So, if you haven't started dance yet, one of the first steps to starting dance is actually finding a studio. You want to make sure you find the best studio possible, so here are some tips.
1. Decide how intense you want the class to be, and consider whether you would like to compete or do performances. I dance at two studios, one is a recreational, med-intensity competition studio, and the other is an intense performance studio. My recreational studio doesn't do full shows, but they do competitions, and the intense studio does The Nutcracker and performs in many different places, but does not compete.
2. Decide how many classes you want to take a week. You can take just one class if you want to do ballet purely for recreation, but if you want to do pointe, you should take at least two 90 minute classes a week, with more being better.
3. Start looking! Use yellowpages.com, recommendations from friends, and even look in the phone book for dance studios near you. Pick a few with the right amount and intensity of dance classes for you.
4. Look for qualified teachers. If training at a more intense ballet academy, the teacher should have professional training, and should have been a professional dancer. A competition school should have a successful record with competitions.
5. Consider price. A class shouldn't be more then $12 or $13 for a group class. Private classes can often be several times that number.
5. Check out the area. You can ask to take a class to get a feel for the studio, and while you are there, check out the studios. Are they large, air conditioned/heated, and clean? Are there enough barres and floor to ceiling mirrors on at least one wall? Is there sprung Marley flooring? Also, how do you like the teacher? Is s/he nice, does s/he use time wisely, does s/he explain properly and give corrections? How is the atmosphere, is it as strict or as relaxed as you want it to be?
First of all, this is a pretty nice blog and is very imformative! Secondly, I'm 12 turning 13 and want to start ballet in the summer. The place where I'm thinking of going starts the next sessions in the summer and the nice thing is that they group people together by ages/grades, so I wouldn't be with a ton of little squirts. :) Anyways, I have a few questions:
ReplyDelete1. If I want to get en pointe in the next couple of years, how many classes a week should I take. (This can be on average).
2. Is it worth it to go ta a dance studio that is more serious or attend 2 studios ( like you do).
3. I am a figure skater skating 3-4 days a week and will be continuing this throughout the summer. Will this slow down the ballet process? (Most figure skaters do ballet to help w/ skating, I want to do it for the fun of it as well.)
4. What should I expect at the first couple classes?
Sorry this is sooo long! Currently i will be posting as Anon., bt will sign my posts the same! ~Skates and Slippers:)
Glad you like the blog! I'll try to answer your questions the best that I can.
ReplyDelete1. Generally, it takes three years of three classes a week to start pointe. You may want to start with 2 classes over the summer, and advance to 3 classes when the fall rolls around so your muscles can get used to ballet. You can talk to your teacher about how many classes you can/should take.
2. It depends. I like going to my teen classes because they are fun and more relaxed, and we often add in lyrical moves. However, the serious classes give me better technique. If you can take all of your classes at one place, it's usually easier and cheaper, but if one studio doesn't offer enough classes, you may want to split it up between two.
3. I don't see why skating would slow you down, in fact, it will probably help your ballet! You probably have better balance and flexibility then most "late" beginners do, so don't worry about it.
4. The first couple of classes, you may start by learning the five positions, and basic barre, center, and across the floor work. Some examples are tondus, degages, rond de jombes, chaine turns, pas de bourree, balances, and glissades.
Hope that answers your questions!
Thanks, those are great answers! I just have one more question (for now anyway). How did you tell your mom you wanted to do ballet? My mom basically thinks to be good at ballet you have to start yong and that it wouldn't make much sense for me. Ahhh! It's sooo annoying.
Delete~Skates and Slippers:)
A lot of adults think you need to start ballet young to become good. If I was you, I'd ask her if you can take ballet so you can help improve your skating, but also say it looks like fun. Maybe you could show her a video on YouTube of Misty Copeland, ABT soloist (excellent dancer!), who started ballet at 13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6kZ90_0eKc
DeleteI actually asked my dad first, because he would be more likely to say yes, haha. I told him I wanted to start ballet, and to show him I was serious, I left the webpage for the studio I wanted to take ballet at open on the computer, and asked him to look into it. I told him classes started in the fall, and if we could afford it, to e-mail the studio and sign me up. A week later I reminded him again, and he signed me up.
I have to admit, I was thinking of asking my dad firts, bt he works and travels all week, every week , so he would probably say, ask your mom.:) Any way that's great advice and I think my mom would consider it if I said that. We've done simple ballet moves during off-ice. Our off ice teacher's daghter is a figure skater, bt the teacher did dance growing up so she likes to teach s ballet moves that help with our body movement:) I love that part b/c it's fun and we get to express ourselves in a different way! (we only do theings like arabesques, soutonu turns and chasses, so nothing to big)
Delete~Skates and Slippers:)
That sounds like fun! Figure skating looks so beautiful. Good luck on asking your parents, keep me posted!
DeleteFirstly- Thanks for all the great advice!!
ReplyDeleteSecondly- What kind of tights, ballet slippers, etc.. should I get. (to help convince my mom I need to know what I need). I know I need a black leotard and thats about it.
~Skates and Slippers:)
I like pink transition dance tights. I buy capezio's tights. You can try on a few different brands and sizes of ballet shoes. You should get full soles to strengthening your feet. A black camisole (spaghetti strapped) leotard is the most common, though some studios allow colored leotards, like mine do.
DeleteI have a more detailed post on what to wear, you can find it in the October 2011 Archives in the sidebar.
Hey. I am 11 and quit ballet when I was 7. I regret it more than words can say. I have proved to my mom that I love dance, and we have been looking for studios. I've brushed up on the basics, and have been dancing when I can. I am deciding between two types of studios:
ReplyDeleteA) Just ballet, very serious and professional.
B) Alll styles of dance, still professional but not as intense.
I LOOOOOVE Hip Hop, and am taking that at school, as we are lucky enough to have a professional dancer teach a class, and am doing other styles of dance on my schools dance team, so I am still doing styles besides ballet. I want to do a lot of ballet though, since it is the basic base of other styles.
My questions:
Which studio type is better?
My mom says I have missed my opportunity to become a serious dancer- is she right? Is 11 too old?
Thanks!
Hey! I left you a reply on the "About Me" page, so I hope that helps!
Delete