How to Find 7/8 Pointe

Articulation is an essential element of pointe work and makes the audience gasp from its simple beauty. Distinguishing between full pointe and demi-pointe with the progressions in between is difficult, however, and requires incredible intrinsic and arch strength. 

Articulation Exercise 

Facing the barre, step up to pointe in parallel. Try to roll down in 8 slow counts, coming to a hover with the heel at the bottom (the heel will touch the floor, but do not place much weight into it). Continue this exercise, stepping up to pointe and lowering down as slowly as possible. 

Most likely, the issue is more about proprioception than strength, however. Proprioception is our awareness of our body within space, the ability to make a coordinated shape without visual feedback. Facing the barre in 6th en pointe, imagine lifting higher out of your shoes to then bend just half of each toe. Can you find a place where the edge of the platform and the pleats are touching the floor? 

⅞ and ¾ are less about finding positions and more about transitioning through the shoe. Full pointe and demi pointe are so far away from each other! Use the strength of your shoe, feel the wings and vamp supporting your toes and they crease. 

Pay mental attention to the progression from demi to full pointe in tendus and dégagés en flat. Take barre in dead pointe shoes or demi-pointe shoes. Build intrinsic foot strength by pushing through the thicker shoe. Incredibly, there are 19 intrinsic muscles in the foot and a total of 29 individual muscles (Card & Bordoni, 2023). It takes time and attention to learn to control them.

For more foot conditioning exercises and pointe shoe tips, visit our Dancing Feet Digital Guide.

References

Card, R. K., & Bordoni, B. (2023, April 8). Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Foot Muscles. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539705/