Dr. Carrie Skony-PERFORM Active Wellness + Dance Medicine

08/12/2026

Thinking about starting pointe? The recommended age range is 11-13 years old. BUT... It’s about much more than age.

“Is my dancer ready for pointe?” The answer isn’t found in a single test.

Before I recommend a dancer begin pointe training, I look at the whole picture—strength, control, alignment, mobility, balance, motor control, technique, and how those qualities work together.

In this post you’ll see some of the physical tests I use during a pointe readiness assessment. These tests help identify strengths, uncover areas that may need more training, and guide recommendations that make the transition to pointe as safe and successful as possible.

We use this objective information as part of a discussion with student, teacher, parent, to help guide us on a dancer’s readiness to advance their training. A dancer’s readiness is ideally a collaborative decision.

In addition to physical tests, also considered are:

• Emotional maturity
• Consistency and quality of training
• Classroom technique
• Work ethic and coachability
• Self-care habits
• And obv the teacher’s assessment of readiness

There is no single test that predicts success on pointe. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s ensuring a dancer has the capacity to meet the demands of pointe safely and confidently.

Starting pointe too early can increase injury risk. Starting when a dancer is truly prepared creates a stronger foundation for long-term progress.

If your dancer hopes to start pointe in the next year, a comprehensive pointe readiness assessment can help identify what they’re doing well—and what to focus on before making the transition.

Save this post for future reference, and share it with a dance parent or teacher who’s navigating the pointe conversation.

Scroll to check out the Pointe Readiness services we offer. And DM us if you want to talk 💕🩰

08/09/2026

07/12/2026

I’ll be here making memories with my kids this week ♥️ The office is closed until 7/20. I’ll look forward to seeing you again then! For urgent requests, please email the office.

07/06/2026

Hiking this Summer? Do your shoes actually fit your feet?

Packing for our recent trip through southern Utah was a good reminder of how shoe shape matters.

The shoe on the left is what the majority of shoe companies offer: tapered toe box, too narrow for a proper foot shape, and squeezes the toes together.

The shoe on the right has a foot-shaped toe box, giving your toes room to spread naturally (splay) for improved function, better comfort, and increased stability on the trail.

In my family, we’re serious about foot health and it’s especially important to me that we nurture our kids’ growing feet for optimal function. And we love our Altra Running trail shoes. We hiked for days, and our feet were much happier because of it :)

Your toes weren’t designed to be squished. Sometimes the biggest upgrade to your hiking experience isn’t more cushioning—it’s giving your feet enough room to do what they were made to do.

Have you ever considered: is your foot shoe-shaped, or is your shoe foot-shaped?? 🦶🏻

Tell us where you’re taking your trail shoes this Summer! 👇🏻

06/26/2026

An injury might slow you down. It doesn’t have to shut you down.

While the injured area needs time to heal, the rest of your body can often still benefit from movement, strength, and conditioning that doesn’t compromise your injury.

Depending on your injury and your doctor’s restrictions, there are often plenty of exercises you can safely continue, including:

• Core strengthening
• Hip and glute exercises
• Upper body strengthening
• Single-leg strength or stability on the uninvolved side
• Mobility work
• Cardiovascular training (when appropriate)

Staying active during recovery can help you maintain strength, reduce deconditioning, and make the transition back to dance much smoother!

Every injury is different. These exercises may be options only if they’re appropriate for your specific injury AND only if approved by your healthcare provider. This is not meant to be specific medical advice.

And let’s hear it for lilly_may_dances! She’s wickedly talented and strong (not to mention a National and World Ranked Irish Dancer)! She’s been crushing her recovery time and setting the stage for a comeback that’s greater than the setback!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

06/25/2026

Meet some of the amazing graduates we know!! I’ll say it every year, that watching talented, intelligent, hard working adolescents turn into these amazing successful young adults who are seriously so impressive, is one of my favorites things!

Cheering you on from the sidelines while you pave your path is the best bonus part of my job!

Just look at all of this talent, and passion, and dreams coming true 🙌🏻♥️

So impressed by all of you, and we’ll always cheer you on over here! Congrats!! And very best wishes for your next chapter! 👏🏻♥️🎓

Dr. Carrie 🫶🏻

06/23/2026

Helping dancers feel better, move better, and perform their best.

06/19/2026

Thanks for coming to my TED talk this week on Summer scheduling 🙌🏻 Didn’t read the other posts? go check them out and share!

I’d love your thoughts! Let’s keep the conversation going. How can we balance strong skill development with healthy training volumes and recovery??

06/19/2026

What if we rebrand our studio Summer Intensives to Recovery & Preparation programs?! 🤔

Let’s invest in the long term athletic development and health of our dancers! Big picture. Healthy happy humans first. Incredibly talented dancers second. 🙏🏻♥️

06/18/2026

If you’re following along in this series…

➡️ Swipe to understand how you can balance your Off-Season training and recovery with a travel Summer Intensive.

Make sure and check out the previous posts.

What else do you want to know about summer scheduling for dance? Studio intensive? High school dance team?