I'm assuming pointe counts as a type of ballet.

I had dreamed of getting pointe shoes ever since I started ballet when I was 4. The 'big' girls looked so graceful on their shoes. At my old dance school we had to take a written test about the history of ballet and a dancing test. We started learning the questions early on.

Then, I had to switch dance schools a couple years before I was eligible for pointe shoes. At my new dance school, we didn't have to take a written test or a dancing test. The teacher just told you when you could get them after your ankles were strong enough. My friends from my old dance school got their shoes a whole year before I got mine. I worked hard for the following year.

 On October 29, 2011 I finally got the pointe shoes I had wanted for eight years. At first the teacher had us wear toe pads instead of lamb's wool, but this year we have another teacher who wanted us to wear lamb's wool. At first I didn't like the switch, but now I love it! Lamb's wool is definitely better!

I wear Glisse pointe shoes, which fit perfectly on my feet. Plus, they are comfortable (well at least as comfortable a wooden shoe gets). I don't have many problems with blisters or broken nails like some people do.

Vee, what type of pointe shoes do you wear? Do you use lamb's wool or a toe pad?

I'll tell you more about recitals later. 

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I will have been on pointe for two years on May 16. I had to wait a long time to go on pointe also, because no one else in my class was ready. My teachers finally decided just to put me on pointe early, because I was doing a Summer Intensive where they wanted me too be on pointe, and my teacher wanted me to start with her, not someone else.

My first pair of pointe shoes were Bloch Aspirations (which I did not like), my second pair were Grishko 2007 pros, my third and fourth pairs were Grishko 2007s, my fifth pair were Freed Studios (didn't like them, either), and my sixth and lastest pair are Russian Pointe Polettes. I like my Russians, but I think I am going to go back to Grishko 2007s.

I took ballet when I was really little, but I started dancing more seriously when I was seven. My studio puts on The Nutcracker every winter, and a Recital in the spring. In my first Nutcracker when I was eight, I was a Snowflake, when  was nine, I was a Russian Peppermint, ten, a Sugar Plum Attendent, eleven, a Party Girl, twelve,  the Doll and a Flower, and thirteen, Snow, Spanish, and a Flower. The Doll was the first time I performed on pointe. It was so much fun. I was carried onstage sideways!

In the Spring Recital, all the different classes perform, and we usually do a smaller story ballet. This year, we are doing The Snow Queen. We don't know our parts yet. My class is also doing another ballet without a story. We are probably going to wear our own black leotards, and black platter tutus. I'm sooooo exicted, because I've always wanted to wear a platter tutu.

I'll post more later.

TOPTOPTOP!!!

Top! Poke! Kick!

When I was really little I wanted to be a ballet dancer "like Angelina Ballerina". I started taking "baby" ballet classes when I was 5 years old, and switched to a different ballet school whan I was 6.  My mom showed me what holding my stomach in really meant, actually using my muscles. (Before I had thought that I was supposesd to suck my breath in.)  I started getting really serious about ballet when I was about 9. I like ballet because I like how it feels to be graceful and strong, and do this thing with my body.

However, I'm really bad at pointe. I'm going to be doing 4 days of ballet a week this summer, so I hope to improve then. 

So, what are your favorite ballet moves? 

I like attitudes, cabriole, chaines, glissade and some move that I can not remember the name of for some reason. I find that I have the most difficulty with turns especially pirouettes on pointe.