Point your feet. Control your landings. Support your ankles!
You’re probably more than used to hearing these corrections in the studio. And you need them! You want the technique that will help you own the stage, and every dancer aspires to have perfectly pointed feet. However, having strong ankles is just as (if not more) important.
It might seem like they just connect your legs to your feet, but your ankles play a part in your technique, too, from landing jumps to turns to sequences across the floor. Your ankle takes a lot of stress when you’re on pointe, relevé, and landing. Strengthening your ankles encourages better technique and reduces the risk of injury.
The good news is that you don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to work on ankle strength.
Practice Slow and Controlled Relevés
Relevés are something that most dancers have been training in since they first started dancing. They are the basis for going on pointe, but also are necessary to strengthen your ankles and the muscles around them. Instead of rushing through them, really focus on the movement of going up and down with slow, controlled movements.
Start in parallel or first position and slowly rise onto relevé, lifting through the ankles and engaging your calves. Stay at the top for a few seconds, then focus on coming back down slowly and level (don’t drop your heel). You can try different variants by doing single-leg relevé, holding at the top as long as you can, and doing these with and without a barre or support.
Try Resistance Band Foot Exercises
Resistance bands are a great way to target the smaller muscles in the ankle to work on stability. They will be your best friend when it comes to strengthening your ankles on a daily basis.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended and loop a resistance band around the ball of your foot. Slowly point your foot against the resistance, then return to flex. You can also move your foot side to side to strengthen the muscles that support the ankle joint. This helps create control throughout the whole foot, unlike the relevés, which are needed for jumps and going on pointe.
Work on Balance and Stability
Balance exercises can be a fun and underrated way to strengthen ankle muscles. When you stand on one foot, the small stabilizing muscles around your ankle have to constantly adjust to keep you upright. You can even turn these into a competition by doing it with a friend and seeing who can hold it longer.
Start out by standing on one leg for 30 seconds. Once that becomes easy, then you can move on. Try closing your eyes, standing on something soft like a pillow or blanket, and moving your arms through different positions. These variations force your ankle muscles to work harder to maintain your balance, improving overall stability.
