joyellen Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 I thought it would be fun to compare where the various dancers fit among their siblings. The reason I thought of it is my dd is a middle child with two sisters, neither of whom dance. I think one reason she has loved ballet is that it has given her an individual identity in the family. She is the only dancer, stuck between a long distance runner and a soccer kid. I also think it has contributed to my fairly laid back attitude as a "ballet mother." I'm sure if it were my oldest, I would have been very involved from the get go. But, by the time this one started taking ballet (rather late at age 10), I was dividing my attention between three very different girls. My participation in her study of ballet was primarily writing checks and providing transportation. I was so clueless it was two years before I figured out there was an "observation week" at her studio, let alone attended one of her classes! I'm a bit more tuned in now and she's actually enjoying that, but I am always having to be diplomatic about the attention I give her. Sometimes when I pick her up from ballet, we sit in the car talking even after we get home because the other girls get impatient with the ballet talk! Since I have become more aware (thanks Ballet Alert!) it has really given us a special bond, and I think that has been really good for her. Quote Link to comment
Redstorm Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Let's see....my dd is the baby of 7! and the last one at home. We have a yours/mine/ours family but have raised all but 1of the kids full time ourselves. There are 6 girls and 1 boy. DD is the only dancer. I have had band members, softball players, little league, trouble makers...you name it. Being a ballet mom is a breeze! Although I do find it rather amusing that she is the one I hold onto the tightest. Letting her go across the country this summer will be difficult at best. Oops...almost forgot, DD has 3 younger family members, our 3 St. Bernards. Quote Link to comment
sujet59 Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 There are two DD's in the family. DD #1 is the eldest. DD #1 works very hard at ballet and is very focused. DD #2 is the youngest. DD #2 is not so focused but is a natural when it comes to ballet. A brother, the middle child, is sandwiched between his two dancing sisters. Quote Link to comment
balletbooster Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Mine is an only ! I've met lots of other only children in our ballet wanderings, as well. It would be fun to see a scientific study to see what the birth order preference is for ballet students. Chances are, that there is no clear leanings to any birth order at all - but it is fun to speculate and it is certainly a more fun topic to speculate upon than the audition results that have kept us all pre-occupied over the last couple of months! Quote Link to comment
joyellen Posted March 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 My thinking exactly, Balletbooster, which is why I started this thread! Quote Link to comment
chatwidow Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 My DD is second of four children, however my oldest son is 5 years older than her and she often she feels like the oldest child. She is the only one involved in ballet but the other three children play musicial instruments (piano, drums, violin). My yougest daughter recently quit ballet to take up the violin. Originally I beleive she began to be like her sister and ultimately quit because she felt she couldn't compare to her. She is four years younger and I think wanted her own identity as well. Anyone else out there with this situation? Quote Link to comment
nlkflint Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Two children, both girls, both dance. Oldest is 13 1/2 and has to dance. Very serious, works extremely hard. Dedicated. Loves it. Lives, breathes ballet. Room filled with books, videos, classical music. Focused, almost so focused as to have tunnel vision. (Although is a marvelous student and musician.) Is very strong. Has wonderful feet. Has to work for the extension, although has wonderful turnout. Youngest is not so focused. Has this wonderful flexibility and extensions, but not so strong. Likes ballet and jazz and tap but does not understand her sisters "passion". Her passion is animals. (Also a marvelous student and musician.) Quote Link to comment
Treefrog Posted March 1, 2004 Report Share Posted March 1, 2004 Two kids, both girls, both dance. Quote Link to comment
Guest ivy'smama Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Two dancers: Oldest who is very serious (almost 15) and youngest who seems to have talent, too. Middle daughter used to dance (thankfully, she discovered for herself that this was not her talent) and now gets really tired of all the ballet talk. I have to remind myself (if she doesn't) to talk about other things when we're all in the car together! Quote Link to comment
Momof3darlings Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 3 girls Oldest--passionate committed dancer, has always worked hard at it and loved every minute of it. One track mind toward a goal of doing something with dance even if dancing doesn't work out. (drives mom crazy) Loves all dance forms but ballet is most loved. Middle--dancer, just not as passionate and intense about it. Enjoys the rest of the world as much as she enjoys dancing. I can see her not doing a performing company since she likes just being a free spirit too much to have a locked down schedule. Likes ballet, LOVES jazz. Youngest--Girl, too young to know yet as she's only 3 but if energy is a determinate, will be more into sports like soccer or basketball. Or boxing. Quote Link to comment
Clara 76 Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Ok, here's mine: My mom-(only child of professional piano player and ballerina) studied ballet, danced professionally, teaches and now runs ballet academy. My dad-(has 1 brother, younger, also a stagehand/firefighter. Both children of stagehand/firefighter father, and mother who danced when she was young) Studied drama and stagecraft, became sound engineer and lighting designer where he met my mom! Me-(have 1 sis,younger, not a dancer, but ended up with the dancer's body!) studied ballet, danced professionally briefly, now teach. My husband & I have 2 sons, one 14 and one 5. My husband was a make-up artist when I met him. Our oldest son is a ballet and tap dancer. The 5-yr-old, who knows yet?! Is it nature or nurture...I tried all kinds of sports for the older one. Nothing ever grabbed his attention, not 3 years of soccer, 4 years of baseball, or 2 years of basketbell. It never occurred to me to try dance, until my son's friend wanted to try tap...We've never looked back! Clara Quote Link to comment
Mrs. Stahlbaum Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Two daughters. Elder is the dancer, younger hates ballet. Makes it difficult for mom sometimes, but it is nice to see how well they complement each other. Non-dancing daughter seems to be the only person who can distract dd from talking about ballet. Quote Link to comment
Guest Chedva Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 Mine, too, is an only. Like a previous poster, likes ballet, loves jazz, EXCELS at tap. My husband is a classically trained pianist, percussionist and conductor; I sing (untrained, but not too bad). DD started out as a gymnast - cartwheeled across the backyard at 3. Started dancing at 8, then dropped gymnastics when she had to make a choice when both got too intense. Why dance? Everyone expected her to take piano - she did, but Dad kept correcting her practicing. She now says that she started taking dance because we couldn't tell her how to do it! Quote Link to comment
cricket Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 My oldest daughter is the dancer. Like Chedva's daughter, she started out as a competitive gymnist & was really very good at it. Got into ballet to help out with gymnastics, fell in love with it, quit gym & dedicated herself to ballet. Youngest daughter hates ballet, although she has a talent for it. She is a blue belt in karate & also swims. Quote Link to comment
Guest BalletAuthor Posted March 2, 2004 Report Share Posted March 2, 2004 BALLET is REALLY REALLY labor intensive for parents. When kids aren't "onlies" or "youngests" it is tough under most circumstances to have the time/attention/$ to drag them here there and everywhere 6 days/week, which probably explains why there are so many "onlies" and "youngests." It isn't too often that kids can walk to ballet the way they can walk to school, scout, soccer and unless one happens to live right on Lincoln Center it is hard to get where you're going to study on your own as a kid! Now the new thread is: How many "younests" danced because they got "bored" waiting around for an older sibling. My ds for one! 2 boys, both in their 20's. Older one danced until 12-13 and found (correctly) that he was inappropriate (wrong body, not musical, etc.) and NOT willing to work hard enough to even try to do it let alone compete with sibling 4 years younger and long, lean and musical. Older one now "hates" ballet and has not seen his younger brother dance since younger brother was a 16 year old student. Younger is an employed professional ballet dancer. Post edited by moderator Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.