One thing that I used to struggle with is staying pulled up and centered throughout the pre-pointe exercises. To be honest, I used to be so focused on getting pre-pointe over with, that I was pushing on the barre (dresser or desk) or lifting my shoulders. My pre-pointe teacher gave me a simple checklist to memorize while I am doing my releves.
1: Am I pulled up in my center?
2: Are my shoulders down?
3: Are my knees straight and pulled up?
4: Am I using the barre for support?
5: Is my demi-point the absolute highest it can be?
6: Am I really pushing myself or can I give a little more?
Let me go into a little more detail:
1: Am I pulled up in my center?
Don't get too overwhelmed with this one. It does not mean suck in your stomach and hold your breath. It means hold your abs and lift your chest slightly. Have good alignment.
2: Are my shoulders down?
This is simple: Are your shoulders down?
3: Are my knees straight and pulled up?
If your knees are not straight, there is no point of releves. It's not even worth the time. Make sure that you pull up your knees, too.
4: Am I using the barre for support?
This is key: You might start out gently holding the barre at the beginning of releves, but as your legs start to burn, your grasp will get tighter and tighter. As my pre-pointe teacher says: "Don't choke my barre!"
5: Is my demi-pointe the absolute highest it can be?
The higher you go, the easier it will be. This will help build muscles faster.
6: Am I really pushing myself, or can I give a little more?
This is the most important part of any kind of pre-pointe. If you are in Lah-Lah Land just bouncing up and down, then you will never go en pointe! Really push yourself, because there's a light at the end of each dark tunnel.
1: Am I pulled up in my center?
2: Are my shoulders down?
3: Are my knees straight and pulled up?
4: Am I using the barre for support?
5: Is my demi-point the absolute highest it can be?
6: Am I really pushing myself or can I give a little more?
Let me go into a little more detail:
1: Am I pulled up in my center?
Don't get too overwhelmed with this one. It does not mean suck in your stomach and hold your breath. It means hold your abs and lift your chest slightly. Have good alignment.
2: Are my shoulders down?
This is simple: Are your shoulders down?
3: Are my knees straight and pulled up?
If your knees are not straight, there is no point of releves. It's not even worth the time. Make sure that you pull up your knees, too.
4: Am I using the barre for support?
This is key: You might start out gently holding the barre at the beginning of releves, but as your legs start to burn, your grasp will get tighter and tighter. As my pre-pointe teacher says: "Don't choke my barre!"
5: Is my demi-pointe the absolute highest it can be?
The higher you go, the easier it will be. This will help build muscles faster.
6: Am I really pushing myself, or can I give a little more?
This is the most important part of any kind of pre-pointe. If you are in Lah-Lah Land just bouncing up and down, then you will never go en pointe! Really push yourself, because there's a light at the end of each dark tunnel.
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