Dancing en Pointe is a specific style of ballet where you dance on the tips of the toes. 

“Pointe class is typically for advanced-level ballet students who have developed sufficient strength technique, and alignment to dance en pointe safely”- pointenation.com.au 

Dancing en pointe requires a rigorous training and assessment process, building strength in the feet and ankles to ensure the safety of the dancer. Dancers typically go through an intensive pre-pointe process before going en pointe, and need to be approved by a medical professional such as a dance physio or podiatrist before getting shoes.

The Pointe Sense System allows both teachers and students to better identify the strengths and weaknesses of each dancer, and helps to minimise the chances of injury due to incorrect placement or insufficient strength 

So you can dance anywhere! 

As any dancer who has taken an online dance class at home will tell you, the home environment is not always designed with ballet or dance in mind! Trying to practise at home in limited spaces such as between the couch and the TV can be quite a tricky task, but Pointe Sense’s wearable sensors can be used from the smallest living room to the largest studio! Also, you rarely ever dance in one spot, so the wearable design doesn’t limit your area of movement.

There is one simple answer… consent!

Any images or recordings of students under the age of 18 in class requires parental consent. With dancers constantly moving around the space, it is highly likely that the camera would inevitably record multiple students at a time. As such, any sort of filming equipment would require the consent of the entire class, and if one student did not consent, none of the class would be able to use it!

Yes, you still need to go to a normal dance class!

Pointe Sense does not replace dance teachers, it strives to enhance existing teaching and learning practices through the use of emerging technologies.

The app is designed to create a method of visual tool that requires the expert interpretation of dance teachers to give corrections. Additionally, the system has been designed to work best with the collaborations of students and teachers, ensuring that traditional dance teaching methods aren’t replaced, but enhanced!

The toe sensors are optional because the suede tip sensors are permanently attached to the shoe via glue. 

Pointe shoes are expensive and unfortunately have a short life span. This is due to them becoming softer with heat and moisture. If they become too soft, they no longer support the feet and ankle, making it dangerous for the dancer due to excessive strain. Depending on how often the shoes are used, some dancers can go through a pair of pointe shoes a month!

Understanding the expensive cost of pointe shoes, the suede tip and toe sensors are optional. This allows students to use the Pointe sense system with or without these sensors to help minimise the costs associated with its use, as well as the waste produced.