| Toe Shoes - When? |
 The faculty of Le Studio is uncompromising in its belief that no child should be put on pointe unless she is serious about becoming a ballet dancer. Since an aptitude for serious training and the physical qualifications for pointe do not generally become apparent until the age of eleven or twelve, whether or not a child should be put on pointe is decided at that time. Remember, toe shoes can be a dangerous instrument. Even if a child has unusual talent and promise, putting her on pointe too early is the surest of all ways to end a career before it has even begun.  There is neither an aesthetic nor a physical reason why a child who is not planning to be a dancer should be put on pointe. Physically, there is nothing in pointe work that will add to the child's well being, physical discipline, poise, grace, or anything else to which dance can contribute. Pointe work is only a supplement to regular ballet technique. Most aspiring ballerinas are quickly disillusioned by the physical pain of toe dancing. For girls serious in pursuing a career, pointe work is just the beginning of the hard work ahead of them. Usually the student should be at least eleven years of age before she gets her first pair of pointe shoes. Ossification (the process of bone formation) of the feet is not sufficient in most children under twelve to withstand the strain imposed on the still unsolidified bones by standing on the toes. Pointe work at too early an age can cause serious latent complications which might not become obvious until adulthood.
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