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From: 	[log in to unmask] on behalf of [log in to unmask]
Sent: 	Friday, April 17, 1998 4:59 AM
To: 	[log in to unmask]
Subject: 	Ballet: What age is safe to start 'point'

Luke,

Some points that one does not read in Podiatry Books:

1.  The Dancewear manufacturers do not even make pointe shoes in smaller sizes 
in an effort to force teachers to wait until the child is older.  Capezio, the 
largest dancewear company has an excellent flyer on this topic to hand to the 
mother.  Fax to me your request and I'll be happy to fax/mail a copy to you.  
Fax 504-391-7248.

2.  The standard Pointe shoe which is made out of cardboard/leather is weak.  
The teacher encourages the student to "feel the floor" with her toes.   We 
podiatrists
wince at this point. <g>.  

3.  The standard Pointe shoe will be "broken in", eg, the shank will be bent 
or broken so that the arch looks better.   Also, the toe box does not have 
enought support, over time, so that there is less support to the anterior of 
the foot/toes.

4.  I strongly recommend the Gaynor Mindon brand of Pointe shoes.  Their shank 
and toe box is one piece of thermoelastic plastic that gives excellent support 
to the dancer. 
If the fitter is talented, the toes can be floated in the toe box, and the 
body weight is transferred to the plantar surface of the foot during Pointe 
work.    Most dancers love it.

5.  In my experience, dancers, mothers and especially teachers are absolutely 
unconcerned about their feet and foot function.  They are only concerned about 
the 
"looks" of their arch.   Some buy Gaynor Mindons because the arch looks 
beautiful.

6.  Dont mail order Pointe shoes.  You wouldn't do a mail order shoe from a 
tracing for a charcot foot.   But, for Pointe shoes, that is exactly what they 
do.    As Podiatrists, discourage it.

I have cut open Pointe shoes from:  Capezio, Bloch, Freed, Gaynor Mindon,
Barynisicoff, Chocott, Grishko, Repetto, etc in an attempt to provide answers 
to my young dancing daughter.   After a great deal of reading and studying, 
this Podiatrist chooses Gaynor Mindon for his daughter, age 10.  She will be 
ready for Pointe work at 11 years old.

Rich

Richard Willner, DPM
New Orleans






Question from Concered mother.

'Can my 10 year old daughter do 'point' ballet.  What effect will it 
have on her feet.'

I would expect that the forces involved could lead to hallux limitus 
etc.  

Comments please.

Luke





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