They point, flex, support your body weight, propel you into the air and balance you on your toes: The feet are root muscles of ballet. If your feet are not strong enough, you will be prone to injuries and will not be able to execute many ballet moves. If you are female and wanting to learn or dance en pointe, make sure your feet are strong enough to support your body weight forward on the toes. Exercises to strengthen and stretch the feet are an essential part of your ballet workout.
Resistance Band Point and Flex
This uses a resistance band or tubing to strengthen the foot and ankle. Begin lying on your back with both knees toward the ceiling and feet flat on the floor. Place the band around the arch of your right foot, and extend your right leg up toward the ceiling as far as you can. With your leg straight, hold the band with slight pressure and point toward the ceiling as far as you can, hold for 10 seconds and release. Next, flex the foot as far as you can, hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat this sequence holding for five seconds, three seconds and two seconds. Finish with complete rotations from pointing to flexing with no holds for 10 to 12 repetitions.
First Position Barre Jumps
The first position barre jump strengthens the foot from the heels through the toes. Begin at the barre in first position, making sure your turn-out is from the hips and your feet and ankles are in alignment. Stand facing the barre, and without going through a plié, use the strength of your feet to jump. Land as slowly as you can, coming down through the foot from the balls to the heels. Keep your posture aligned and your core engaged during the landing to protect your joints from injury. Once you have rolled through the entire foot, plié and return to the beginning position. Repeat this exercise 12 to 15 times. This foot exercise is essential for ballet dancers on pointe.
Tendue
The tendue is a ballet move that strengthens the foot and leg and helps develop your point. This is a basic ballet move and is often incorporated in ballet class and choreography. Tendues are performed in any position, first through fifth, in any direction and are stretching and pointing of the foot. To execute a first position tendue, get into first position with your torso aligned tall, and extend the right leg out to your right, pushing through the ball of the foot to the toe. Close back to first position quickly, rolling from the toes through the ball of the foot to the heel. Repeat to the front and back and side once more. Do this same sequence on the left side. Repeat three to five times on both legs.
References
- Harkness Center For Dance Injuries: The Foot and Ankle
- "The Dancer's Donzen"; Gaynor and Minden; 1998
- The Ballet Store: Sole of the Foot Strengthening Exercises for Pointe Work and Jumps #1
- The Ballet: La Barre
