Leigh's Pointe Class Barre Exercises

NOTE: Do not attempt these exercises at home until you have performed them in class so you know the proper way to do them.

1. Ankle rolls to warm up the feet and ankles
Parallel - gently roll the R ankle in small circles, keeping the toes on the floor - 4 cts en dehors, 4 cts en dedans. Repeat with L foot. 2x on each side.
1st position - repeat above turned out, all the way up to the top of the hip, keeping toes on the floor and hip joint loose - 4 cts en dehors, 4 cts en dedans. Repeat with L foot. 2x on each side.

2. Tendu/flex
1st position - tendu devant with R foot, flex at ankle, rond to side en l'air, tendu close 1st. Repeat from side to back and back to side. Demi-plie and fully stretch. Repeat with L foot. Repeat starting from back.

3. Marches
Parallel - roll through feet (toe-through ball) 8 times, then step back to parallel lunge with R leg, flexing L ankle with heel on the floor, then return to parallel and push over the R arch. Repeat with L foot.
1st position - repeat above marches turned out. Cross the R leg back to a long 4th position lunge and then push over the arch in a wide second lunge. Repeat with L foot.

4. Coupe springs
1st position - spring R foot off floor as if in saute, without lifting top of thigh. 8x R, 8x L.
5th position - repeat in 5th - 8x devant no change, 8x changing. Repeat with L. Repeat en arriere R and L.

5. Eleves (straight knee releves)
Parallel - lift heels and roll up to full pointe in 8 cts, roll down in 8 cts. Roll up in 4 and down in 4 - repeat 2x. Roll up in 2 and down in 2 - repeat 4x. Roll up in 1 and down in 1 - repeat 8x.
1st position and 2nd position - repeat turned out and in shallow 2nd position.

6.Slow roll-ups
1st position - demi-plie 2 cts, roll to demi en pointe 2 cts, straighten knees to full pointe 2 cts, roll down with straight knees 2cts. Repeat 4x. Repeat in 2nd position 4x.

7. Releves
Parallel - demi-plie with heels into floor, press up to releve, 4 x, hold balance 4 cts, roll down 4cts. Repeat 4x. Repeat in 1st and 2nd positions.

8. Sousous breakdown
5th position - demi-plie, lift heels without fully forcing the arch or rising to full pointe, then using the toes, spring to a tight souous, both legs moving evenly to center. Hold sousous for 4cts and then evenly roll down to 5th position demi-plie. Repeat 4x. Repeat with L foot front 4x.

9. One-leg balance
Parallel - rise with straight knees to full pointe, lift R foot to parallel coupe, full down slowly on L foot to demi-plie, return R foot to parallel. Repeat with L foot. Repeat 4x.
1st position - repeat with turned out feet. Rise to full pointe, shift R foot to back of ankle and roll down on L foot. Repeat with L foot 4x. May also be repeated with foot at front of ankle.

First year pointe student asks...

A Pointe in the Right Direction Designed by Meshea Cook

  
...how can I strengthen my ankles for pointe work? Are there any exercises I can do at home?

Answer: There sure are! And you don't even have to do them in your pointe shoes.

(And by the way, I caution all new pointe students when they are wearing their shoes at home. Be very, very careful! Until you know the proper way to rise up and come back down from pointe, don't! Get a few lessons under your belt first and then do a few eleves and releves at home, but nothing more or you run the risk of injury.

Okay, rant over.)

1. In bare feet or socks, stand in parallel at a barre, chair or counter and rise up and down (eleve) on both feet 16 times. Be sure to keep your toes flat on the floor and don't knuckle them.

2. Repeat the above on one leg, keeping the other leg in parallel coupe and not allowing the knee to swing in and turn in. 16x, repeat both sides.

3. Do both 1&2 in parallel with releve (demi-plie and press straight up, then lower back down to bent knees.) Again, 16x.

4. Do 1, 2, & 3 all turned out in 1st position.

5. Add a Theraband to your ankles, tying it loosely above the ankle bone, rise up on both legs in parallel and then while en releve, stretch one leg out against the band and back in (sort of like a parallel degage). Do this 16 times on each side. Repeat it in a turned out first position. If your calves hurt, you can do these flat.

6. Sitting on the floor, stretch your legs in parallel in front of you, wrap a towel or Theraband around the sole of your foot and lift it slightly off the ground. Point and flex your foot against the towel/band, increasing the resistance as you feel necessary. Try to keep your back straight so you also work your core. Repeat 16x with both feet.

These are some basic exercises you can do without your shoes. Once you feel more confident, you can repeat 1-4 with your pointe shoes on.

Happy dancing~