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Original poster

Is there a ballet suitable for taking a 3-year old to?

19 replies

CheckeredFlag · 26/11/2010 11:29

I wanted to get my friend's daughter ballet tickets for Christmas, but have no idea if there are suitable productions for children. She loves her ballet lessons. They are in London which should make it easier to find something, I guess. Anyone know of anything that would be nice?

OP posts:
stickchildren3 · 26/11/2010 11:34

Nutcracker is the most suitable imo and Christmasy too. You're on a winner. HOpe you find it!

iheartdusty · 26/11/2010 11:40

ballets tend to be quite long - would your friend's DD be able to sit still for up to 2 hours?

what about Angeline ballerina show if it's around?

Sari · 26/11/2010 11:48

The Snowman is good for really little children. At the Peacock theatre and packed with three year olds. Not a ballet as such but probably a better bet and it won't matter if she makes a noise.

Original poster
CheckeredFlag · 26/11/2010 11:52

Ooh, thank you. Good suggestions, will have a google now. I think 2 hours with a break would be ok for her, she's quite sensible, but don't want her to be bored by an overly 'proper' ballet, iykwim. Is the Angelina one good, I image it to be a bit naff, but know nothing so could be wrong!

OP posts:
iheartdusty · 26/11/2010 11:55

there is no such thing as naff in the eyes of 3y/o!

Original poster
CheckeredFlag · 26/11/2010 12:25

Haha, but her mother might never speak to me again!

OP posts:
Takver · 26/11/2010 12:32

Definitely wouldn't bother taking a 3 y/o to the Nutcracker - dd saw it age 6, and really didn't 'get' it. I reckon Angelina would be far more the thing, naff or not (and besides, if you can't be naff at christmas, when can you be!)

stickchildren3 · 26/11/2010 14:10

If she loves ballet, I'm sure she'll love the Nutcracker. My daughter (5) and niece (3) (who is extremely wriggly and has an attention span of a fly!) sat through it mesmorized recently. However, if you can find the snowman on then go for it - it's brilliant. Saw it years ago as an adult and absolutely loved it! If it toured near me, I would definitely see that one again. Angelina Ballerina is naff, but as someone said, nothing is naff in eyes of a 3 year old and my daughter loved that too (when she was 3).

ArcticRoll · 26/11/2010 14:37

Agree Takver-I took my six year old to see Nutcracker and we had to leave at interval as she was too wriggly-it is a bit slow imho.

BlackBag · 26/11/2010 15:48

I took DDs when 4 & 2 to see a matinee of Angelina done by the English National Ballet. We had lunch in a cafe before hand and talked about sitting still, not talking loudly and clapping the dancers at the end. The beautiful lady in her 70's nearby smiled and said she used to be a ballerina with the Royal Ballet.

Was shocked at the poor behaviour of many of the parents in the audience but the ballet was lovely. Make sure you rush past the rip off souviner stall but get a programme to lok at before & after as a reminder.

domesticsluttery · 26/11/2010 15:53

DD went to see both The Nutcracker (by the local dance school) and Sleeping Beauty (Russian State Ballet of Siberia) when she was 3. She loved both of them and sat through the whole thing completely spellbound. I was a bit unsure about Sleeping Beauty as it was about 2.5 hours, but she was fine.

At the end of the day it depends on teh child.

MayorNaze · 26/11/2010 15:55

i am looking for nutcracker but not anywhere near us Angry

i saw it aged 7 and was transfixed :)

BlackBag · 26/11/2010 15:55

DVD of the Royal Ballet doing Beatrix Potter?

cazzybabs · 26/11/2010 18:17

the snowman ballet sadlers wells - took my just 3 yr old 2 years ago. it was fab

Original poster
CheckeredFlag · 26/11/2010 21:46

I think Snowman is coming out as a winner, looks lovely.

Blackbag - that might go with it too, as an 'openable' present, I spotted it on Amazon last night.

OP posts:
SE13Mummy · 26/11/2010 23:43

We took DD (aged 3 and 3 weeks) to see the Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House and she loved it. We'd bought the cheapest seats - bench ones up in the Amphitheatre because it meant she could stand up without bothering anyone nearby. Having paid only £4 we decided if she only watched the first half all was not lost. Five months later we took her to see Sleeping Beauty also at the ROH and she loved that too. We did however leave in the second interval having been advised by a friend that the third act was tedious for a small child as the story part had finished. Three years on and DD is none the wiser!

The Snowman at Sadler's Wells was also a hit with her.

Takver · 27/11/2010 21:05

I suspect, having thought about this one, that there is an enormous difference between the Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House, and the Nutcracker on a tiny stage in a rural theatre with a touring company who are there for two nights then move on.

TBH, I wasn't that enthralled by the Nutcracker when I went with dd, either, I think that maybe it just isn't the same with a corps de ballet of 10 and minimal scenery.

(Especially the case as the other Christmas shows that dd has seen have been pantomime in Northampton with relatives, so not London quality, but much bigger stage, serious scenery etc.)

Guitargirl · 28/11/2010 16:20

I took DD aged nearly 3 to see The Snowman last year and she absolutely loved it - going again before Christmas.

Slubberdegullion · 28/11/2010 16:38

Minimum age to see The Nutcracker at the English National Ballet is 5.

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