School At Steps Talks Pointe Shoes With Sara Mearns This Sunday!

The School at Steps, a creative home and multidisciplinary training ground for the next generation of dancers, will present The Pointe Shoe Workshop and Fair, Sunday, April 22, 2018, co-sponsored by Pointe Magazine. Event offerings include a panel of professionals to discuss methods of safe practices en pointe, experts to highlight the importance of properly fitting shoes, discussion on injury prevention, and tips for proper en pointe training.

Taking on an interactive format, the workshop welcomes Sara Mearns, Principal dancer at New York City Ballet; Dr. Andrew Price, Pediatric Orthopedist and Brachial Plexus Specialist; Melissa DeSantis, Style Editor of Pointe Magazine; master teacher Linda Gelinas; and Mary Carpenter, pointe shoe expert and professional fitter for Chacott by Freed of London.

"While class gives aspiring dancers the physical building blocks they need to succeed, it is also important to provide access to resources that further educate students and their parents on how to navigate their way towards a healthy dance career," explains Kate Thomas, Director, "The annual Pointe Shoe Workshop and Fair has become a highlight and vital resource for our dancers to learn from their dance heroes and experts in the field."

The Pointe Shoe Workshop and Fair is a major component of The Health and Wellness Program at The School at Steps. To supplement technical training throughout the year, the school is committed to offering resources designed to broaden the dance education of students by providing guidance on issues including injury prevention and recovery, physical therapy, nutrition, emotional wellness, and other supplemental services. Topics to be discussed include pointe readiness, proper foot care, the importance of correctly sized shoes and the philosophies behind both teaching and performing en pointe.

Representatives from Capezio, Chacott by Freed of London, Gaynor Minden and Grishko will be available to discuss merchandise and fit dancers with shoes. Flexistretcher training products and apparel will also be available, as well as copies of the student journal Ballet Etiquette, written by dancer Hannah Bush.

The panel will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 22 in Loft III. Tickets are $15 and available at the door, or in advance at https://stepsnyc.com/the-school-at-steps/events-performances/complete-dancer-events/

Group and studio discounts are available.

VENUE INFORMATION

The School at Steps is located at 2121 Broadway, at 74th Street and is accessible by the 1,2,3, C, and B trains to 72nd Street.

Directed by Kate Thomas since 2002, The School at Steps offers training to young dancers from their first step in a dance studio through the pre-professional level. Offering guidance by an internationally recognized faculty, students are encouraged to discover and sustain their artistic voices in a creative and supportive environment, while enriching their appreciation for the art form. The School at Steps encompasses the Young Dancers Program (18 months-5 years), Technique Program (6-18 years), and an audition based Pre-Professional Program (7-18 years) and trains over 800 students, 7 days a week. Graduates have gone on to secure contracts with professional companies and perform on Broadway. Additionally, more than 95% of The School's graduates have continued training at top college dance programs such as Juilliard, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Marymount Manhattan and others. The School at Steps is a division of Steps on Broadway.