Video Regarding Going en Pointe for the First Time in Ballet

When I treat young ballet students, I will eventually get the question of when can pointe work begin. I must work with the advice of the dance instructor, or use one of the dance medicine instructors here at Saint Francis. The 2 criteria that our Golden Rules (unbreakable) are 3 years of experience and great biomechanical technique. The 3rd criteria is age. Typically the dancers should be 12 with growth plates closed. Some dancers are skeletally mature while still 11 (rare) and some 13 or 14 (not that uncommon). Taking x rays to see if growth plates are closed in the feet is reasonable, for making the wrong decision is very dangerous. 

The Ballet Blog: Looks Like a Great Site

http://www.theballetblog.com/index/487-pain-at-the-front-of-the-ankle-on-pointe.html

Here is a Ballet Question I get asked all the time. When is a safe for my daughter to go en pointe? 

My typical answer is 12 years old when there is enough skeletal maturity and when the child has enough strength to maintain proper technique (normally after 3-5 years of training) throughout the entire class. Poor technique leads to bunions, hammertoes, pain in many areas. Dr Rich Blake