How to get on pointe shoes correctly for beginners. Pointe shoes Gaynor Minden. How and from what it is made. Occupational risks and diseases

Ballet has never ceased to delight people around the world for a long time. And ballerinas seem like air fairies, for whom the laws of gravity do not exist. In fact, such ease is due to years of hard work, and occupational illnesses are common in the ballet field. Ballerina's legs are the most vulnerable spot. They are unusually strong, strong and resilient. It cannot be any other way, because they must withstand the mass female body on a tiny patch of floor as she stands on her tiptoes in her pointe shoes.

This is the side of the coin that is inaccessible to the ordinary viewer and appears only behind the scenes. The most common injuries among ballerinas are sprains, broken leg bones, sprains and dislocations. Injuries are also common hip joint, which can lead to a number of inflammations in the pelvic area.

Professional and prerequisite is a breaking of the instep of the upper part of the foot, which consists of a forced sprain of the ligaments. In order to perform this unnatural bend, any objects are used. Due to constant overload, the ligaments often cannot withstand, and the entire ligamentous apparatus weakens and becomes loose. A ballerina's legs without pointe shoes don't get better over the years. There are often cases when it is easy to twist a leg when running or jumping. The result of such beauty will be arthrosis, arthritis and thrombophlebitis.

The first signs of leg diseases among ballet dancers are associated with impaired blood circulation. Toenails change color and thickness, that is, they either thicken or become brittle. Veins gradually appear, which become more and more noticeable through the skin on the ballerina’s legs after the performance. Don't flatter yourself with hopes that this is just a cosmetic defect. Over time, the veins thicken and become more tortuous. They are easy to feel after physical activity. As the disease progresses, the legs become engorged and a feeling of heaviness appears in them. This occurs partly due to oxygen starvation of the muscles. The processes of blood stagnation begin in the veins.

After a certain period of time, cramps in the calf muscles may begin. Oxygen deficiency is also characteristic feature foot diseases in ballerinas. Swelling appears on the legs, and there may be traces of skin dermatitis - rashes and itching on the skin. The final stage of the development of the disease in the absence of timely treatment will be ulcers on the legs, blockage of blood vessels, thrombophlebitis, varicose veins and ruptured veins with subsequent bleeding.

Features of the structure and appearance of the legs

Legs professional ballerina They don't always look attractive without pointe shoes. Another characteristic feature will be the so-called valgus deformity of the foot and the formation of bumps on the toes. These phenomena are directly related to the significant overloads that are experienced during training and performances. They are expressed in the appearance of visible thickenings, which not only interfere with wearing shoes, but can also become inflamed and bleed. Deformation of the toes looks like a curvature of them inward of the foot, which begins with the big toe and can gradually affect the rest.

During the dance, the artist’s foot experiences tension that goes beyond its natural limits. Over time, the forefoot takes on a flattened appearance. As a result of movements on the toes, transverse flat feet are formed, and the extreme metatarsal bones diverge to the sides and the forefoot expands. Development hallux valgus deformity due to the fact that the ballerina’s shoes pull the leg across, and due to the movement on the tips of the toes, the load on thumb colossal. Another feature of foot development is the thickening of the metatarsal bones and a change in the length of the toes. Movements during the dance are directed around the axis of the foot. The foot twists and unwinds in opposite directions relative to the anterior and posterior sections.

The feet of a ballerina without professional shoes - pointe shoes - require the highest care and attention, in order not to hide them from prying eyes. For preventive purposes, artists take contrast baths, make compresses that help soften the feet and relax the leg muscles. In their free time, ballerinas try to place their feet on any available elevation in order to improve blood circulation in the lower extremities.

Beginning ballerinas and spectators of ballet performances wonder how to stand on pointe shoes. The dancers fluttering on stage seem to have everything with ease. In fact, behind the removed theater shoes, bloody calluses, sprains, and ankle injuries are hidden. Professionals do not recommend mastering the practice of standing on pointe shoes on their own, because even beginner ballet school students are trained for this for a whole year.

Learning to stand on pointe shoes: real or not?

It can be difficult for a person without professional training to stand on his toes. If you have experience visiting the studio rhythmic gymnastics with many hours of standing on your toes or academic dance - the chances of a successful result increase. But there are nuances.

• Increases the load on the ankle and ankle ligaments knee joint, spine in lumbar region, possible development varicose veins veins
• In pointe shoes, it is easy for a non-professional to get a sprain or rupture of ligaments or muscles; normal walking or a future dancing career can be put an end to.
• Academic dance teachers do not share the girls’ desire to learn ballet on their own, even using video lessons. The ideal option is to visit a ballet studio with an experienced teacher. He will select a set of exercises, taking into account the physiological characteristics of a particular student.

How to stand on pointe shoes? Need training!

How to stand on pointe shoes correctly?

It takes a long time to develop the foot; you must have strong calf muscles. Getting on pointe shoes correctly means standing on your toes. Much depends on the rise of the foot. Girls who can walk in high heels are less likely to encounter this problem.

Exercise can help prepare your muscles.

1. Half squats and work at the machine will be able to develop the right muscles. You need to learn how to pull your fingers correctly, both independently and with an assistant. It shouldn't hurt, it's good if you feel slight discomfort.
2. Walking on your toes around the house, going up and down the stairs is useful; you will have to give up the elevator.
3. Does it hurt to stand on pointe shoes? This process is painless only for professionals. You will have to stand against the wall for up to 5 minutes - straight, on your toes, so that the entire foot, except for the toes, the knee, buttocks, and shoulder blades touch the vertical support.
4. Using an elastic band, stretch the foot away from you and towards you; the leg should feel resistance.
5. It will also help to develop the leg muscles with half squats, when the heels are connected, the toes are pointing apart, the knees are slightly bent. From this position, you need to try to put your feet on your toes and return to the starting position, lowering your foot onto your heel.

The beauty and ease of movement will come with time, when the slight pain subsides. It is important to do the exercises slowly and only after warming up the muscles.

Girls want to become ballerinas - the beautiful ballet performances are mesmerizing, and it seems that the ballerinas perform the most difficult steps with extraordinary ease. But in fact, the audience sees only the front side of the ballet, the reverse side of which hides endless bloody calluses on the feet, sprains and countless different injuries. And ballerinas flying across the stage come to this skill no sooner than after a year of hard work - after all, such light movements are impossible on a full foot; an indispensable condition for the ease of dance of a ballerina is the ability to dance on pointe shoes, that is, on the very toes.

You certainly won’t be able to master this skill on your own; at best, you will end up with a sprain of muscles and ligaments, and at worst, a complete rupture of them, after which not only dancing, but even the most ordinary walking will become difficult for you, if not completely impossible. That is why very young girls become students of ballet schools, whose skeleton and ligamentous system have not yet formed, and therefore directing it in the right direction is not yet a problem. By the way, even adult girls will be able to stand on pointe shoes - but under the only condition of constantly walking in high-heeled shoes. It is in this case that girls have quite strong calf muscles, and the height of the foot, whatever it was initially, is also formed by constantly walking in heels. For other girls who ignore heels, getting on pointe shoes as adults will be an impossible task.

How do they train young future ballerinas at ballet schools? And how to get on pointe shoes - although literally oceans of girlish tears are shed in front of the instrument of torture called pointe shoes? It is for this purpose that the well-known, at least visually, ballet barre was created - the necessary half-squats, leg swings and mandatory stretching are performed behind it. It is necessary to stretch your toes as soon as possible, alone or with an assistant - just do not allow pain to occur, and the only thing you can feel is a slight discomfort. And if a little girl comes to the necessary technique for standing and dancing on pointe shoes in just a year, then a woman who wants to learn to at least stand on pointe shoes will need much more time. However, you don’t strive to perform ballet roles at the Bolshoi Theater? And to be able to dance like no one else around you, and to participate in a classical dance group, you will still learn to stand confidently on pointe shoes.

You'll have to invest in heels, especially if you've spent most of your life in sneakers. And if you start with shoes with low heels, gradually increase their height, since only heels develop exactly those muscle groups that are necessary for standing and dancing on pointe shoes. Walk on your toes at any convenient time, at home or on the street; forget about the elevator and walk up the stairs, and practicing half-squats on a ballet barre will quickly prepare your muscles and ligaments for what most people think is an unnatural position. However, you should not feel pain when standing on pointe shoes - with the exception of the first introductory classes.

But everyone feels discomfort when standing on their toes for a long time - of course, except for professionals. Any exercise for training standing on pointe shoes cannot be performed without first warming up the muscles - after all, with spontaneous training, the possibility of sprains increases, and you absolutely do not need unnecessary injuries.

And the comments to it prompted me to an interesting idea.
Let's try to figure out what ballet shoes are made of - pointe shoes, or as the ballerinas themselves call them, "toes".

Today there are enough companies manufacturing ballet shoes. And the Bolshoi Theater ballerinas have a choice. I’ll definitely tell you how it was before. After.

So, in front of you are 4 pairs of “fingers”. These are Chinese SanSha, Japanese Chacott, shoes made in the workshops of the Bolshoi Theater and American Geynor Minden.

It is the latter that we will talk about today.

I'll allow myself lyrical digression. Unlike many, I have been dancing exclusively in Bolshoi Theater pointe shoes, made to my measurements, for almost 30 years. I tried different ones. Of all the variety, besides my native “fingers,” I feel great in Capezio. In Geynor, I can’t just dance, I just can’t walk. Although many leading ballerinas love them. But as they say - it depends on the taste and color.

Let's continue.
The shoes initially have a curved arch. This may be convenient for some. No to me.

The shoe patch is a very important part, if not the main one. After all, the ballerina is standing on it. I remember I was surprised when I came to the Bolshoi and saw pointe shoes with the heel of no more than a five-ruble coin.
Now nickels are two or even three times more. It is considered more comfortable to stand on a large, wide heel. Maybe.

Shoes without ribbons. Each ballerina sews in the way that suits her. Since I wasn’t going to use the shoes, I didn’t sew on any ribbons.

In profile, the leg in shoes looks quite nice, but in full face, folds become visible. Knowing how the Bolshoi shoes work and what they are made of, I wanted to know what ballet shoes are made of in America. By the way, Geynor, in my opinion, has two drawbacks. It’s hard to stand on your toes in them (I always wondered why) and you have to sew an elastic band to the heel of the shoes so that the heel doesn’t slip off.

First, we strip off the nickel. On Geynor it is sewn separately, unlike other shoes. Under the fabric... plastic and a piece of thin foam!!!

Now I think I understand why in many ballet photographs the nails are affected by fungus. Legs and fingers in plastic DO NOT BREATHE!!!

We take out the insole, which by the way is also made of synthetic material.

Thin foam rubber is glued to the back side.

We look into the shoes and there... Also plastic. This is why it is difficult to stand on your toes. The plastic is quite hard and difficult to bend.

Between the fabric and the plastic liner in the shoes there is a thin film of foam rubber under the heel.

This is what Geynor shoes look like without the plastic filling. The inner fabric is also synthetic!

This is the “beauty” I have left from my right or left shoe. Almost dismantled for parts.

The only natural material is the sole. This is suede.

Ballet is a special form of classical dance. Dancers who practice ballet look slender, and sometimes it may seem that if a strong wind blows, they can simply be blown away. In fact, behind the slimness are hidden the codes of hard training, labor and great strength in the back, legs, and arms. Often dancers have stronger legs than athletes because they work for endurance rather than weight gain. But ballerinas cannot immediately stand on pointe shoes. First there will be hard training. They get used to pain and calluses on their feet. If you constantly practice on pointe shoes, deformation of your fingers and feet will soon occur. This is an occupational disease of ballet dancers.

If you can't stand on your heels, there are 2 explanations: either your feet or ankles are poorly developed, or your pointe shoes are too soft, incorrectly broken, or poorly designed. Here are some tips to help solve these problems.

1. 1. So, if you have a problem with your legs, then before you step on your heels you need to do some good work. It’s better to talk about this with professionals so as not to harm yourself.
2. 2. If the problem is in the pointe shoes, for example, the sole is hard and it does not bend along the foot, then it needs to be treated. If the pointe shoes are soft or the sole is broken, then it is better to replace them.
3. 3. How to break pointe shoes: Turn the heel of the shoe inside out so that the sole is visible. Then put it on (if you use earbuds, then together with them). Place your foot on your toes (press a little, but don't bear all the weight). On the foot you should find the point where the instep ends and the heel begins. Find the same point on pointe shoes. After this, you need to remove the shoe, rest it on the floor, and carefully bend it at this point. The rest of the sole should remain straight. If you warm up using this method, your pointe shoes will support your feet better and last longer.