to think that encouraging your daughter to learn ballet is cruel

[morningpaper]

Because BASICALLY, ballet is all about body image and is a money-making racket to boot (silly costumes and unecessary shoes).

There just AREN'T curvy ballerinas. You have to have the perfect body - thin, willowy and in perfect proportion. I well remember when my 11 year-old best mate was rejected from the Royal Ballet School because her 'shoulders were too wide'. She cried for weeks. Ballet had been her life.

Basically, they either get sick of it themselves, or they stop because they realise that their BODIES ARE IMPERFECT. Either way, the time could be better used doing some sort of more useful modern dance that you can learn in £1.99 Asda trainers which isn't dependent on having a perfect body.

Please take your daughters to something more useful instead.

You're quite right gone, but thinness does not always equal anorexia. For the most part ballerinas are strong, fit and healthy in body and in mind, they have to be. I do tend to get a bit worked up over the whole ballet and anorexia thing, probably because of DS's problems.

I don't think they do focus on their thighs at a young age. If they like it, why not? My DDs - well two of them loved ballet, but felt modern dance was boring and made them feel silly.
However one DD has taken up another form of dance for which ballet has given her a lot of skills.

Why make someone give up something they like?

Modern dance useful??? For what purpose if you don't enjoy it?

ZZZZOOOMMMBBBIIEEE.....

hubpages.com/entertainment/benefits-of-dancing-for-children

Google 'Ballerina's feet' and see what you get! I saw it on a youtube channel of the top 10 things NOT to google... just saying.

dodobookends- it's not as if contributers to this thread can't see your repeated warning- its simply that they are ignoring you.

We all know this is a zombie thread, but is some are again engaging and want to make points then why does it matter? I would move along and save your breath.

I got all excited for minute then. I thought Morningpaper had returned.

My 4 year old loves her ballet ( and the other classes she does). She loves it so much she misses it during the holidays and constantly asks when she is going. Not allowing her to do it would be the cruel thing. She loves to perform and plays ballet all week in between and she adores the social side, all little girls together. I also value the structure and the discipline because like it or not those are facts of life and this is fun way to learn to cope with that. Those talking about body image are being OTT in my opinion. How is a leotard any different to a swimsuit? Also to be pendantic the uniform often includes a skirt over the top.

Don't be silly with your 'cruel' OP.

There is an ideal aesthetic in ballet, and this can vary depending on the dance company, but there are many shapes and sizes of professional dancer, including curvy (several famous examples of this).

Ah, zombie thread!

I don't think this zombie ballet does any actual harm. Quite nice to get a little trip down memory lane, and the question is as interesting today as it was 7 years ago.

It is, Cory.

Professional gymnasts and swimmers are generally quite CHUNKY - completely different to ballerinas, who are only one body type

They are slightly more chunky now, in the 1970s and 1980s they were thinner than ballet dances.

BTW - news here - boys do ballet too. And they often show more flesh.

Gymnastics is just as bad it actually damages young children's spines and they can get all sorts of problems. It is not safe as it damages the growing spine. Wtf parent's send their children is beyond me.

No way did I want my dd to be a ballerina - all that pressure to be thin and the effect the frequent rejection has on self esteem but DD aged 4 wanted to do ballet, so she did it for a few years, till she was about 8 - no exams...just a couple of performances, it was all very relaxed...lots of different body shapes. Then the culture changed and it became more exam focused and we left, I don't see the need for exams in the primary years before that it was all just a bit of fun for her on a Monday afternoon - she loved the leotard and tights etc. I don't feel it did her any harm. She does yoga now.

Know it's a zombie thread but people are clearly reading it. Ballerinas aren't pink and thin and floaty, they're incredibly fit athletes. They're artists. is what I think of when I think of ballet.

I think some dancers are too thin. Tamarack Rojo is trying to encourage some dancers to put on a little weight. I think ballet training can be brilliant for some kids. It teaches discipline and commitment and gives them strength.

Aw I miss morningpaper and sodor and thinly veiled goady threads to inspire round-up.
Nice walk down memory lane to think I was then discussing my 9yo dd and 7yo ds in ballet. Now dd1 is 16 and has been dancing pointe for a few years. No one would look at her and assume she's anorexic - she's built like a brick shithouse. She's qualified to teach and dance has done her the world of good in promoting teamwork and discipline. It's been a very beneficial part of her life. Dd2 has cerebral palsy and at 12 still takes a recreational ballet class. It's great for her stretching and posture and her physio is a big fan.
Ballet has been great for my gals - dd1 wiped the floor with the weedy footballers in their class stamina contest.

I'm happy to have escaped ballet classes for my DD - she wasn't interested (she never tried it and I didn't encourage her).
I think if weight and diet isn't an issue with young ballet hopefuls of primary school age, that's great, but I think it's only a matter of time.

My son loves his ballet class. And have you seen Sergei Polunin dancing to Hozier's Take me To Church? Nothing princessy about that I can assure you!

Modern dance sprung from ballet, and most "modern dancers" have the basis of ballet training

Of course it does ; or at least serious contemporary dance does. I'm not sure what "modern dance" is. Companies like Rambert, Nederlands Danse Theatre, Martha Graham all use classically trained dancers.

I agree- ballet is a brilliant grounding for all types of modern/ jazz dance- even hip hop.

My DDs dance school run several dance styles- but all students must start with ballet.
Some classes ( modern theatre) is only open to students who also study ballet.

I did loads of ballet until age 15 or so, and had no body issues whatsoever even though I wasn't willowy thin. It was going to uni years later when I first learnt to be critical of my body.

It did hurt me when I realised I just wasn't good enough to make a go of ballet properly, but I still am mostly thankful for the other things it gave me: grace, exercise and above all musicality.

My daughter did ballet up until she was on points
No body image problems
Yes they are lean but they work hard . I used to ride and was very , very small although I ate huge meals . I wore jodhpurs and my hips stuck out

I don't mind a zombie thread.

I went to a performance by the Russian Ballet of Siberia last year and was pleasantly surprised at how many of the dancers were not stick-thin. Ok, not even approaching chubby, but certainly they had curves where most women have them. Maybe opinions are changing?