what you need to know about preparing for pointe at Summit School of the Arts.

•  ALL dancers will be required to schedule and complete a pre-pointe assessment prior to beginning pointe work.  This will happen during the first and last week of one of the ballet classes they are enrolled in.

• Students are eligible to begin pointe preparation class and to complete an assessment at the age of 10, with instructor approval.  To be considered for pointe a student needs to be enrolled in at least 3 classes (at least 2 of which are ballet).

• Completion of a pointe preparation class and assessment is not a guarantee of pointe readiness.

• Our first priority when assessing pointe readiness is safety.  If a student is due for a growth spurt, has structural or technical concerns, lacks the necessary strength to support themselves, or is not demonstrating the focus and dedication required for safe practice, they will be asked to continue their training and wait for the right time.

• Once your child begins wearing pointe shoes, they will be required to comply with certain enrollment and attendance policies. Dancers must be enrolled in at least 3 ballet classes (technique or pointe) to be allowed to wear pointe shoes.  If too many classes are missed, dancers will be asked to not wear their pointe shoes until it has been determined that they're ready to start again.

• Pointe shoes must be professionally fitted prior to purchasing your first pair.  

• If you wish to continue dancing en pointe from season to season, there cannot be breaks in your training and conditioning habits.

• Dancing en pointe is the natural progression in the career of a ballerina.  But there are many paths a dancer may choose outside of a professional ballet career.  Although ballet training is essential for progress in almost any dance style, being a ballerina is not a pre-requisite to being a phenomenal dancer.

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Below is a copy of the pre-pointe assessment that will be given to each student.  Please let us know if you'd like clarification on anything.

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