Q. My daughter is 8 and has been taking ballet for two years. She really loves it and is anxious to start “pointe” work. When can she start? It’s getting tough trying to hold her back.

A. Dance is a very demanding sport and craft, placing tremendous stresses especially on the foot and ankle area.

It takes many years of training to develop the strength, balance, and endurance needed for pointe work. It is important not to rush this. Usually dancers need to be in training intensely for at least 4 years, and their foot needs to be more mature, approaching adult size but not necessarily fully grown.

Usually dancers who have been training 4 years or so and are at the age of 11 or 12 are ready to go on pointe, especially if their instructors feel that they have developed adequate protective strength and endurance in the lower leg, foot, and ankle muscles.

All young dancers want to reach this milestone but it is important to let them know that their training can still be advanced and improved on demi-pointe and that once pointe work is introduced, it should be gradual and monitored.