THE JOURNEY TO POINTE SHOES

Every young female dancer dreams of dancing on their toes one day. Dancing en pointe is incredibly beautiful and a professional dancer makes it look light and effortless.

However, dancing en pointe comes with its unique set of challenges, and a dance teacher, as well as the parents, should take it very seriously when considering their child's readiness for pointe work.

Dancing en pointe is not for every dancer. It is meant for the more professional route of a dancer's journey. It takes considerable discipline; there will be numerous classes for training previous to being en pointe. Following that there is the understanding and commitment it takes to then actually dance en pointe.

SiSu® Dance Academy’s Director has danced en pointe since she was 9 years old. Ms. Megan has been on a long journey dancing en pointe and has continued her training with several physical therapists in the dance industry. Many articles and research have been completed on the subject of “When are the right time and age to have a dancer be put en pointe?”

Assessments

At SiSu® Dance Academy we believe that the journey of being a pointe dancer is very serious. We take into account many areas of a dancer's strength and ability before considering a dancer to have a journey en pointe. Our Director delivers several assessments with a dancer who is considering en pointe and works directly with parents regarding the commitment prior to the student beginning her journey! The Pointe Journey is incredibly special and must be taken very seriously by a dancer as well as the parents.

Resources

Ms. Megan is certified with Lisa Howell Physiotherapist from Australia in her Teacher Training. Megan feels that Ms. Lisa is one of the best dance physio’s in the industry and continues her training with Lisa online weekly. Lisa is the creator of The Ballet Blog. She provides many resources for teachers, as well as dancers and parents, to understand the seriousness of being on the Pointe Journey. This information is available on The Ballet Blog.

This article from IADMS - International Association of Dance Science and Medicine - is a great resource to understand several aspects of being put en pointe.

Pointe Shoes

Several styles of pointe shoes are acceptable and endorsed by SiSu Dance Academy. These approved brands assist dancers in executing their pointe work technique with greater precision, articulation, and are more aesthetically pleasing. Please make sure to have Pointe Shoes approved by the Director before sewing ribbons and elastics.

What a difference a few months of PBT and coaching has made for my daughter. Megan has helped transform not only her physical strength but emotional confidence as well. I feel Megan meets kids where they are and helps them achieve their full potential. We have seen such dramatic results with her...

2019-11-14

Julie Taylor/Naya Yara

My daughter Aubrianna has a blast in leap and learn. Great instruction at a age appropriate level. My daughter is 3.5 years old and looks forward to classes 5 stars

2019-10-04

Jimmy Minner

We met Megan when my daughter, Grace, started ballet back in the fall of 2014. Due to some medical issues, my daughter needed a safe and correct way to gain strength. Megan went above and beyond to help Grace learn the correct way to use her muscles and strengthen her body. She continued working...

2019-09-30

Jennifer Davis

Megan is personally invested in each and every one of her students. She takes great care in creating programs that focus on what they each personally need to develop. Her program teaches dancers how to correctly engage their muscles thus minimizing potential injuries in the process. Over the years...

2019-09-03

Abby Parten

Megan has expanded our understanding of what quality coaching and training should look like beyond the basics. She has brought out a passion in our daughter that we hadn’t seen before. As an instructor, she has an incredible knack for recognizing and acknowledging each individual’s strengths and...

2019-08-16

Justin and Aaron Zoladz

My son Sky Bleeker trained exclusively with Megan Berlint-Nicko in Albuquerque, NM. During his training with Megan I not only saw my son Sky grow tremendously in his ballet technique, but he also gained a renewed confidence in himself as a dancer and an appreciation for the art of dance. Megan...

2019-07-23

Jamie Bleeker

We are so excited to have found this dance academy! Miss Megan has been superb—my daughter is not quite 3 but has been welcomed with open arms! She asks to come to class and is so excited for leap n learn with Miss Megan & Little Jazz/Tap with Miss Amy! Positivity exudes from this place!!!

2019-06-19

Stefanie

Megan is awesome! She provides a strong foundation as well as discipline & structure in her classes. We feel very lucky to have her teaching our daughter.

2019-06-04

Adrie Boulton

Miss Megan is hands down AMAZING! She runs a professional, safe and stable environment for the children and is the most passionate teacher I know. Her passion combined with her expertise, spunky personality and her kind heart provides an extremely unique learning experience for all dancers. With...

2019-05-25

Melissa Marie

My two young sons just started dancing at SiSu Dance Academy. They love Miss Megan and the Leap n Learn classes. Megan is so patient with her students and has clearly put a lot of thought into the programs she offers. We look forward to class each week!

2019-05-17

Jess Knipprath

Megan is an amazing teacher!! She truly cares about everyone and is always ready to work above and beyond to accomplish a goal.

2019-05-15

Jonathan Guise

Megan is a fantastic coach and mentor for my 15 year old daughter. We have seen Naya develop strength and flexibility all while training safely. Megan’s training focuses on keeping dancers healthy and injury free by training like the athlete dancers...

Julie Ann Taylor

Miss Megan was one of my daughter’s best dance teachers! I highly respect her diligence, her passion for learning, and her dedication to her students. As a physical therapist, I also have to commend Megan’s commitment to learning about musculoskeletal structure and function - she is...

Cammy Oke Davis

My daughter recently started training with Megan at Sisu Dance Academy. Megan is extremely knowledgeable, positive, and an excellent teacher. I am thrilled with the instruction being given, in a variety of areas, and my daughter leaves every session feeling inspired, and wanting to learn more!. I...

Anne Ashby-Coulombe

It’s difficult to accurately express the gratitude I feel for Megan because she has impacted my life, skill set, confidence and the trajectory of my dance career in a way that is difficult to put into words. Before I met Megan, I loved to dance, but I felt lost. Under Megan’s guidance my growth...

2019-05-09

Faith Montoya

My girls have been taught by Megan for over two years. I have seen incredible growth in their technique, artistry and confidence through the coaching, training and encouragement of Megan. Megan is incredibly knowledgeable in physiology and her PBT program helps to strengthen the core and muscle...

2019-04-26

Debbie Pearson

We have been thrilled with our daughter's experience at SiSu. Megan is the best teacher we have come across in ABQ. Our daughter had lost her joy of dancing and now not only enjoys it, but is improving as well. We recommend SiSu to everyone.

2019-03-31

We LOVE SiSu for SO many reasons....the teachers, the training, the support, the opportunity to perform and the overall quality of the experience. We have 3 kiddos here with varying degrees of experience/ability and SiSu has been able to meet them right where they are and help them grow in their...

Kennedy

Over the course of our daughter's dance journey, we have tried 3-4 of the best rated studios in the city. Nothing has compared to our experience with Megan and her team. The teachers genuinely care and love their students and our daughter has been changed because of it. We can't say enough about...

Jak

I am so happy we randomly checked out the open house last year! My daughter loves the staff and the other students. Very family friendly. My daughter's enthusiasm for dance has only grown since starting classes.

2019-03-16

Jennifer

Beautiful studio, Amazing teachers, Happy students.

2019-03-04

Susan

My two girls started with Megan a year ago and they both have improved dramatically and love Megan. She is so caring, has great communication and pours herself into each dancer. I would highly recommend Sisu.

Christa

A Dance Academy where we believe potential exists within all individuals! We have built an academy where goals are reached, love for the art of dance is created, and a safe environment that feels like home.

2019-03-03

MBN

SiSu Dance Academy provides a loving and wonderful environment for serious dance training. My daughter LOVES going to each and every one of her classes here! Megan's passion and dedication are evident in every interaction with the children! Top notch training - a real gem!

Meri

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