Ballet Lessons

[workingmumnhs]

Hello, I have just enrolled my three year old dd in ballet. what can i expect from the classes and what should she wear.

Any help
thanks

There is usually an outfit you have to buy, but for the first few lessons, while you are waiting to see if dd likes it, dress her in something light with a nice wide skirt (summer dress would be good) and bare feet.

Hope she likes it. My dd started when she was 3 and is still going nearly 3 years on.

Oh the classes: usually at 3 they just do a lot of skipping and stepping lightly, and perhaps little set pieces with their dollies. Eg dd did a thing to the music of "Hush a bye Baby" - just putting her dolly down to sleep, tiptoeing away, etc.

No real ballet moves.

My DD just started Ballet (she will be 3 in March) and I didn't think she would take to it because she has the attention span of a gnat. But, she is getting along fine. But, I did have to write a cheque for some $50 worth of ballet gear yesterday (ballet shoes, tap shoes, skirt, and leotard).

You'll probably be allowed to stay and watch the first class and then banished from the room! I expected tears but DS (who started at 3 and is still happily dancing and tapping at 4yrs 9 months) had such a good time he didn't mind one bit.

Jsut priced up all the stuff. For a leotard, cardigan, tights, tap shoes and ballet shoes £45!

Lessons are only £4 tho so thankful for small mercys. DD looked so excited in the shop. Loved the noise of the tap shoes. Hope she does like it. Going to cost me small fortune tho.

My dd has being doing ballet since she was 3 and still loves it nearly 5 years later! My advice would be to get the wrap cardigan in a couple of sizes bigger, so that it lasts. Also at my dd's dance school the children stay in "tots" until they are 5 and don't start learning tap until this age.

they do ten minutes of tap at the end of the lesson.
Do ballet an tap always go together

Don't have to! My dd started just doing ballet. The we moved and I got her into a new class which was supposedly ballet and tap but concentrated more on tap IMO. Dd didn't like tap (mainly I think because she was new to it and didn't know what she was doing). In the summer, the teacher annucned they would all be doing ballet, tap and modern in September, at which point I found another ballet class that just does ballet. Dd is much happier there.

No. My dd does ballet, tap and modern/acrobatic which are 3 separate classes. Luckily we only pay £2.00 for each lesson. We also buy the dance clothes from the teacher which saves money.

When dd was 3 her ballet class then was very sweet and they were allowed to wear fairy outfits from dressing up/ballet type outfits. As long as it allowed movemnet the teacher didn't seem to mind.

They used to do good toes/naughty toes, skipping, little routines with teddies etc. Quite sweet - we used to go and watch a 'performance' the final week of each term...

She has jsut tried on the oufit. Couldn't get her into tap shoes to start with,she kept saying they were too big but when i finally persuaded her she wouldn't take them off. Kept jumping about in the kitchen to make a noise. Then with ballet shoes on kept pointingher toes and spinning about. I think she'll enjoy it. Can't wait for the performances.
Not expected her to be a professional ballerina or anything. Just have a hobby and pastime. (Oh and she looks SO sweet

My DD who is 4 and has special needs has just started ballet (had 3 lessons) now. The first one I watched. The teacher said she could do it in bare feet but she has a few sensory issues and I felt this could hinder her from joining in. Bought the ballet shoes for her first lesson and if she hadn't enjoyed it, I would have just forfeited the cost. Needless to say she loved it. She is in a pre-primary class and I felt so proud of her. Although she goes to mainstream nursery, I have no idea of how she interacts with other children, whether she pays attention or not. I felt I was not giving her credit where credit was due.

She paid attention, interacted with the other children, followed instructions, paid attention.

After the first class I now sit outside the room and she lets me walk off no problem.

She will never be a ballerina but all her consultants say it will be good for her balance, co-ordination, posture and hypotonia.

Bump

Nearly a week late but DD started ballet last Saturday and loved it. She practically raninto the studio without saying goodbye. She wanted to go back on Tuesday but I told her that they don't do it till Saturday, She has been really excited all week. She goes back tomorrow.

the latest I heard from my mil who is a really good ballet teacher is that children who are serious about ballet (I guess from about 9 or 10 up) should not do tap (or at least they can learn the basics for a year or so but should not take it any further). Something to do with being bad for point work later on.

Have just arranged for DD (3y10m) to join a dance class tomorrow morning. It's called Trendy Tots and is for 3-5yo, so not 100% sure what it will involve.

She did try at 2.5yo but the scary dance teacher spoiled the hwole experience and DD ended up hating it, despite the fact that the eacher wasn't actaully shouting at her but another girl.

So fingers crossed for this time round.

I think they are trying the children on a bit of everything. The school is quite good. The runners up from the tv programme 'dance fever' went there. If DD is still interested by the time she is 9 or 10 then we will drop the tap.She just like the noise the shoes make.
Someof the mothers who were there last week said that one of the teachers there a few weeks ago scared the children and two wouldn't go the next week. their mothers persisted and they camr back and enjoyed themselves. Hang on in there

my daughter has been dancing since 3. she is now 9. it doesnt get any cheaper