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.

I don't see when my DDs ballet teachers would have time to discuss weight and body image with them, as they're too busy learning new dances, failing to master the ones they supposedly know, and giggling too much when they lose the beat adn trip over each other's feet. The only dietery advice they get is to remember to drink some water between classes, and having watched most of the age groups, the children are all shapes and sizes (particularly the 13-15 year olds, most of whom have tummies and hips and thighs, and seem scarily self-confident in their skimpy tops and rolled down at the waist jazz pants).

Not read the whole thread, but is there not a link between ballet and arthritis (sp) in older agw, or is that gymnastics, or is it complete rubbish?

plus, my girls have ferocious appetites after dancing as it burns up so much energy, and they are still teeny!

that said, my eldest is now finally getting the curves she wants (hates being the smallest amoung her friends, and those are her friends at dancing).

"ballet is the basis of most forms of dancing"

I really think this claim is nonsense. We only think this because most little girls who are interested in dancing are shuffled into their tutus - that's just culturally what we DO. But dance has evolved from all sorts of cultures - just because most western professional dancers started with ballet doesn't mean that it is the basis for most forms of dance!!!

ok most forms of "western" dance - is that better

Actually MP I speak form the point of view of someone who has seen girls with several years of jazz/street training start to take up ballet later on so that they can progress.

well, ok then.......I will word it differently.

if you do ballet, then all other forms of dancing are easier as you have training in your body from the ballet to carry thru.

DD1 wanted to give up ballet a while back, but to get into the three dance course she is deciding between for when she leaves school, she needs to have also studied ballet as they too say it is the basis of other dance.

I am not a dance teacher, so obviously not an expert, but I do listen to what we (well, my girls) learn from their dance teachers, and also what the college teacher told me, and the performing arts teacher too!

mind you, the performing arts teacher also is trying to persuade DD1 to take up singing as even if she doesn;t want to sing, it is good training for the voice (in the way ballet is for the body).

whoingodsname. There used to be a tendancy to put girls en point efar too early which did cause problems. Also forced turnout can cause problems too.

Then again my dh developed RSI from many years playing the piano as did my mum from typing.

plus, if you watch any proffesional dancer on stage, you can tell those who have studied ballet.......they are better poised and have better legs and feet!

oh, and I don;t mean better legs and feet looks-wise.....I mean the way they use them and hold them and dance on them.

am i the only one pmsl at the purported benefits of grace and deportment

My aunty - now 65 - was a professional ballet dancer with the Royal Festival Ballet.

She travelled the world, and seemed to have a lovely glamorous time doing what she loved.

But it is a tremendous strain on a body - she would sometimes dance three performances a day and would wear out a pair of ballet shoes each time.

She was out of it by 25, with terrible back problems.

She still has a dancer's posture and is extremely slim.

I don't think she regrets it for a second and if my daughters were inclined to do it(they have 'dancer's feet' apparently ) I would be supportive but not especially enthusiastic.

lockets, you and me both

altho, mine are now up to about 16hrs a week (and that is each, with all the different ones they do!)

But DD looks soooo cute in her baby ballet outfit

Actually, I think it's great for kids to move around with other kids, listen to an adult, and follow instructions.

She seems to love it at 2.9. When she doesn't love it, then she stops going. Easy.

look on my profile at my dancing girls....there are some show pics on there

Hmm, I agree that there can be some scary issues surrounding higher grades of ballet but this is somewhat dependent on the school/teacher. Pointe work for example can be potentially painful.

That said, most performance colleges will ideally want to see ballet experience. Your child would be at a big disadvantage applying for Musical Theatre or any kind of dance degree without having done some ballet. I've actually got an acting based performance degree and did an acting school at RADA ('scuse wankery) and throughout, the movement aspects reference ballet heavily. You don't necessarily do ballet to be a ballerina, but any kind of drama school is competitive so if there's any possibility of your child acting or performing professionally, it would help them a lot to get at least a basic grounding in ballet.

Personally, I only did very little ballet as a child but I would have been in a far better position with my later choices if I had done a little more and believe me, with my body type there's no chance of me ever being a ballerina. looks round furtively. Scoffs cheesecake

Not read more than OP.

Ballet is a discipline and a great way of keeping fit, trim, toned and cellulite free. It doesn't have to be about a perfect body.
I don't think every girl is cut out for it, but I hope that my Dd will want to do it ~ at least while she's in primary school to set her up for a healthy way of life as regard to fitness.

I much prefer gymnastics to ballet - much less of a 'racket' - and possible to do it much more recreationally, and more of a focus on fitness and health than body shape. My dd is never going to be an 'elite gymnast' - she has a swimmer's body! But she loves learning to do cartwheels and splits etc and it's fab exercise.

Can ask what it is so amusing, mileniwmffalcon about the suggestion that it can help DC with Dyspraxia be more graceful?

Having poor proprioception, gross and fine motor skills is no laughing matter.

Perhaps you could help me understand what is so funny, so next time I am comforting my 9.5 yr old for whom bike riding is a painful distant hope I can cheer her up a bit?

lol @ "a great way of keeping fit, trim, toned and cellulite free" followed immediately by "It doesn't have to be about a perfect body" this is such a funny thread.

btw (in case it isn't obvious) i'm firmly in the needles/eyes camp wrt ballet.

I think that the only thing that matters is whether your DC wants to do it (whether a DS or a DD)-it is one of those things that parents should keep their views to themselves. I could well ask why anyone wants to play rugby, and list the injuries I have known people get, but when my DS wanted to play I supported him.

ermmm well no, I'm not going to keep my views to myself. My two DDs have both BEGGED to do ballet and I've told them no.

Some of you are way overthinking this.

Dd is almost 3. She adores her ballet classes, because she adores everything pink and girly and princessy.

She wears a cute pink tutu which she loves.

They leap about like rabbits or frogs or run on tippytoes and learn how to do "the splats". Great physical exercise much like boogie babies, but with an angle to appeal to dd now.

She feels terribly grown up and important because it is a Big Girl thing that her baby brother isn't included in.

If she starts taking it too seriously or it even hints at affecting her body image I shall be right on hand to steer around that as best we can, much as I would if any hobby or passtime began to have a negative effect on her life.

For now it is nothing more than a fun pink thing to do on a Saturday morning.