Path to Pointe

Southern California Ballet has strict rules about when dancers are allowed to go on pointe, which are intended to protect dancers’ lifelong health and wellbeing. Please read the following information to learn more about pointe work.

What is “pointe” or pointe work?


Pointe work, dancing on pointe, or “pointe” as it is more commonly referred to, is the term for when a dancer wears specially designed “pointe shoes” in order to dance on the tips of their toes.

Who can go en pointe?

The physical demands of pointe work mean that Southern California Ballet must be very stringent in our assessment of when a student is ready to get their pointe shoes and strictly monitor progress before and afterwards.

The most important thing to note is that pointe work should not be rushed! Dancing on pointe too early can be detrimental to progress and slow a dancer down more so than waiting until the dancer is absolutely ready—when a dancer is not completely ready, dancing on pointe poses the risk of injury.

Solidifying technique and being adequately prepared will facilitate faster progress than rushing into pointe work without having mastered elements that need to be second nature before starting.

What are the SCB requirements for pointe?

  • Dancers’ bones must have reached a sufficient point of hardening to make pointe work structurally safe for their bodies. This can be measured by certain signs of a student’s age and physical development, or with an X-ray and report from your doctor. Age 12 is sometimes considered to be the age around when this happens, however it must be taken into consideration that everyone is different and we all mature at a different rate.

  • Students must demonstrate the required strength for pointe work, including that of the intrinsic foot muscles, ankle stability, leg (calf, quadriceps, hamstring and gluteal) strength, and core stability.

  • Students must demonstrate a good understanding of coordination and a strong mind-to-body connection or proprioception.

If a student’s goal is to one day go en pointe, they must:

  • Be taking at least two ballet classes a week (by level 5) and complete one year of “Pre-Pointe Stretch” class

  • Then, they must complete one year of “Pointe-Work Prep” class where they will start working towards going on pointe and getting their pointe shoes. They must be taking three to four classes per week at this point in their progress

  • Dancers who are new to the studio must take a private lesson with the Artistic Directors to determine if they can continue on pointe at Southern California Ballet, regardless of previous experience

Class Progression

Learn why dancers need to take two full years of preparation classes to go on pointe, and about the difference between the two years.

Pre-Pointe Stretch

This class is a body conditioning/exercise class designed to prepare the students’ bodies for pointe work. In addition to this class, a student is required to be concurrently taking two ballet classes per week.

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Pointe-Work Prep

This is a transitional class where, at some point, students receive permission to go on pointe and purchase their pointe shoes. The class consists of strengthening and also ballet exercises done without pointe shoes, which progress to being done on pointe when the student receives permission. In addition to this class, a student is required to concurrently take at least three ballet/strength classes per week.

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Intermediate Pointe

When students reach the Intermediate level and have proven that they have sufficient strength and ability on pointe, they will progress to the Intermediate Pointe class and start working on more complex and advanced pointe work. At this level, a student is required to take four ballet classes per week.

Common Parent Questions About Pointe

General Questions

Why do some students get to go on pointe before others in the Pointe-Work Prep class?

Going on pointe truly varies from dancer to dancer, and it is not something that can be accelerated. The dancer needs to have proper alignment of their body, possess sufficient ankle strength and mobility, have grown sufficiently enough that their bones have likely hardened (or proper bone density as demonstrated by X-rays), and take the proper classes. All of these prerequisites will be checked by the teacher to deem a dancer ready for the next big step of going on pointe. Remember that your teacher is primarily thinking of your safety and readiness, and it should not be seen as a personal bias.

Can my dancer continue to do ballet without going on pointe?

Technically, yes. Dancers are able to continue dancing ballet even if they do not go on pointe, but they will not be able to move-up to the highest level of the school or perform with their age group.

What can dancers do to prepare their toes for pointe work?

Southern California Ballet will ensure that your dancer’s feet are muscularly strong enough, and that your bones are at the proper stage before going on pointe. However, if your dancer tends to get pedicures, we would recommend that you ask the nail technician to not scrub off the calluses on the dancers toes. Dancers need to develop calluses on their skin overtime to protect themselves from blisters.

Make sure your dancer doesn’t have any ingrown toenails; as you can imagine, this will only get worse if not taken care of before going on pointe.

Questions About Purchasing Pointe Shoes

Where can we purchase pointe shoes?

Southern California Ballet requires that you make an appointment with a professional pointe shoe fitter (yes, this is a real thing). Please see the contact information below:

Dressed 2 Dance

Address: 16393 Bernardo Center Dr, San Diego
Phone: (858) 798-5575
Email: info@dressed2dance.com
Dressed 2 Dance Website

The Pointe Shop | Contact: GG

Address: 9155 Brown Deer Rd Unit 6, San Diego (inside DanseMedica)
Phone: (619) 987-6345
Email: gg@thepointeshop.com
Pointe Shop Website

What pointe shoes should we purchase?

Don’t stress about this, as the professional fitter will help you with figuring out which type of shoe to get. First pointe shoe fittings can take over an hour because the dancer doesn’t know what “feels right” yet. Dancers are also very excited when they put on their first pair of shoes, and will want to document the whole experience with photos.

What happens after we purchase pointe shoes?

Once the shoes have been purchased, they should be brought to SCB with a clean towel or something to stand on so the student can show their teacher to make sure the fit is correct. Do NOT sew anything onto the shoe until the shoes is approved by a SCB staff member.

What else do we need to purchase besides shoes?

The pointe shoe fitter will help you with this, but make sure you leave with toe pads, ribbon, and elastic.

What are convertible tights, and why does my dancer need them?

Convertible tights are tights that have a hole underneath the bottom of the foot. The tights are essential for pointe work, because it allows the dancers direct access to their toes to prepare their toes and put their toe pad underneath the tights.

Why are pointe shoes so expensive?

Many pointe shoes are still made by hand, which causes them to be expensive. Additionally, companies are constantly investing in new technologies to improve the safety of pointe shoes, which impacts price across the industry.

Questions About Wearing, Maintaining, and Replacing Pointe Shoes

How does my dancer break in their first pair of pointe shoes, and what does that mean?

Dancers should not be wearing their new pointe shoes at home (we know this is hard) and they should not try breaking them in on their own.

The term “breaking in” is referred to when a dancer actually starts to modify the shoe to better fit their foot, and as they continue to dance en pointe, they will learn what works best for their feet.

Dancers should not try to copy how professional dancers break in their shoes. The SCB staff will assist the dancers with additional shoe modifications if it is necessary.

How long do pointe shoes last and when do they need to be replaced?

Pointe shoes do not have an expiration date, and as many of them are handmade, there can be variabilities. The more a dancer wears their pointe shoes, the quicker they will break down. Dancers can extend the life of their shoes by properly taking care of them.

The rule of thumb is that when a dancer tells you they need new shoes or “their shoes are dead,” they need new shoes ASAP.

How should my dancer take care of their pointe shoes?

Pointe shoes should be allowed to fully dry between classes, and dancers should use a well-ventilated bag for their pointe shoes and pads. Dancers should never throw their pointe shoes into their bag with their toe pads still in them.

Because pointe shoes are traditionally made of resin and glue, keeping them wet (instead of letting them fully dry) breaks down these glues and resins exponentially faster.

If possible, it is a good idea to have two pairs of shoes at once so your dancer is able to rotate them. This ensures that the shoes dry completely and in the end extends the life of both pairs.

What does it mean when my dancer says, “My shoes are dead”?

This is a common phrase among ballet dancers, and it simply means that their shoes are no longer supporting their feet, caused by either the shank, box, platform or a combination of all three. When this happens, the shoes cannot be salvaged, and the dancer needs new pointe shoes before their next class or they will not be able to safely dance en pointe.

Is there a left and a right in pointe shoes?

There is no left and right when it comes to pointe shoes when they are first purchased, but once the dancer begins to wear them, they will naturally create a right and left side.

How do dancers stop their ribbons from fraying?

Once the ribbons are cut to the proper length for tying around the ankle, you can burn the edge of your pointe shoe ribbons with a lighter. Please assist your dancer with this the first time. We also recommend practicing on the discarded cut ribbons that are not sewn to the shoe.

Why is it so important for a dancer to know how to eventually sew their own shoes?

Sewing your own pointe shoes is a right of passage for many dancers and if they become professional dancers this will be expected. We know that many dancers want to keep their first pair of shoes and will want them to be sewn nicely, or do not yet know how to sew, but after 6 months dancers should learn and be sewing their own shoes.