Improving the feet for ballet
Before we talk about how to improve the feet for ballet, we first need to define what is good feet and how we should pointe and shape them to make them look good for ballet. This is largely predetermined by genetics and there’s not much we can do to change the shape of the arch, but it is possible to slightly increase plantar flexion and hyperextend the ankle. Men on average have worse feet for ballet than women and they generally can’t pointe their feet as well, though there are exceptions to this rule.
Here are some examples of feet types that can work for ballet. Extreme plantar flexion and less arch in the midfoot is considered the most desirable look but having a high arch and less plantar flexion decent. The two feet at the bottom are workable.
It’s important to note that while the shape of the foot is a desirable aesthetic trait, it is only one factor in the overall aesthetics of the dancer. Feet aesthetics also do not define how good the dancer is technically or artistically. The purpose of highlighting the type of feet in this article is for educational purposes and what we can work on to improve what we were born with.
The knuckle should be slightly extended when barefoot or in soft ballet shoes, but it should not curl under too much (knuckling) so that the feet can look longer. A common mistake ballet students make is that they think they need to pointe only their toes like the picture on the left below, but they should pointe their entire foot by stretching the ankle like the foot on the right.
In pointe shoes, it is critical to avoid curling the toe under and the shoes should not permit knuckling. They should look like Jasmine McDonald’s nice feet below.
The problem with knuckling in pointe shoes
A common problem with pointe technique is that if the toes knuckle, the ankle is not fully extended in plantar flexion. Not only does knuckling look bad aesthetically, it also degrades the ability of the dancer to turn and move fluidly. Knuckling shifts the entire leg off the center line.
Many students (rarely an issue with professionals) buy the wrong shoe that permits knuckling and they are forced to hold back on extending their ankles because they will go too far over the pointe shoe box and collapse. When I partner ballerinas with knuckling shoes like this, it is extremely difficult to turn them and difficult to work with them.
Many advanced students and professional ballerinas with really good feet and extreme plantar flexion will buy shoes that curl the toes slightly upwards. This allows them to lock out their ankle plantar flexion which looks better and stabilizes them.
How to improve the feet for ballet
Foot stretches are critical for most serious students of ballet born with normal feet, and this applies to male or female ballet dancers. I’ve seen students with poor plantar flexion work to improve it over time with stretching. The midfoot arch has limited mobility and not much can change here.
Dancers born with extremely arched feet and plantar flexion of the ankle should skip or minimize foot stretches and focus on strengthening their feet. Stretching an already hypermobile foot further can cause problems so don’t increase the range too much.
Ignore the anti-stretching scaremongers
There’s a lot of bad information and scaremongering about the supposed dangers of stretching from some people in the dance academic and physiotherapist world. Multiple studies on animals and humans show that even passive static stretching without any strength training will result in increased muscle length, thickness, and strength. Dance students will severely limit their technique and aesthetic potential if they don’t improve their flexibility. As long as we avoid dangerous stretches with uncontrolled weight like a person’s full weight standing on the person, there is no danger. Stretches should be intense but have controlled loads and ranges of motion.
How to stretch the feet for ballet
To reach their full potential, dancers with average range of motion ankles must increase their range of motion before they begin the strength work because they need strength beyond their normal range. If we don’t increase the range of motion first, there’s no way to strengthen it where it matters most like high demi-pointe or pointing the feet nicely.
While there are special foot stretcher contraptions on the market, they aren’t cheap and it’s a hassle to carry them around. Here are two stretches that don’t need any special equipment. Just sit on a straight ankle (not sickled) on something soft like a carpet, a thicker yoga mat, or a bed. You can use extra foam pads or pillows on the mid to lower foot to take the ankle to a deeper plantar flexion stretch by pushing the ankle joint down.
Do NOT hold these stretches for more than a minute without taking a minute break to get the blood flowing again. You can also flex your foot for 10 to 20 seconds to resist the weighted stretch so that we can build strength while stretching, and then release into an even deeper stretch.
Strengthening our feet for ballet
We can also mix in foot strengthening exercises during or after stretching our feet. Mixing in exercises make the feet warmer and easier to stretch.
Doing releve, fondu, or fondu en pointe along with balance en pointe exercises at the barre really helps strengthen the feet for ballet.
Another critical exercise that strengthens and stretches the feet is the forced arch done in soft shoes demi-pointe or in pointe shoes. It can be done in first, second, and sixth position (parallel). This exercise can be scary for dancers who never experienced this feeling, but it builds critical strength.
If you’ve done everything you can to stretch and strengthen your feet and you still don’t have decent-looking feet, then there are ways to pad them to fake a good look. I show you how to do that in my follow-up article.
