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About TheBalletDoctor.com

Meet Rebekah… founder of TheBalletDoctor.com and budding ballerina turned classical ballet coach and physiotherapy student...

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Bunions and Ballet -are pointe shoes really to blame?
Balance boards and ballet… do they really work?
What are the benefits of foot rolling for dancers?
Boost speed and precision in petit allegro with these exercises
Achieving precision and speed in petit allegro

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theballetdoctor

🩰I help ballerinas to move smarter, improve technique & stay injury-free!
🏆Best Ballet Health & Performance Coach 2025

Muscle has been treated like the enemy in female d

Muscle has been treated like the enemy in female dancers for decades.

But physiologically... that makes no sense.

There’s this idea that if female dancers lift weights or build muscle, they’ll look bulky.

So they’re told to train with no load.
High reps.
Tiny weights.
to create “long and lean” muscles…

But that’s not how muscle works.

If you want to jump higher, you need fast-twitch muscle fibers.

Fast-twitch fibers are responsible for explosive power are naturally larger in diameter than slow-twitch fibers which are used for sustained contractions like in adage.

So if you’re asking a dancer to do grand allegro, repeated jumps, powerful take-offs - you are asking their body to recruit and strengthen fast-twitch fibers- which are bigger.

That’s not “bulk.”
That’s normal human adaptation to high force demands.
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**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballerina #marianelanuñez #pointe #ballet #pirouette

Theres been a lot of talk recently about how balle

Theres been a lot of talk recently about how ballet will be ruined if it turns into a circus, and honestly I have to agree👇👇

I’ve been to see a couple of ballets recently where the technique was impeccable, but the emotions and artistry were lacking…

Take Swan Lake… I wanted to see the pain and sadness and fear in Odette’s face; instead I got a blank expression with a stunning 180 degree penché and gravity defying développés.

Now I’m absolutely NOT saying we need to de-value technique, but we do need to train our dancers to actually TELL A STORY through their faces and their artistry.

Yes, the technique is extraordinary and impressive and we mustn’t lose it, but 8 pirouettes don’t tell a story on their own… and what is ballet without a story?

Without artistry and expression the audience feel nothing, and that’s when the art from starts to lose its magic; instead becoming a circus of impressive tricks and a lack of substance.

Ballet love xxx
•
**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #artistry #pirouette #ballerina #pointe

Got a callus? Don’t be alarmed👇👇 Calluses are bas

Got a callus? Don’t be alarmed👇👇

Calluses are basically a coat of armour made by our bodies to protect our feet from repeated pressure and friction... clever, right!?

Calluses are great, and usually only need treatment if they get too thick or they start to crack and bleed🤕

PLEASE make sure that your callus is definitely a callus before you treat it yourself by checking with a podiatrist or other medical professional...

If your callus is a bit too thick, you can file it down VERY GENTLY (more gently than is shown in the reel clip- this clip is for entertainment purposes and does not constitute medical advice) with a pumice stone (ideally in/after a bath when the skin is super soft) and moisturise the area after🛁

If the callus is painful, cracked or bleeding etc, go straight to the podiatrist rather than trying to deal with it yourself!

If you have diabetes, circulation problems or heart disease, you should always seek medical help as opposed to treating the callus on your own!

For more of the best BALLET TIPS AND HACK, make sure to LIKE AND FOLLOW💜👍

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The use of this information is at your own risk.

#ballet #callus #pointe #pointeshoes #ballerina

Is FLAT TURNOUT your GOAL for 2026??👇👇 Before we

Is FLAT TURNOUT your GOAL for 2026??👇👇

Before we start, ‘flat turnout’ is EXTREMELY rare, just because for most people our pelvic anatomy simply doesn’t allow it…

However, there are lots of things we can do to improve our turn out in the range that we do have, and they involve strengthening the EXTERNAL ROTATORS💪

Yes, turnout out comes from the muscles of the bottom, but not the hefty glute max that we train by doing hip thrusts (those will help your hip extension movements like your arabesques)…

Instead, we’re looking under the glute max at our deep external rotators, which rotate our legs outwards at the hip when they contract🦵

To get them to contract effectively, we need to train them by doing exercises like clamshells (use a band/weight when you’re strong enough), or side-lying leg lifts in turnout.

Remember to keep progressing your exercises by adding resistance in the form of a weight, bands or added reps depending on what the movement allows…

After all, our muscles won’t grow and increase in strength unless they’re consistently being challenged and overloaded💪

For more of your favourite BALLET TIPS AND TRICKS, make sure to LIKE AND FOLLOW🩰💜
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**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #turnout #arabesque #pirouette #balletbarre

I am super excited and honoured to say that I have

I am super excited and honoured to say that I have been awarded ‘Best Ballet Health & Performance Coach 2025’ by the GHP Active Lifestyle Awards🏆!!

The Ballet Doctor was born out of my mission to help dancers stay strong and injury free whilst improving their technique… and so I always feel truly fulfilled when people benefit from the content I create on this platform🩰

I am thrilled and so grateful for this recognition of The Ballet Doctor, and I am very excited to help more dancers understand and care for their incredible bodies as I progress with my physio studies💪

Ballet love xxx

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #balletcoach #online ballet #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Whoever told you to squeeze your glutes to help yo

Whoever told you to squeeze your glutes to help you turn out…. Sorry, but they were wrong🤷‍♀️

Squeezing our glutes contracts the big glute max, which is amazing for hip extension e.g. lifting our back leg up in arabesque, but not so great for turn out🩰

Turn out is known anatomically as external rotation, which requires the external rotator muscles to contract…

These external rotators are located under our big gluteal muscles, and they can be strengthened by doing exercises like clamshells💪

If we just squeeze our bums, we push our pelvis forwards into a posterior pelvic tilt, which actually limits our turnout!!

So they next time someone tells you to squeeze your derriére for flat turnout, it will be your turn to educate them on the anatomy behind external rotation 👩‍🏫🎓

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #turnout #externalrotation #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Happy World Ballet Day 2025 Bunheads🩰🎉!!! I reall

Happy World Ballet Day 2025 Bunheads🩰🎉!!!

I really hope you enjoy this little walk down memory lane with me💖💜xxx

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #worldballetday #worldballetday2025 #worldballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Let’s see shall we🤔… When your pointes are feelin

Let’s see shall we🤔…

When your pointes are feeling uncomfy, stuffing in a load of extra padding isn’t usually the solution…

When you buy your boots they should have been fitted to be really quite tight… this (although it may sound counterintuitive) actually helps to alleviate pain, as a tight shoe will hold the foot securely, preventing it from slipping down through the vamp🩰

If you then proceed to plonk lots of lambswool or a big hefty toe pad inside the box, you’re reducing the amount of room available for your foot in an already tightly-fitting shoe…

Now that is a recipe for distaster😭

Your shoes shouldn’t be painful, and if they are, go back to your fitter and ask for a re-fit. Always bring your current pair of pointes with you as they can be a very helpful reference guide for the fitter🙏!!

Let me know in comments if you’ve ever had a super painful pair of pointes👇!!

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #pointepain #pointework #pirouette #plié #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Pointes feeling painful?? The problem could be the

Pointes feeling painful?? The problem could be the fit, not your feet🩰...

🚩1. Toes feeling tingly after pointe class?

This is always a big RED FLAG! If our pointes are fitting too tight across the metatarsals, they can compress our nerves and make our feet feel tingly...

Tying our ribbons too tightly can also cause this problem.

Go and see your fitter to make sure that your shoes aren’t too tight or tapered for your feet, and if the problem persists, get checked out by a doctor👩‍⚕️!

🚩2. Lots of Pain on the Tip of Your Big Toe?

That can be caused by a shoe that is too wide at the vamp...

Ideally, we want our pointes to be tight enough around our metatarsals so that they can almost ‘suspend’ and hold our feet slightly above ground. This avoids us driving our whole bodyweight down through the big toe😩

If your toes are feeling super sore, ask your fitter about a narrower shoe!

🚩3. Twisty shoes?

When your rise up en pointe, we want that shank to stay in a straight line reaching directly upwards against the underside of the foot....

If your shank is twisting off to the side, it usually means that your shoes are too narrow for the width of your foot!

Sometimes individual foot shape can cause a twisty shank, and in these cases it’s a tricky issue to resolve!

If your shoes are twisting off, go back to your fitter and check that your shoes are wide enough!

As always, please do remember that we only get one pair of feet in our lifetimes, and they’re very very precious💎!

If you’re in any pain AT ALL, please do go and see a pointe shoe fitter and /or medical professional to avoid damage and injury.

Contrary to popular belief, a correctly-fired pair of paintes should never be painful🩰!!

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Ever wondered how to achieve effortlessly high jum

Ever wondered how to achieve effortlessly high jumps without needing a super deep plié? It’s time you heard about the windlass mechanism⚙️…

The key player in this mechanism is the plantar fascia- a strong band of tissue that runs from the heel to the toes🐾

As we move through the foot and lift our heels at the start of a jump, the toes naturally bend upward at their base joints for a moment before fully pointing. At this point the plantar fascia tightens and the arch of the foot rises, storing energy like a coiled spring…

This energy is then released when we point our toes and push off from the floor!

This spring-like action helps us to jump higher whilst keeping the movement light and controlled, creating that floating quality often seen in Giselle jumps🩰👰‍♀️

However, the plantar fascia doesn’t work alone — it relies on small foot muscles, like the flexor hallucis brevis and abductor hallucis, to lift and stabilize the arch.

When these muscles are strong and responsive, the fascia can tighten efficiently and release energy at the right moment, making our jumps super powerful yet graceful.

Exercises like towel scrunches or foot doming strengthens these muscles which improves the natural spring of the foot, helping you to soar higher with every jump✈️!

Grab a towel and give it a go now💪✨

Note: The idea isn’t to avoid bending your knees when you jump (PLEASE ALWAYS BEND YOUR KNEES to avoid injury!!), and if the music allows it a lovely deep plié often results in a gorgeously high jump. However, some variations like those in Giselle demand a lot of jumping with little time to get into the air and back down whilst still looking graceful and floaty… and that’s where the windlass mechanism comes in!!

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk.**

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #penche #pirouette #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #allegro #jeté #giselle #balletjump #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Dancers to achieve this incredible balance we need

Dancers to achieve this incredible balance we need to be strengthening the hip abductors, particularly the glute medius💪…

We can see when this wonderful dancer comes out of a turn or is balancing on one leg, that the ASIS (which is the bony bit of your hip that you can feel on the front) of her leg in passé is ever so slightly higher than that of her standing leg⬆️

We need strong hip abductors to achieve this, and by making this tweak it’s easier to keep your body weight over your standing leg throughout the turns and into the balances…

This stops the other side of your pelvis from dropping, which can make you wobble off your leg🫨

One of the best exercises you can do to work on your hip abductor strength in a functional way are hip hikes💪!!

And of course hugeee respect to @pasharlevy , we are in awe🤩🤩
•
**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balance #ballet balance #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram #developpe #legextension

This might sound controversial, but waving goodbye

This might sound controversial, but waving goodbye to a ballet school you’ve been training at for a long time could be just what you need to grow👋🌱…

1. When a dance teacher knows you well, they can become quite blind to your strengths and weaknesses because they’re soo used to seeing them…

This can mean that you’re missing out on important corrections, which could be setting you back🩰

2. Training under just one teacher or style of ballet means that you’re missing out on everything that a different method has to offer in terms of artistry🎨…

Now this doesn’t always mean leaving your ballet school, but taking advantage of external opportunities like EYB, summer schools or attending Vagaona classes if you train in RAD (for example).

Doing this will not only make you more versatile, but is also great for broadening the mind and reminding us that when it comes to artistry there isn’t always a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’, but lots of different ways of performing which are all equally credible and beautiful in their own ways👸

So, if you want to improve then it might be time to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try something a little bit different!!🥳🩰

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #vagaonva #radballet #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram #developpe #legextension

Want to achieve incredible balance?? Keep reading📖

Want to achieve incredible balance?? Keep reading📖👇…

When we rise en demi or en pointe, our stabilisers need to keep us steady over a teeny base of support. That’s where the strength of our lower legs, ankles and feet come in💪…

Winging is an exercise used to strengthen the peroneus brevis, which improves control in the outer side of our ankles to help us stop rolling outwards when we’re en pointe🩰

At the same time, resisted relevés strengthen the tibialis posterior, which supports the foot arch and prevents any inward “sickling” or lowering of the foot!

Together, these muscles create a kind of dynamic sling around the ankle which gives us control from both sides.

This creates an equilibrium which stops the foot from wobbling from side to side when we’re balancing⚖️

Grab your resistance band and give these exercises a go if you want to be the last dancer standing (en relevé)!!

For more of the BEST BALLET TIPS AND HACKS, remember to LIKE AND FOLLOW👍💕!!

P.S. @pasharlevy you are INCREDIBLE🤩🤩

•
**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #balance #balletbalance #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

Ballerinas when it comes to our hands in ballet we

Ballerinas when it comes to our hands in ballet we absolutely need to get some ENERGY into those FINGERS⚡️👌…

Using our hands means not only finishing our lines, but we can use our fingers to add a dynamic quality to our performance which elevates our artistry, and helps in the transition from looking like an RAD robot to a prima👑

If you’re struggling, think about leading with your hands… E.G from 5th try pushing open starting with the back of your fingers and hands like a flower blooming, rather than just opening the arms and hands as one unit from the shoulder💐

That being said, alongside this energy we need to remember to keep everything soft, graceful and effortless… just like these stunning dancers from @sfballetschool 💕💕

Remember to LIKE AND FOLLOW for more of the BEST BALLET TIPS AND TRICKS🩰!!
•
**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram #artistry #ballethands #balletarms #portdebras

Did you know that your TURNOUT could actually be t

Did you know that your TURNOUT could actually be the reason your DÉVELOPPÉS aren’t getting as high as you’d like?👇👇

Right at the very top of your thigh, where the femur meets the pelvis, sits a bony landmark called the GREATER TROCHANTER.

When you’re standing in parallel with your feet forward, this bone sticks out to the side of your hip.

So, if you try to lift your leg sideways while staying in parallel, your greater trochanter quickly bumps into your pelvis (or the ilium)— which stops the leg from going any higher.

But once you rotate your legs outward from the hip, the greater trochanter shifts backward behind the ilium.

That little adjustment creates more space, which means you can lift your leg much higher without the bones getting in the way.

And this isn’t just for side extensions — it makes a big difference to front développés too.

So, if your extensions just won’t budge no matter how much you stretch, it might be time to focus on turnout! Try adding exercises like clamshells and fire hydrants into your training.

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Tap the LINK IN BIO for the full breakdown — see you there!👋👋

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this platform is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram #developpe #legextension

Before we start, this is not a self pity post… thi

Before we start, this is not a self pity post… this is to let you know that you’re not alone if you still miss ballet and struggle to accept that you won’t ever be a ballet dancer (again) if, like me, your ballet journey has also ended due to injury (or something else entirely)🩰.

When I was told I couldn’t dance anymore I was expected to just move on and forget about ballet. Comments like ‘It’s for the best because you’re clever and ballet damages your feet anyway’ didn’t help (despite being said out of love with the best intentions), and instead made me feel like I couldn’t properly grieve ballet because people didn’t seem to understand why I needed to. So I didn’t. And then things got worse…

Trying to shut ballet out of my life, whenever I heard the mention of it or saw anybody dancing (even on TV), everything would come flooding back and I would be reminded that it wasn’t me dancing and never would be… and then I’d sit on the toilet crying😭.

Honestly, it took me a good 6 years to figure out what I wanted to do and how I could incorporate ballet into my life (by becoming a physio), and starting this platform really helped in the process🙏.

I am a lot happier now, but even so, whenever I go the theatre I still have to push through the oncoming tears (which come from a weird mix of feeling so incredibly happy for the dancers on stage because I remember the exhilaration they’re feeling in that moment, but also sadness that it’s not me) for five minutes before I get over it and enjoy the performance.

Dancing and being on stage is a feeling of being alive like no other, and without ballet I felt like a shadow of my former self…

But now we’re being positive and looking forwards, and I’m super excited to start working with more dancers as both a coach and physio (just give me a couple of years to qualify🤞)!!

#ballet #ballerina #giselle #swanlake #pointe #pointeshoes #balletphysio #dancephysio #balletcoach #balletteacher #onlineballet #pirouette #fouette #tendu #arabesque #ballerinasofinstagram #balletlife #dancersofig #balletgirls

✨ One of the best things we can do for our ballet

✨ One of the best things we can do for our ballet journeys is to know when it’s time to move on to a new school...

🌱Fresh Eyes, Fresh Growth
A new teacher sees you with fresh eyes, notices habits your old teachers may have stopped correcting, and pushes you to improve in ways you didn’t even know you needed.

🌱Different Styles, More Versatility
Trying out different styles of systems of training, for example moving from Imperial to Vaganova to Cecchetti, develops our artistry and technique to increase our adaptability as dancers!

🌱No Drama, Just Growth
Switching schools doesn’t have to create beef… It’s not a rejection of our old teachers — it’s simply about finding the right guidance at the right stage of your journey.

🌱Opportunities & Connections
Each school has its own network, performances, and doors to auditions. Moving schools strategically can give us access to experiences that pave the path towards becoming a prima!

Do you agree!? Let me know in the comments👇👇

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram #vaganova #RAD #cecchetti

One of the most common problems I see as a pointe

One of the most common problems I see as a pointe shoe fitter is dancers struggling to get over the platform of their pointes…

This is how I fix it👇👇

When we are en pointe, our feet and ankles are in a position called PLANTAR FLEXION (otherwise known as pointing our toes)…

When we are en pointe, our feet need to be pointed enough to bend the shank of our pointes which will allow us to get the platform on the floor whilst keeping our knees straight📏

This pointed position requires strength and flexibility in the strength and ankles…

Towel scrunches are great for strengthening the instrinsic muscles of our feet for a better banana foot🍌, whilst CALF RAISES help is to improve strength and flexibility in the ankle as we gradually move through the plantat flexion position over and over again💪💪

Make sure you LIKE and FOLLOW for more of the best BALLET TIPS and HACKS🩰🩰

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #techniquetips #pointe #pointeshoes #enpointe #pointetips #pointehacks #plantarflexion #pointedtoes #theballetdoctor #balletstrength #dancescience #balletphysio #pirouette #penche #adagio

So what? You’re an ex-ballerina and your daughter

So what? You’re an ex-ballerina and your daughter has super strong feet and can already do 32 fouettes age 9?

Guess what... She still isn’t ready for pointe shoes!🩰

This isn’t about talent — it’s about biology. No amount of strength or technique can protect bones that haven’t finished forming.

At the end of our foot bones (especially the metatarsals and phalanges), there is a rounded edge known as the epiphysis.🦴

Our growth plates are located between this epiphysis and the diaphysis (shaft) of the bone. In children, the growth plates produce cartilage, which is later replaced by hard bone as the secondary ossification centre in the epiphysis completes development.

At age 12 and onward, the epiphysis (formed by the secondary ossification centre) fuses with the diaphysis, and the growth plate closes. This means no more cartilage is produced, and the bone stops growing.🌱

The epiphysis in children under 12 is often still cartilage (hasn’t been ossified into hard bone yet) and is therefore vulnerable to stress and impact.

When standing en pointe, we place a consistently heavy load on the epiphysis, which in children under 12 can result in permanent damage to the bones and growing cells, stunting bone growth and causing deformities.🤕

When people tell you that your child is too young for pointe shoes, they’re not insinuating a lack of ability or strength. Instead, they’re showing concern for the child’s foot and bone health so please, please listen to them!!🙏

**FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER: All information, guidance or advice provided on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. The use of this information is at your own risk. **

#ballet #ballerina #balletdancer #ballettips #ballethacks #onlineballet #balletcoach #balletteacher #pointe #pointeshoes #penche #ballettechnique #crosstrainingfordancers #dancescience #theballetdoctor #ballerinasofinstagram #dance #dancer #danceteacher #dancersofinstagram

As soon as a ballerina mentions bunions. everybody

As soon as a ballerina mentions bunions. everybody jumps straight to pointe shoes as the leading cause… but do our pointes really deserve such a bad rep?🤷‍♀️

This first crossed my mind when I began working as a pointe shoe fitter in a dancewear store…

I started noticing that many dancers who were coming for their FIRST pointe shoe fitting already had bunions, whilst at the same time observing how a fair few male dancers in need of ballet flats also had whopping bunions despite never having danced en pointe.🩰

If I were a judge, I’d say that the evidence points to something besides pointe shoes as the leading cause of the crime that is bunions in ballet dancers. But what exactly?…

#1- Forced Turn Out

#2- Allegro

#3- Relevé

#4- Ballet Flats

Want to know more? Head to the link in bio to read the full article!!📚

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