Guest dancingforever Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 Ok, I started taking ballet a little over 2 years ago to help with my other dance forms, mainly tap, jazz, and musical theatre. My first year, when I was 13-14, I took twice a week. Last year, I took 5 times a week. This year, I am taking 5 times a week again, and now, 3 of those classes are on pointe. (I am aware that going on pointe after a short time isn't typical; however, I know that my teachers waited an amount of time that was appropriate for me, since I was already at a level close to my age and had strong technique). I take 3 times a week at one studio and twice at another. The problem is that I feel like ballet is taking over my other kinds of dance. Since I don't aspire to be a professional ballet dancer, I want to work out a more balanced schedule. In the beginning of the year, I told Studio A that I wanted to stop taking the Thursday class so I could take tap, since it had been cut out for ballet. My teacher said that if I did that, I wouldn't be allowed to continue pointe, since I would only be taking twice a week. I reminded her that I would actually be taking 4 times a week, since I also take at Studio B. She then told me that she didn't count that at all. I offered to take another class on Saturday, making my total at Studio A 3 times a week but on 2 days, but she didn't like that either. So I decided to not change my schedule this semester and just continued with the Thursday ballet class. Now it's time for registration for the next semester. I really want to take the tap class. Should I sacrifice pointe for that? I'd still be on pointe twice a week, just not with this one teacher. I know ballet is the foundation of all dance and that I'll need it if I want to get anywhere, but isn't 4-5 times a week enough for my aspirations? Please help! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted November 30, 2003 Administrators Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 Just a question, dancingforever. Since the other areas of dance are your main focus, then why is pointe so important? Ballet technique is the most important for you, since your focus is really on tap, jazz, and musical theatre, which is fine. So, if you want more time with the other forms of dance, then give up some of the ballet. Not ALL of it, just a little bit, and, if that means no pointe, that's okay too. Quote Link to comment
Guest dancingforever Posted November 30, 2003 Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 Pointe is important to me because I know I'll need it at whatever SI I decide to attend, because even at Steps, a program in NYC that I attended last year that wasn't solely ballet, we did pointe for a good hour every day, and I don't want to lose technique that I will need later. Plus, pointe is used in shows that aren't only ballet, like in "Movin' Out" on Broadway. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted November 30, 2003 Administrators Report Share Posted November 30, 2003 I see. Well, that makes sense Okay, if you plan to attend SI programs and want to be in a good level, then you need all the ballet AND pointe work you can get. So, at this point in time, I would recommend not dropping anything in ballet or pointe. Quote Link to comment
Marenetha Posted December 1, 2003 Report Share Posted December 1, 2003 Maybe you could take tap somewhere else? That might work ... Or it might not, but it's probably worth a shot! Quote Link to comment
Guest ballet_barbie72 Posted December 8, 2003 Report Share Posted December 8, 2003 Considering that you will still be able to do pointe classes at "studio B" as you called it, then would it really matter that much if you miss out on your pointe classes at "studio a"? If tap is what you really love to do, then I reckon you should just go for it. Afterall, it was what you strated out with. Hope I helped, Love Erin xoxox Quote Link to comment
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