Programme description
Getting fitted for pointe shoes is not the finish line — it is closer to the starting gun. Students who begin pointe work without adequate preparation tend to plateau quickly and sometimes injure themselves in the process. This course exists to close that gap.
Sessions focus on foot and ankle strength, relevé control, and the specific muscle groups that make pointe work sustainable rather than just possible. Pilates-influenced conditioning exercises are woven into each class alongside classical barre sequences.
Strength before shoes
Students are assessed in the first session to determine readiness. Some will be cleared to begin pointe work within the course; others will spend the full twelve weeks building the foundation needed. Both outcomes are equally valid.
- Prerequisite: minimum two years of consistent ballet training
- Assessment session included in week one
- Theraband and conditioning exercises assigned for home practice
- Access to video corrections between classes
Taught by Petra Halvorsen, physiotherapist and former dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet. She has an unusually practical view of what feet can and cannot do.