Work, and Changing Studios

[Marenetha]

I think I need a different studio. The one I'm currently going to is a very nice one, but not what I'm looking for. It's a very decent recreational school, but that's not what I want to get, training-wise. I want a more serious school, and that's that.

 

I live in the Houston area, and I've heard nice things about Ballet Center of Houston, and I'm planning to go observe classes over there. If I think it's what I'm looking for, it's only a little over half an hour away from my house, so this could work. I've got a couple of other places which I plan to look into - that's just one of them.

 

I'm a good, but hardly extraordinary technician right now, and I have excellent musicality, but frankly, my pointework needs a LOT of work. I have a lot of ankle strength and a nice arch, but poor insteps, so I think I'm going to need to work on that.

 

I'm trying to be as mature as possible about all of this - I'm realizing that if I want a professional dance career to be POSSIBLE, I need to get better training than I am. It's not bad, but it's not ... excellent. Houston Ballet Academy would be nice, and I was told that my arms/upper body were very nice, but my pointework was not so good ; I got my rejection letter from their SI today. Maybe next time.

 

I'm curious as to how much I can help on my own. I'm in 8th grade - that's 14, so I have a while yet, but I think that I definitely need to get to work more on my own NOW, rather than later. I have time, but I don't have THAT much time.

 

What else can I do, rather than find opportunities for more classes? I'm interested in looking into this - the bug has bitten badly, and I'd like to give this a shot. Can anyone help me out here, either with suggestions of what else might help, or possibly other training locations? Thank you.

 

-Amanda

[Victoria Leigh]

Amanda, I think you are on the right track with the plan to find a better studio. Is the Ballet Center of Houston Victoria Vittum's studio? If so, that is excellent!

[Marenetha]

Yes, it is ... I just had a discussion with my mom about this. She wants me to make a list of some other schools to look into as well as that, but she told me that she understands that I'm very unhappy currently (well ... during our discussion, I ended up crying). My classes are getting short shifted constantly due to this idiotic recital, I've been expected to just magically become good at pointe, and pushed too far too fast in that, and it's been all very erratic instruction lately ... So I'm going to get to change studios somewhere else (although my mom has paid for the rest of this year ... So I WILL be continuing to go to my classes there, but add other ones somewhere else.)