Balancing in Pointe Shoes | Pro Tip from Melody Staples Hammell

Our current School of Ballet 5:8 Featured Guest, Melody Staples Hammell, is a former principal dancer with Charleston Ballet Theater. We asked her to share some pro tips that she learned during her extensive career. This tip from Melody is about strengthening the tiny but mighty foot muscles to improve your balance in pointe shoes!

Melody says:

Ever try to do adagio while wearing pointe shoes? It’s super wobbly!

I was cast as the soloist in George Balanchine’s Rubies, and at the end of the first section, the soloist does three penchés on flat, by herself, all alone on stage. Uh oh. I knew I could not have a single wobble. That was when I put to use this great exercise to strengthen those little tiny 'balancing' muscles in your foot.

Start with your feet parallel. Pick up one foot into a turned-in cou de pied and balance, on flat, for 30 seconds. Do the other foot. Then repeat with turn-out. Then repeat both turned-in and turned-out with your eyes closed.