French For Dancers: Demi-Pointe & Pointe
French For Dancers
Demystifying dance terminology and steps for dancers and dance-lovers!
Issue 22: Demi-Pointe & Pointe
Bonjour! Welcome to French For Dancers
Parlez-Vous Ballet?
(Do you speak Ballet?)
In our look at Relevé (Issue 14), we learned that the word comes from the French relever, which has many meanings – in this case, it means to raise, to lift up. A relevé is a rise onto the toes, either in demi-pointe (half pointe) or a full relevé en pointe. In this issue, we take a further look at each of these terms.
DEMI-POINTE
(deh-mi-point)
Meaning: Half-tip, or half-point (as in extremity)
Demi-pointe (sometimes written without the hyphen) is the standard form of a high relevé in bare feet or in regular ballet or jazz shoes, coming up to balance on the balls of the feet.
Demi-pointe is also used pointe work, with the dancer coming into relevé, but not on pointe. Sometimes, this can seem harder in pointe shoes!
POINTE
(point)
Meaning: Tip, point – an extremity
The fullest extension of a relevé onto the toes. The ankle is fully extended (arched), and the body’s weight is squarely over the toes.
To get to full pointe (also referred to as en pointe – or sur les pointes), the dancer needs to wear pointe shoes. Dancers can also “pop” up on pointe in jazz sneakers with a box toe and some tap shoes, but these are not designed for prolonged pointe work. Pointe shoes are specially constructed to support the foot in the fully extended pointe position.
A lesser-used term is three-quarter pointe, which describes the position of the feet (the toes, really) just past demi-pointe, where the toes are about to push into full pointe, or into the air. This also correlates to the landing sequence referred to as “toe-ball-heel,” where the lifted foot articulates through all three positions on the way down from a jump. Here, the toe would be a three-quarter point, as you wouldn’t want to land on the tips of your toes, but the next closest part of the toes.
Similarly, a quarter-pointe position is a low relevé, where the heels barely lift off the floor. This is sometimes used when teaching younger children how to properly work through their feet when doing a relevé.
Savoir-Faire
(Know-How)
Student Tip:
Feet and ankles have a huge ability to articulate – which will help you balance and dance in demi-pointe, and which in turn helps you build strength for jumping and future pointe work.
Work on articulation from the ankle to the tips of the toes by moving through all the positions of the feet, from flexed to pointed. Don’t try to over-force your arch if your feet are not naturally flexible – with time and dedication, you can increase the strength and flexibility of your feet, but pushing too quickly can lead to injury.
Try these exercises:
· Sitting with your legs extended in front of you, flex and point your feet to their fullest range. Then point the feet and just flex & point the toes. Incorporate resistance bands for extra – well, resistance!
· Next, with a relaxed foot, articulate each toe, lifting one toe at a time from big toe to pinky until all toes are flexed/lifted. Then lower one toe at a time. Repeat, but reverse the order, starting with the pinky.
Teacher Tip:
Young children are often tempted to try standing “on pointe” in their bare feet or ballet shoes. This should be discouraged immediately! While they may think themselves strong enough to do this, their bones are too soft to attempt such tricks, and as their toes are mostly made of cartilage at this age – the ends of their long bones are made of cartilage, which will eventually harden into bone as they grow. Damaged cartilage heals slowly, and if students attempt to stand on their toes, they can do serious (and often permanent) damage.
Encourage young students to work on strengthening their demi-pointe instead, and keep their feet healthy and strong. Tell them they’ll have prettier feet that way!
À La Carte
(From the Menu)
Recommendations, reflections, and/or useful links
For a quick overview of the development of pointe work in ballet, watch the former Ballet Mistress for the Royal Ballet Company in London, Ursula Hageli, in this lecture/demonstration excerpt.
Merci!
(Thank you!)
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- Peggy