First, Second, and Third Pirouettes On Pointe

First, Second, and Third Pirouettes On Pointe

by

Evie McKenzie

(age 15)

Earlier this year I got my first pair of pointe shoes, a type of ballet shoe specially made for a dancer to balance on the tips of your first three toes. I was a student at Laurie’s School of Dance in Winslow, Maine. I practiced at least three times a week, and on Saturdays, I had a thirty-minute class along with thirteen other girls.

Then during Summer Intensive 2016, (June 23, 24) after three days of hard work in tap, jazz, contemporary/ballet, and especially pointe, we were working on pirouette preps, an exercise where you slide out with your right foot, bring your left foot in behind, take a little step with your right and step in front with your left into plie (bent legs). Then you slide your left foot in so you’re on the box (the top of your pointe shoe), and bring your right leg to passé (the toe of your right foot is right at your knee). A pirouette is a turn on one leg.

 After we did that almost all the way across the floor, Miss Laurie, my dance teacher, suddenly told me to turn. I calmly nodded and attempted the turn. I didn’t quite get up to full pointe, so I fell out of it. When we were finished with the exercise, Miss Laurie said when she told me to turn, my face suddenly went from focused to terrified. It was pretty scary.

 The next day, Friday, I tried again. I got up to full pointe but still fell out of it. Then at the demonstration that night, when I was doing my third pirouette on pointe in front of my parents and the parents of fifteen other girls, I got up on full pointe and landed gracefully.

It was one of the best moments of my life!

(Assignment for Lesson #14 - Memories)


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