Pointe dancing is a 200-year-old component of ballet that requires much strength, skill and artistry. This course provides instruction in pointe for students in the form of one 50-minute class per week, with a class of four to 12 students at similar levels of technical proficiency. Class will consist of warm-up and strength-building exercises at the barre, followed by center floor combinations that focus on balance, traveling steps and turns. Advanced pointe dancers will learn classical variations and contemporary repertoire. Students will gain a more thorough understanding of ballet history and basic anatomy. Permission from the director of dance and a placement class/audition is required. Students must be enrolled in a dance technique class (Dance 250, 300 or 400) during the first term of pointe instruction. Provides 1/3 credit per term toward the studio/performance arts requirement; credit is granted upon completion of three terms of study. Students normally receive 10 lessons per term. At least eight lessons are required to pass this course.