Pointe Readiness in Youth Ballet Dancers: A Pilot Study on Dance Instructor Decision Making.

This article focuses on assessing youth ballet instructors' awareness and use of criteria for determining pointe readiness, a key milestone in ballet training involving dancing on the tips of the toes. A survey of 31 instructors across 15 U.S. states found that strength, dance technique, and age were the primary factors used to evaluate readiness, with dancers typically beginning pointe work around age 12 after approximately five years of ballet experience. However, assessments of flexibility and movement quality—important factors cited in literature and guidelines from The Harkness Center for Dance Injuries and the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS)—were less frequently used, and overall instructor knowledge of these established guidelines and functional tests was low. The study highlights a need for standardized guidelines and enhanced education for ballet instructors to support safer progression to pointe training for youth dancers.