4 replies to this topic

[susandance]

Hi,
My daughter is 13 and very involved in ballet. She has been taking ballet for approximately 8 years. I, however, know nothing about ballet, I am unable to give her any guidance or direction in this part of her life. I would like to know if anybody has advice for a mom, such as myself, in this situation. One of the subjects that is most important to me is to find out about summer dance programs around the country that my daughter could participate in. I welcome all suggestions.

[Victoria Leigh]

Welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers, susandance.

It sounds like you need to spend a little time reading these forums, as there is so much information here to educate the parents of dancers that you may need a lot of cups of coffee! There is a whole forum for summer dance programs, and it lists them in alphabetical order with first hand reviews. Just go to the Summer Intensive Category, and you will find it there.

You are in a place where there is lot of good dance, so you might want to check out the programs that are right there, to start with. And if your child is both serious and talented, you might need to think about placing her in one of the professional programs in your city.

[susandance]

My dd is in a pre-pro dance school, is that the same thing as a professional program? Also, I was wondering if at this point in my daughters dancing if I need to be more involved? Does involvement just include caring about her dancing, taking her to pointe shoe fittings, and buying new leotards, or is there anything else I can do?

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, it's good that she is in a pre-pro school. What you can do at this point is support and encourage! Be sure that she is in the best school there is in your area, and investigate all of the SI programs. Find out which ones will hold auditions in your area, or anywhere that you can get to, and get her to the auditions. They are all good experiences, and you need to keep as many doors open as possible. The auditions will take place mostly in Jan. and Feb., maybe a couple in March.

[backstagemom]

I was in the same position two years ago. I didn't know what I needed to know for a 13 year old who declared she wanted to dance professionally. We moved to a pre pro school, and I've already seen a world of difference. I learned a lot reading the boards here. I think it's a good idea to read up on ballet history and technique and such. I've also asked a gazillion questions in the last couple of years. Now I'm asking even more questions as we look at her future after high school. I've learned that SI's are important. Quality training is critical and the more hours in ballet the better. We also want her to be well rounded in dance, so she takes jazz, modern, tap, and hip hop as well. We've been learning about different ballet companies, styles, and various job opportunities in the dance world. She is traveling to RDA this year with the ballet company that her school feeds into, so this will give her a chance to see the bigger picture. This has been a huge learning curve for me as a mom, but I think it's worth the time, effort, and money to help her pursue her dream.