THE POINTE OF DIFFERENCE
A career at the barre taught Lily Ewing as much about what the ballet world gets wrong as what it gets right – and FORME was born from that knowledge.
After relocating to Matakana last August with her husband Dylan and five-year-old twin boys George and James, Lily – an ex-professional ballet dancer and founder of FORME – saw an opportunity to continue supporting dancers while fostering connection and contributing to a thriving local community through movement and education.
Having experienced first-hand both the beauty and demands of the ballet industry, Lily saw how immense pressure, injury and a culture prioritising performance outcomes could too often overshadow long-term wellbeing. These experiences became the catalyst for FORME.
Created with a vision to redefine support for dancers, FORME prioritises health and education alongside technical achievement. The philosophy is simple: strong foundations create stronger dancers.
Specialising in pre-pointe assessments, pointe readiness coaching, and pointe shoe fitting, FORME recognises that every dancer’s body, anatomy, stage of development and training load is unique. Support is tailored to the individual, regardless of age or technical ability, meeting dancers where they are and progressing at an appropriate pace.
Central to FORME’s philosophy is the belief that pointe is not an automatic next step, but a responsibility and privilege requiring preparation and education. In an industry where dancers have traditionally been expected to “learn in the shoe”, FORME advocates for a different approach: prioritising technical readiness, strength, conditioning and alignment before pointe work begins. With approximately 75% of ballet injuries resulting from slow-building overuse rather than sudden traumatic events, injury prevention begins long before problems arise. Strength matters. Technique matters. Alignment matters.
Beyond supporting young dancers, Lily is passionate about creating spaces where people of all ages and levels can experience the beauty and discipline of ballet. Through adult classes, FORME builds connection and community, celebrating ballet not only as an art form but also as a lifelong practice.
For Lily, this work extends beyond assessments and coaching. It is advocacy for stronger, healthier and more supported generations of dancers.
Strong first. Pointe second.