Chrissy Teigen Demonstrates Why Ballerinas Don’t Just Go En Pointe

Many people admire the grace, beauty, and athleticism of ballet dancers from afar. People watch in amazement as they flit across the stage on their toes, making it look light and effortless. But dancers spend years training in preparation to go up en pointe, something Chrissy Teigen demonstrated the reason for when she posted a video of herself trying pointe shoes for the first time.

Teigen tweeted a video of her husband, John Legend, holding her hands as she attempts to spin en pointe. "Little known fact," she wrote, "I have been in love with ballet since I was young. Watching, at least." She said that someone sent her their old pointe shoes, which she decided to try out, showing just how difficult it is to get up on your toes.

Technically, Teigen isn't all that bad for someone with no training. She manages to remain on her toes fairly well, with Legend's help, before falling over. Her feet and legs are also pretty straight. It's impressive, actually.

However, as many people have pointed out on Twitter, getting up en pointe with no elastics or ribbons on the shoes — not to mention without proper training and strength — is incredibly dangerous. It's a recipe for an ankle break. Teigen finally responded to all the criticism on Twitter, saying, "I get it. I could have broken an ankle. You can stop telling me."

It's possible to learn to go up en pointe as an adult, but it requires training and practice just like it does for dancers who learn in their youth. For people with no formal training who love the look of ballet shoes, finding a pair of cute ballet flats to wear around town is probably your best bet.