Determining a young dancer's readiness for dancing on pointe.

Ballet is one of the most popular youth activities in the United States. Many ballet students eventually train to dance "en pointe," the French words for "on pointe," or "on the tips of their toes." No research exists to define criteria for determining when a young dancer can transition from dancing in ballet slippers to dancing in pointe shoes. However, dancers can be evaluated for this progression based on a number of factors, including adequate foot and ankle plantarflexion, technique, training, proprioception, alignment, and strength.