How much is enough?

[Guest dancer522]

I'm thirteen and this coming year I will only be taking three 2-hour classes a week. I've never taken more than that, but it's all that is offered for my level. I'm not in the intensive division but I DO take ballet seriously. Should I be taking more classes of ballet a week?

 

P.S. If this might also help you answer my question: I'm moving up to level 5 out of 7 in the main (not intensive) division at Boston Ballet and I'm on pointe.

[Victoria Leigh]

Three two hour classes is not bad at 13, as long as you are headed towards the more intensive track by next year

[Guest dancer522]

Thanks. I'm not sure how many classes there are for the next level. (assuming I move up!) But I don't really want to audition for intensive, at least, not yet. I would LOVE to go every day but it seems like the people my age would be too advanced for me right now. I'll have to go to the website and look up how many classes there are for level six.

[Marenetha]

This is a similar question, so I thought I'd put it under here ...

 

I'm going to be fifteen in October, and I'll be auditioning for Houston Ballet Academy again later this summer. (I've auditioned twice before, both times had the instructor say something nice to me, and gotten the 'try again later' letter.) Hopefully, I'll get in, and it's a lot closer to my house, etc., etc., etc.

 

If I don't get in, I've changed to a set of studios rather farther away from my house, but still within the distance my mom's willing to drive me, (Name deleted at poster's request) studios. If my luck w/ HBA continues, this is what my schedule should be. Is it reasonable?

 

Monday - 1.5 hour intermediate/advanced technique class

Tuesday - 1.5 hour intermediate/advanced technique class

Wednesday - 1.5 hour intermediate advanced pointe class

.5 hour beginning pointe class earlier (I like taking these - I find it helpful to have a class of releves, and of like, pirouettes, etc.)

1.5 hour intermediate / advanced technique class

Thursday - 1.5 hour intermediate / advanced technique class

Friday - 1 hour intermediate pointe class

Saturday - I've taken before, and I like a lot, this open intermediate adult class at Houston Ballet. It's pretty good, and it's rather fun. An hour and a half.

 

This equals ... (must go get the calculator) 10 and a half hours of class, 7.5 of it tech, and 3 of it pointe. Is this enough, or too little?

 

(Plus rehearsals, etc. They said anywhere 4-6 hours on weekends, but this is the class schedule.)

[Victoria Leigh]

Are those pointe classes on Wednesday before the technique class? That is a bit unusual.

 

The schedule is okay, although I would prefer to have the pointe classes follow a technique class. The one hour class on Friday would be better at an hour and a half.

 

This said, I have students in the summer from those schools and they are very nicely trained. I do think they would be more advanced with a bit more technique time along with more pointe time which is separate from technique classes, but I know that is hard to fit into the schedules of most smaller schools. Miss Vittum is an excellent teacher! (I have never met Mr. Rome.)

[Marenetha]

All right, then - it's my understanding that the pointe classes on Wednesday have a short barre included in them, so it's not just immediately starting. Ok, then - it's good that that's all right - I was worrying that I'd need to somehow find about ten other tech classes or something.

[balletlover421]

RELATED

I started ballet 10 months ago before that i was a high level gymnast for several years. By the end of the season i was taking 6-7 ballet classes a week and 3 other types of dance classes. I have succeeded pretty quick. I can do up to 3 pirouettes on pointe. I have a good turnout and full extensions from gymnastics. How many classes is sugessted for next year?

[Mel Johnson]

Hi, Balletlover421, and welcome to the Young Dancers' Forum here at Ballet Talk for Dancers on Ballet Alert! Online.

 

Keep the classes at the same level. It's kind of unusual, in fact, very unusual for a student to be on pointe in under 2 years, but perhaps the gymnastics supplied the strength and parts of the technique needed. What other kinds of dance classes are you taking? How many classes of each are you taking per week?

[balletlover421]

Yes i went on pointe because of the strength n tachnique from gymanstics.Well I took 2 jazz classes and 1 hip hop class but i got out of the hip hop because it was too easy so instead i took a modern class. Sometimes i would take extra jazz classees if i had time though. I was planing on taking harder classes next year but you think i should stay in the same level? Well i started in beginner but moved up because of my backround in gymnastics my teachers told me that i progressed pretty fast so i could move up. But i know not to go too far too fast because it is bad for my technique. Thank you so much for the advice I will try to not to take too many higher level classes.

[Mel Johnson]

Good move. I agree with your idea of dropping hip hop for modern. After all, the former really goes nowhere (ever hear of a run of a hip hop company at Lincoln Center?), but it is fun. Modern at least will ground you in techniques that do have regular outlets, and will also help your ballet technique. I'd keep the number of classes you take stable, and just leave the level to your home teacher. After all, there you can be seen, and it's kind of hard for me to squeeze between the keys on this puter to get there to see you.