do i have a chance???

[Guest LeftOfCenter]

Hi everyone!!! This is my first post and im probably going to sound like a total amateur but I'm going to post this anyway . I live in Clarksburg WV and dance at a studio that is the best place around ( my old ballet techer studied at the University of Utah and danced with Festival Ballet among others, and my new ballet teacher studied at the Boston Ballet School and performed with the Boston Ballet). I should add that I'm 13 and not en pointe yet, but I am taking a pre-pointe class starting this fall (I'm soooo excited ). I'm only dancing 3 hours a week, and only two of ballet: an hour and a half of ballet and a half an hour of pre-pointe since I'm only in the intermediate class. I could drive to Morgantown for more ballet but I don't think I'm serious enough to resort to those measures yet (even though if I ever knew that i had a chance, I'd definitely be willing to) I just want to know if you think I have any chance at all at a professional career in dance. I know I'm not going to be starring with ABT, I'm not that naive, but I'd like to have a career with a relatively reputable (am I using that word correctly??? ) company. Do I have a chance at all?

[Victoria Leigh]

Hello LeftOfCenter, welcome to the Young Dancers' forum here on Ballet Alert! Online.

 

I wish we could tell you whether you have a chance or not, but of course we would have to see you in order to determine your potential. However, we can say that there is no chance at all unless you have FAR more intensive training. A dancer of 13 needs to be in classes about 10 hours a week, preferably with 4 days of classes which include four technique classes of one and a half hours each, and at least 2 pointe classes, better would be 3, of an hour each. Then there might also be a jazz or a modern class, and perhaps a Pilates mat class. This is the schedule for our "on track" 13 year olds. Those who do not qualify for this program, or who are recreational dancers and not career minded, take less classes and are in a different level. Sometimes our students don't reach this level until 14, but we also have some who are there at 12. It depends a lot of their facility (natural ability) and of course on the amount of training they have had. So, for you a LOT more training is in order if you want to even think about dance as a career!

 

I might also add that we really do not feel that a once a week student should be on pointe. There is simply no way that one achieves the level of advancement needed for that in one class a week, no matter the length of that class. The minimum training for pointe work should be 3 technique classes per week.

[Guest Lildancinchick]

Hey! Victoria, I just have one thing to say about your reply to LeftofCenter's post, and that is that it made me (and all my hours of hard work and effort) feel totally worthless. I am 14 (not yet on pointe), and can only afford 1-2 classes a week, and you make it sound like all of it means nothing, and that it is totally impossible to make it anywhere (like Juliard-my ambition)! You really hurt my feelings, because I can't afford any more training, but I practice every chanmce I get at home, and I love it so much! So, please don't say stuff like that anymore, or at least think about people like me before you do!

Edited August 24, 2003 by Lildancinchick

[Guest Terin]

Lildancinchick, I don't see how Leftofcenter did anything wrong at all. She had a question she wanted to ask, about her own dancing. If we can't post the questions we need answered here, then what's the point? I understand that it might make you feel bad to read posts like this, but I don't think there is anything wrong with just asking a question. I'm actually in the same boat as you- I can't afford to take as many classes as I would like, but I don't let that interfere with how I respond to other people's posts.

[Mel Johnson]

Lildancinchick, read this first:

 

http://balletalert.com/housekeeping/VictoriaLeigh.html

 

so that you are assured that Ms. Leigh knows what she's talking about.

 

I'd say you were in a moderate amount of trouble if your foreseeable goal is study at Juilliard. At one or two classes per week, the student will never develop the strength and technique either to dance professionally, or or to pursue a post-secondary school education in dance, most particularly ballet.

[Guest jane]

I am in the same situation, Lildancinchick. Its hard to hear about such lucky people who have all these lessons, but I do think Ms Leigh is right. We do need more. I am trying to get more classes, but my parents dont want me to do ballet as a career, and dont take my need for more lessons seriously anyway. My mum says that if I ever reach a good level she'd be happy to drive me around and pay for more lessons- she doesnt see how hard it will be to get good without a good training in the first place! We just have to keep hoping and trying, practising like mad and trying to show our parents just how much it means to us. Unless we are realistic how can we make it in the ruthless world of ballet? I am just going to have to make the best of the situation. Though its hard work, its worth it, I'd die before giving up!

[Mel Johnson]

That's exceedingly frustrating, isn't it?

 

"You can't have more classes until you improve." (But you can't improve unless you get more classes) It sort of makes a self-fulfilling prophecy - "See, I told you that you wouldn't make it!"

 

Ballet is NOT like piano. Practicing at home will not really make a big difference in anything without a teacher present.

[Victoria Leigh]

Lildancinchick, I am very sorry that your feelings are hurt, but I was answering a question and it was answered realistically and truthfully by a professional teacher. It would be totally wrong, and even cruel, to lie and encourage someone to think that she can reach her goals in ballet with one or two lessons a week, even if she happens to be extremely talented, which of course we cannot know.

 

I know you are new here, but please take some time to see how things work on this board. I am not addressed as "Hey, Victoria", and our students do not tell me how to respond to questions. If you want someone to tell you that all is fine and you will be wonderful, then perhaps it would be best for you to go to the other kinds of chat boards, as opposed to a moderated discussion board like Ballet Talk, and you can get advice from other teenagers, not from professionals.

[Marenetha]

Inquiry:

 

Is this a bad schedule? I'm taking as many classes as possible, and my teachers have been commenting on how I seem very focused on improving.

 

Monday - 1 hour ballet technique class, lower level.

1.5 hour ballet technique class, my level.

.5 hour pointe class (i'm beginning pointe)

1.25 hour jazz class.

 

Tuesday - .75 hour tap class (recreational)

1.25 hour ballet technique class (mixed upper level - not like ordinary class, focuses on one thing or another thing, somewhat odd, but ... for example, one day is more focused on turns, so we work on improving numbers and technique, another day is jumps - different jumps, technique of jumps, loads of jumps, enough jumps to make you absolutely SICK of jumps, and then you do more ... It's a very small class, only a couple of us (I think about 6?) so it's very focused.)

1.25 hour modern class (I think)

 

Wednesday - 1 hour ballet technique class, lower level.

.5 hour pointe class (lower level, still beginning pointe)

1.5 hour ballet technique class, my level.

 

Thursday - none.

 

Friday - none.

 

Saturday - I have class 9-12, I think, it's ballet and jazz - I'm doing dance in the company at my studio to work on my performance skills.

 

Sunday - none.

 

... Is that an acceptable number of classes, would you say? I'm thirteen, almost fourteen (October), and I'm trying to get myself up to speed (My technique is actually pretty good, but I tend to freeze up at auditions ... not good. I figure that my only hope lies in winding up with absolutely EXQUISITE technique, so that next time I audition, I look like I have decently good tech.) I'm going to a pretty decent studio, with good training, but I'm trying to get better than I am. I think it'd be possible to take more classes, but it would have to be at another studio. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are currently all right, but VERY busy ... some weeks I'll even have field hockey / soccer / lacrosse games before hand (required to do sports at school), so I'll be pretty bushed ...

 

Thank you!

 

Amanda

[Victoria Leigh]

Marenetha, it's not bad, but I think if you are trying to catch up to your age group and level that you could lose some of the extras, especially tap, and try to get more pointe work somewhere. How beginning are you? When did you start pointe? Two half hours a week is not very much for your age if you are at or approaching an upper Int. level of technique.

 

I might have a bit of reservation about the all jumping class, depending on how it is handled. Too much jumping at one time can cause all sorts of problems with impact type injuries.

[Marenetha]

No, it''s not all jumping! That's just an example ... sometimes more work on one thing, more work on another thing. This is my first year en pointe. I started this summer.

 

Amanda

[Swanilda]

This is in reference to the original post and original concern about not being able to afford the necessary amount of classes.

 

Please excuse this post as I am a little old for this board, but i just wanted to suggest that if money is what is keeping you from the needed amount of classes, there are often ways around that. If I were you, I'd present my situation to my teacher and ask if there was anything I could do to help around the studio in exchange for extra classes, or if there was any way I could take lower level classes in addition, ect. ect. Would your grandparents be willing to help (when my parents were having financial problems, an aunt paid my tuition for my SI that summer and my parents paid her back--I also had financial aid). Summer programs are also a very important part of your training. Last, please be grateful and not rude to Ms Leigh. She unquestionably knows what she's talking about and gives very good and very accurate advice.

[Victoria Leigh]

Please note that the post above, by Swanilda, was in response to the early posts on this thread, not the last ones.

[Guest primaballerina13]

I also have money issues. But even if i had the money there wouldn't be any more classes for me to take. My studio is very small and I am already in the most advanced level. I am only 14 and i think I have much more room for improvment but there aren't higher classes. And the advanced ones are starting to get easy. I really want to make ballet my career but how can i when there aren't any more classes for me to take? I even got desperate and take a lower level to try to improve my technique. I've also thought about going to someplace bigger like PNB but my mom really dosen't want to commuate to Seattle everyday (since we live a good distance away from there) what can I do?

[Victoria Leigh]

Unfortunately, I don't think you have a choice, prima. You will have to get to PNB if you hope to have a chance. If you are the most advanced at your studio, at 14, then that training is not going to get you there.