Need advice for choosing extra curricular activities

[helenmum2]

My dd1 has been doing ballet and tap for 6years now, she has enjoyed both.

My dd2 just started tap this year, she loves it too. I hope she can continue.

Ballet teacher does show and exam every OTHER year. Tap teacher does show and competitions every year.

There are dates clashing. Ballet teacher is very strict, so when date clashes she has to do ballet, and tap teacher is understandable. But I feel a bit guilty of missing a couple of the tap competions(there could be 10 competitions every year), as the tap teacher has to ensure she does not affect other dancers when she is not in competitions.

So shall I let her carry on like this or just make her choose one.

Ballet I really dont want her to stop, but I have been enjoying watching her tap competitions too! She has been making huge progress in doing the taps since she started!

So its hard decision for me, any suggestions would be very welcome, thanks

Is there a reason she does them a thing different places?

My dd never did comps as they were just too time consuming & expensive & detracted from the actual training.

She did do drama & MT at Stagecoach. If there was a clash we just decided in advance what she was doing & gave plenty of notice.

Thanks for your quick reply.

Actual trainning is fine, but they wont try their best if there are no competitions or exams. I cried when I watched the competitions, for the group that my dds not even in it. Im touched when I saw them trying hard and danced their best.

Ballet I just think it is a nice thing for girls, and makes them look nice and elegant if they have been involved long enough

Tap is more fun and good for coodinations.

They won't try their best?? Really? That's not my experience (& my dd is in full time vocational training now). I'd say that many of the serious dancers we know never did comps.

Of course compact are a fun thing to do (my dd much preferred auditioning for amateur & professional musicals & pantos) but it can all get a bit much. 3-4 per year would be a compromise perhaps. But whatever works for you.

Am I missing something here? Why don't you just ask her what she would like to do, and support that? I'm not in any way suggesting you're not supportive! I just mean to not force her into a choice, but to let her choose from the options available, and do what's required as a result.

She cannot make the decision, neither do I...

That's why Im here to ask for opinions or addvice.

She is not an outgoing girl, I would say ballet suits her personality more.

I see, perhaps maintaining the status quo may be best until a solution becomes more clear?

Good luck!!!

How old are they?
Dance-wise, if there's a choice that has to be made, go for ballet. It's the foundation of all dance. Tap can be picked up later. Ballet is much, much harder than it might look, if done properly, and really needs to be started when young - say, about age eight.

Thanks daisypond for your advice, 3 & 9.

My dd1 started tap since she was 3, she has made huge grogress since then, next year she will join the next group, which is even harder.

She started ballet just a few months later after she started tap, she has past RAD grade 1 with distinction last year.

Yes, ballet is hard, but she has enjoyed it and she has been doing great on both actually.

I know quite a few girls from her ballet class go to 2 or 3 ballet classes every week, they do get good results for the exam and even leading position in the show.

thanks