As a young girl, junior Cami Sanguinetti joined Joy Performing Arts, a dance studio where she explored many dance styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary—but her favorite was pointe dancing, which she initially watched from afar.

Joining pointe in middle school, Sanguinetti entered the world of a highly challenging dance style, which involves specialized shoes that allow dancers to put their full weight on their toes, dancing in a classic ballet style.

“My first experiences during pointe were honestly rough, I had a lot of problems with my shoes not fitting me right and a lot of hip problems,” Sanguinetti said. “I wish people knew just how hard it is on your body.” Injuries among pointe dancers are not uncommon, as the style forces dancers to put all of their weight on their toes, which can cause foot, back, and hip problems.

Another issue pointe dancers face is the cost of often handmade pointe shoes, ranging from $50 up to $200. Additionally, dancers are expected to replace their shoes at least once a year to ensure they can properly protect their feet, and that they are a perfect fit. Despite this, Sanguinetti continued her passion of pointe.

Spending multiple days a week at her studio, Sanguinetti found community with her fellow dancers, allowing her to pursue her aspiration for dance while forming lasting relationships.

“I’ve found such a supportive community through dance and pointe, I’ve made friends that I know will be lifelong friends,” Sanguinetti said. “They make me remember why I love dance so much and how grateful I am to dance with them.”

During her time at her dance studio, Sanguinetti participated in pointe dancing for four consecutive years, as well as performing four pointe dances in the annual recitals her dance studio holds. In preparation for these dances, students are expected to take both a pointe class and ballet class where they practice their technique.

“When doing pointe, you do a lot of different exercises to make sure your feet are strong enough,” Sanguinetti said. “I really had to constantly work on having the right technique.” 

While Sanguinetti thoroughly enjoyed her time dancing pointe, she made the decision to take a break from it to continue her other dance classes.

“It’s such an important style-because it shows people just how hard dancing can be and just how hard people work to be a good dancer.”