Ballet? Yes or No?

[ekra]

Did your dd do ballet classes? How long did they keep it up for?

DD1 says she wants to go to ballet classes. She currently goes to gymnastics and swimming. She's 4. I'm not overly keen on her going to ballet but it seems mean not to let her go if she is asking to go, although she's not begging me, merely mentioning it from time to time.

On the other hand, I suspect part of her desire to go to ballet classes is to wear pretty clothes.

She does very well at gymnastics and I'd like her to keep that up. I also want her to learn to swim, so I'm not dropping the swimming lessons.

TBH there are other things I would rather she took up if she has spare time and energy for an extra curricular activity. She's a very energetic, never still type of child and I think ballet may be too slow and disciplined for her.

So, is ballet class a rite of passage most girls goes through? How long do most girls keep it up for?

I'm sure I'll get a mixture of responses here.

SSShakeTheChi-I appreciate your suggestions of buying dance stuff in Hennes etc but most (good) dance schools do have a strict uniform to wear. It is all part of ballet being well groomed and immaculate. However the uniform should not be too expensive and what i always do is allow the children to join in for a few weeks to see if they like it before buying. The shoes, socks and leotard cost around £20 so it is not too expensive an investment.

FriendlyEdjit-I agree some of my older girls are not classic ballet shape but ballet is naturally selective with regards to physically being able to dance, ie how your hips are hung, your feet and legs. Some bodies will just never be able to keep up. They are the ones that leave anyway as they are not enjoying it.

Puddle-I can tell by about six whether they have potential (some I know straight away) but it takes a while for them to develop mentally to really see if they have what it takes to be a dancer. It's a hard life!!!

Personally I hate children looking older than they are. There are some teachers out there who don't like all the make up etc. You tend to find it is the stage schools that encourage this rather than a "proper ballet teacher!!!!"

My dd who is now 8 does ballet and has recently given up gymnastics.
It was a very difficult decision for her to make but I think she has made the right one- she really took her commitments seriously!

She was going to have to give up ballet if she continued with the gym as the times were clashing (they wanted her for gym 12 hours a week!!!!!)

But the ballet won. She really enjoys it. I think it can be a bit slow at the beginning and it is difficult for the children to see the point of what they are doing sometimes but it all makes sense as they gat older and especially if they watch a real ballet - they can really see where it is all leading to.

Can you get a free trial lesson?

Opps missed you Marina, I think if nothing else the discipline of ballet is so important. It really takes us back to when we were at school. You were told to do something and so you did it. Ballet is a bit like being in the army, some children thrive on the rules and boundaries some hate it.

Free trial lesson?

MotherInferior - that's interesting. Will you continue to resist? Are there others out there who resist?

Soory ballet mum, that was for Ekra on the original post.I thought her daughter might be able to try out a free lesson to see if she liked it.

My DD is 3.5 and does gymnastics (although isnt really very co-ordinated!!)
She will not be doing ballet as she is totally wrong for it in build, temprament etc etc.
However...............I am lining up football classes for the summer, she loves running about and can kick a ball in a reasonably straight line.
I loved ballet and did it until I was 16 (although you couldnt tell now) but it just isnt going to be her thing.

Its not just discipline. Its good for posture and teaches you to be graceful.

back many hours later!
my dd2 (at almost 5) was a complete thumper/ thudder! and a year later is just beginning to develop finer motor skills beautifully and no longer thuds about ( all the time!!!). As different from dd 1 who is 7 and has been elegant from infancy! I'm sure ballet has helped dd2!

and again- its more than dancing, its being out, making friends, working in a team.. and certainly stops the sat morning tv, although my behind is getting flatter and larger sitting there waiting for them!!

My DD1 and DD2 both do ballet. DD1 is now 5 1/2 and been doing it since she was 3. DD2 also started at 3 and has now been doing it for a year.

The dance school they go to is very strict on uniform and so could not buy the H&M alternative.

To me, DD1 who is slim and petite, looks the part but last time we were allowed to watch (last lesson of term only) certainly did not dance the part. DD2 who is "rounder" doesnt look the part but certainly seems more elegant on the floor. however, I am not a ballet teacher and don't really have a clue!

Both of mine love it and want to stop. I did encourage them to do gymnastics or a period of time but they just were not motivated enough to carry on with that.

Good luck with your choice

My DD has been going since she was 3 1/2. She's 6 tomorrow () and I think we're going to stop soon for a number of reasons. She has enjoyed it a lot and the teacher is lovely BUT:

1-This particular teacher only has 3 classes - an advanced class for the pre-teens, an intermediate class for 7-10 year olds and the beginners class which DD is still in along with all the 2 1/2 year old who are just starting . So it's getting to be a bit of a joke at this point.

2-DD is now asking for piano lessons and as she already does swimming (non-negotiable) and ice skating ( which she adores) the dancing will have to go to make room in our schedules (and budgets!).

3-Her dance class is on a Monday and from September I won't able to take her on a monday anyway.

If she had her heart set on it (and didn't want piano lessons) I would find her another, more suitable class that didn't meet on a Monday but she seems happy at this stage to give it up. And my feeling is that while she would have eventually given up ballet anyway, piano is something that can stay with her her whole life.

My local ballet school run baby classes, these are for girls between 3-5, some during the day and some saturdays and after school. They can wear whatever frilly fairy dress they like until they join pre-primary (2 classes up) and they take a dolly or toy to dance with. I think it's perfect actually as they get to do the dressing up thing to pretty music and lots of skipping! The cost only involves shoes and lessons (which is bad enough) the shows are optional. Miss Sally and Miss Lucy are very kind but they are expected to behave and listen but they seem to thrive and those that don't stop before it gets to exams and uniforms.
Odd Question - Do all ballet teachers have ballet teacher names( if that makes sense?) I've never come across a miss Agatha!!!

My DD (5) started 'baby ballet' when she was 31/2 and didn't ever really take to it but insisted she keep going. Once at primary school last year, she started with the older girls but still was never really keen on going, especially as she was tired after school. Every 2 years they do a ballet/dance show in the town theatre and until 2 weeks ago (the show is tomorrow) was still keen-ish. Then she suddenly decided with only 2 weeks to the show, she wanted to stop going! I'd already paid for new shoes/tights/skirt etc, £15 for her to do the show and £25 for tickets to watch it! However, I didn't want to force her so said ok you can stop. She hasn't regretted it though and is still anti ballet. I'll take her to watch it tomrrow but it's 2 1/4 hours long so not sure how long we'll last! Apparently she's now wanting to start Rainbows once we move house in the summer........let's see how long that lasts.
She has stuck with horse riding though, where she has to keep her heel down and toes up - perhaps that was the problem with ballet as it's the other way around!!

I am having this exact dilemma at the moment. DD has done ballet since 2 and a half. However, it is not her passion, I think it was more my idea than hers. (I am vvv tall, vvv heavy set and vvv clumsy and in-elegant and wanteed to avoid that for dd) However, she seems to be built like my dh, slight and light. She is however not graceful...more of a tomboy.

She started lessons with her best friend, who has since shown a real love for all things music and dance orientated and is forever twirling about the lounge. My dd however is not showing this passion.

I want to pull her out after easter, but dd sometimes tells me she likes ballet. (and sometimes asks me why she has to do it...)

What to do??

If I pull her out I would be able to afford the occasional ponyride for her - which is much more her thing as she is animal obsessed...

dd is 4.3 by the way

Lol Miss Agatha! Ours is Miss Linda.

A friend's dd was a rather gawky 4 yo but asked to start ballet. My friend was a bit sceptical but decided to allow her to give it a try - thinking that she would be a 'thorn' in amongst a class of 'roses'.

Today the dd is 17 - very poised young lady - still enjoying her ballet and also does tap & modern.

DD (almost 6) goes, but mainly because her friend from school goes. She says she doesnt want to go outside, but enjoys it when she's there.

She's the right build, and muscular for her age because of all the swimming she does, but i think she would be more suited to modern dance or even drama eventually.

She likes the dressing up and pretending to be things like fairies and ponies, but always comes out of the lesson roaring and running around being a tiger or something!

Im not fussed - Im not going to push her into any activities. I cant be arsed with the pushy parent scene.

Have to say though, when we have been invited in to see the lesson, its obvious which kids are going to take it seriously - thety obviously practice their positions and postures religiously, unfortunately they seem to have forgotten how to smile at the same time.

Id like a child to be able to do both.

that's another problem at our our ballet - they don't even let you in on the odd occasion to watch a lesson - they put paper up on the door windows and everything. I know the kids might go a bit daft if their mums are there watching every week but perhaps once a term they could do it.
They could be sitting there doing nothing for all I know - especially as DD hasn't ever shown me any actual moves!!! Another reason to let her stop.

DD1 pestered for ages to go to ballet and we thought it was a passing phase, but, 2 2 1/2 years down the line she is still going strong and flying through her exams, loves it and very rarely misses, she does it for 3 hours a week and can't wait to go.

My dds, 13 and 10, do contemporary dance no exams, no point work, bare feet - they love it, it is good exercise, and in the teenage classes there is a huge variety of body shapes.

My girls do ballet, nainly encouraged by my MIL, I wouldn'thave bothered tbh. I didn't ike their first class/teacher sge ws too strict and the classes were broing.

Now they go to a great class, 1/2 is spent on exercises and half on creating a ballet - they are doing teh nutcracker

It is fab
My girls are 8 and 6

BTW they also do stagecaoch (singing,drama,dance) and swimming. DD2 is thinking about piano too!!

dd1 does ballet & tap,she goes to the dance classes that my sister runs.She started at 2.5 & loves it.It is baby ballet & they learn to skip,do foot exercises,pretend to be animals,birds ect.The tap is mainly learning rhythym at the minute.

The classes at this stage are fairly informal,but they are expected to do as they are asked & behave.They get stickers on their cards for joining in,following instructions,trying hard ect.This week they didn't get any stickers on their cards because there was a lot of silliness.My sister is Miss Vicky & her assistant,Miss Sophie.The children absolutely adore them both.

As for make up/tarty costumes,we have found that some schools are renowned for it,others not at all.DD1 won't be wearing makeup for a long long time.

If you are not keen but your DD is, perhaps have a look at what classes are around? Most schools offer a free trial lesson, but perhaps you could ask if you could look yourself without her at first (assuming there is a choice in your area). You may be able to get a feel for what the class is like - if you hope she'll grow out of it, go for a more "fun" class (round here they have one at the local leisure centre) rather than a full RAD exams class. However, if you suspect she may enjoy it/be good at it you could then have a problem as she may not learn the best techniques if you then want to transfer to a "proper" class.

They don't always grow out of it that quickly - DD1 started at 4, went to a quite strict dance school that she enjoyed (but I had misgivings about when I heard some of the "fat" comments a teacher made to some teenagers). Luckily, she had had enough of the pressure and when she was 11 gave up. A year later she was missing it, she started at another dance school and is now in Grade 5 ballet, tap and modern, hoping to go on pointe later this year when she's strong enough! She's now 14... and DD2 is 4 and dance obsessed too - oh, the costume bills/exam bills etc etc

My DD started dance classes last year when she was 4. We don't have "pretty" clothes here - black leotard, black tights and shoes and a pink cardigan for warmups. As well as ballet they are taught tap. My DD loves it and seems to have taken to it like a duck to water.

My DS started dance classes at the same time as his sister - he was 10. He's not "ballet" shape and was always a bit clumsy, but he absolutely loves it. As well as the ballet he's doing modern stage dance. He is the only boy at the dance schooo and all his mates knows he goes. He's more confident since starting dance and he has much better control of his body.

I'd recommend dance for children. DS may decide to drop out (but I hope not) as he gets older, and I think I'll be taking DD to dance forever .