Is my daughter too young to see a ballet ??

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my daughter is just over 3.5 and loves music and dancing. I always thought it would be lovely to take her to see a ballet one day. I remember my mum taking me when I was little, we used to dress up nice and it was a lovely.
There is a ballet soon at our local theatre and I wondered wether or not to take her.
She is fine at the cinima (as long as it interests her).
What do you think? Will she enjoy it or be bored beyond belief.

[BBBee]

depends on ballet - i took dd to see alice in wonderland when she was 4 but we had to leave as she got bored - not very fast moving and also the audience had paid to see a ballet and I started to feel bad.

took her a few months later to angelina ballerina and was more tailored to children with a faster story and more childrne in the audience so she sat through it.

depends on lots of things but if it is a full grown adult ballet then from my end the computer says no!

[twinsetandpearls]

I took my dd to the ballet when she was 3 but it was to an afternoon matinee though where children went free with their parents so I knew it would be full of other kids and therefore dd endless wittering and attempts to join in would not ruin it for the other members of the audience.

[Hulababy]

It will depend on the ballet itself I would think.

I took DD to see The Nutcracker in Nottingham a couple of years ago, when she was 4.5y. There were other children there too. DD was fine, she is pretty good at sitting still for periods of time and enjoyed the show. But it was a very long ballet, and a lot of children got quite fidgetty. There were two intervals it was so long!

Your child needs to have a decent concentration span to cope IME.

[funnypeculiar]

I went as a child too & remember loving it - but I think I was more at the 6 + age. I don't think I'd bother with a 'proper' ballet - stories tend to be ahrd to follow (& often rather dark...) How about something like the snowman - which I'm taking my 4.5 & 2.5 yo to over Christmas...

[squeaver]

Is the Angelina Ballerina ballet coming anywhere near you? I've heard good things about it.

Dh and I went to see the Nutcracker at Christmas. It was an evening performance and there were a few little ones there all done up in their best velvet dresses and patent shoes. Of course they were all asleep within 20 mins.

[cory]

I think 3 is young. Remember they have to sit still for quite a long time or they'll spoil everybody else's enjoyment. Only under circumstances outlined by twinset imo.

[twinsetandpalls]

squeaver that was exactly what it was like, it was a really special event, dd and I both went to Monsoon to buy our special outfits the day before oly to discover that everyone else had done the same and loads of us were dressed the same.

[meandmyjoe]

I'd go. If she's OK at the cinema then I would have thought she'll be fine. Don't worry about other people's enjoyment, if she gets bored then you can just leave but I'd deffinitely go and let her see it. Sounds like a really thoughtful thing to do for her and I bet she'll love it

[Marina]

I wouldn't go for anything more ambitious than Angelina Ballerina at that age, frankly. If she is not used to live performance a whole ballet is a bit much for someone who is still on the margins of toddlerhood.

[Wags]

Have seen Angelina Ballerina with DD (5). She loved it and it would certainly be suitable for a 3.5yr old. Its not very long. Think she is a bit young for a 'proper' ballet. We have booked to take DD to see the Nutcracker in London over Christmas. She will be 5.6 and think she will be fine. She has seen it on a video tape (taped off the TV quite a few years ago) and loved it. We are leaving DS at home. He will be 3.8 and has loved the few theatre things he has been to so far but I decided he was too young and the performance would be too long for him at that age.

[mummyloveslucy]

Thanks everyone.

I think I'll look out for angelina ballerina, I think she would love that. The snowman looks amazing but we don't live anywhere neer London. I think somthing aimed more at children would be great for now. She can still dress up in her favourite dress and loads of beads no doubt. I think it'll make her feel special.

[Marina]

She will adore the pink frilly frenzy that is the foyer of Angelina Ballerina She really will. It is completely OTT, the music is recorded - but the dancing is proper ballet and the bunch of little girls I was with had a great time.

[mummyloveslucy]

Pink, frilly and OTT. Sounds as if it was made for my daughter!
She won't look too out of place with her frilly ballet tue-tue, loads of beads and sparkly hair accesories then.
The last time we went out to dinner, I got her dressed in a pretty dress and cardi. She then went in to her room and came out with about 3 sets of beads, bracelets, fairy wings and sparkly head band.
I laughed when I saw her and she looked quite serious.
I said to her " have you ever heared that less is more?". She looked at me puzzled then said "don't be silly mummy".

[LostGirl]

Don't worry, she will look out of place if she is not dressed in a frilly pink tutu with lots of sparkly accessories. I took dd to see Angelina, she was four at the time and had the attention span of a goldfish but she was absolutley enthralled. I think the whole thing lasted an hour including the interval and the theatre was filled with children from 2 and upwards. It makes for a relaxing trip for you as well as there is not the need to worry about keeping her still and quiet as everyone else is in the same position. Hope you manage to find some tickets and she enjoys it, and if you are going to treat her to some of the merchandise at the theatre, be prepared to queue!

[arfishy]

Agree. I took DD to the nutcracker at 4, nearly 5 and it was too long for her. She got very fidgety towards the end.

[roisin]

The thing that put us off for ages was the fact that it was an evening and it was late-ish. (My boys have always needed their sleep.)

We eventually went when ds1 was about 7 I think. We also got some books out of the library so that he knew the story well, and also knew what ballet story-telling is all about.