technique classes

[Guest mal89]

I' m 15 years old, and I really want a proffesional ballet career.

I haven't done ballet for a really long time, but I'm at a proffesional ballet course school in england now.

I'm taking about six or seven technique classes a week, and classical repetoire, pointe, jazz, pilates and contemporary as well.

Do you think I take enough technique classes if I want to become a proffesional?

[Mel Johnson]

How many of those other classes are you taking per week? A daily class, with one day off a week is good. I would think an ideal basic courseload would have 3 pointe classes, 1 jazz, 1 modern, and variations and/or pas de deux. Pilates is a valuable supplement, and takes time, but I wouldn't exactly call it ballet class. Of course, this is all assuming the very best training you can find!

[Marenetha]

I know that you probably get this question all the time, but could you answer the same question for me?

 

I'm fifteen, and I'm at a professional ballet school that Ms. Leigh recommended. Currently, I'm taking class six days a week, but only five at that studio. Monday, I have two 1.5 hour technique classes; Tuesday, I have a 1.25 hour pointe class (full barre); Wednesday, I have two 1.5 hour technique classes and thirty minutes of pointework; Thursday, I have 1.5 hours of technique; Friday, I have 2 hours of pointework, and Saturday, I have an hour and a half technique class.

 

This comes out to nine hours of technique a week, and 3.75 hours of pointe - 12.75 hours of class a week. I don't think I'm taking enough class (and sadly, right now I can't schedule it differently, but I'm trying) but is that at least acceptable? Thanks.

[Victoria Leigh]

It's not bad, Marenetha, but I would prefer to see it a bit more balanced, with a daily (5 or 6 days) technique hour and a half, and pointe class after technique at least 3 or 4 days, if not every day.

[La_Bailarina]

I've got the same question; sorry!

 

I've got 5 days with technique, and a 6th day of choreography class (its basically a very very structured rehearsal time; full warm up before, everyone dances the entire time, corrections on technique as well as performance given but the focus is learning and perfecting the choreography). I'm 16 and have been dancing for 12 years. There are usually rehearsals in addition to this and I try to fit in modern (1.5hr class) once a week (I've arranged it with my school's dance dept. to allow me to take the class on a drop in basis because I'm also invovled with other classes through them).

 

Monday

1.5hr ballet technique

-I'm more serious than the rest of the class; so I can take the class on pointe if I wish, I usually began barre on flat and then put on my pointe shoes for the remainder of class (usually about 1.25hrs)

 

Tuesday

2hrs ballet technique w/pointe at end (usually at least .5hr of pointe)

 

Wednesday

2+hrs choreography (see above explanation)

 

Thursday

1.5hr ballet technique

-same situation as Monday

 

Friday

1.5hr modern (when I can; almost every week)

1.5hr ballet technique

.5hr pointe

 

Saturday

1.5hr ballet technique

.5hr pointe

 

total of 10hrs/week of ballet (including pointe) and 3.5+hrs/week of other stuff (modern and choreography)...so I'm dancing at least 13.5hrs a week; I don't think its enough but its all I can fit in at the time being; I'm hoping to add an hour and a half technique class on Wednesdays starting in Feb.

[Victoria Leigh]

I don't really think there is a question here, La Bailarina, as you know that it is a bit less than ideal. You need at least 14 hours of technique and pointe, and then anything else you take in addition to that.

[Marenetha]

Thank you, Ms. Leigh - right now, I just can't change the classes, but next year, my schedule will definitely be better. I auditioned earlier this year for Houston Ballet, and their rejection letter said to come back next year - so either I'll get in next year (hopefully! It's only about ten minutes from my house) or I'll stay at my current school, and be able to add more technique and pointe classes. Thank you!

[Marenetha]

Hello again, and sorry to bring up this topic once more, but I've had a bit of a change. I was taking some lower-level classes that I don't feel I need to take any more on rather an 'older-student-who-comes-to-this-class-just-because' type level; I've changed it.

 

I now have the opportunity to take a class that is at my level or slightly above (one of the pointe classes) six days a week, and I was wondering:

 

I am fifteen. Would it be better for me to take nine hours worth of technique and 4.25 of pointe, or 7.5 technique and 5.75 pointe, at this moment in time? There's no other way I can arrange the schedule than this.

 

[in case anyone was curious, the schedule is:

 

Monday: (430-6 Int/Adv Technique OR Int Pointe) (7-830 Int/Adv Technique)

Tuesday: (445-6 Int Pointe)

Wednesday: (430-6 Int/Adv Pointe) (730-9 Int/Adv Technique)

Thursday: (430-6 Int Technique) (730-9 Int/Adv Technique)

Friday: (430-6 Int/Adv Variations)

Saturday: (10-1130 Int/Adv Technique).

 

I can't believe how much I've changed since I first came onto BalletAlert! ... Wow. ]

[Victoria Leigh]

Marenetha, I just don't understand that class schedule. Why is there a pointe class BEFORE a technique class?

 

I would suggest technique on Monday, the only class there is on Tues., both on Wed., the second class on Thurs., and the classes shown for Fri. and Sat.

[ABT Wannabe]

Ms. Leigh, when you said 13 hours of pointe and techinque a week, do you mean them both combined? If so, I might have enough!

[Victoria Leigh]

Actually I said 14 hours, and that was based on a daily technique class, 6 days a week (9 hours) and pointe/pas/or variations 5 days a week (5 hours). Then there are rehearsals (average about 4 to 5 hours), and jazz and/or modern classes (maybe 2 hours). This is the schedule for our Release Time levels, which are the highest 2 groups in the school. The age ranges from 14-18 or 19.

[dancergirl39]

If you think you guys don't get enough class time, consider me having only 2 technique classes a week! But we seem to be doing something right because the only two in our studio going places this summer are going to Joffrey Midwest and Joffrey NYC. I wonder how good we would be if we had as much class as you guys. Just a thought I guess I'll never know.

[Guest dancer522]

This year I only have 6 hours of technique and 2 hours of pointe a week, and then rehearsals (on pointe), and it's all that's available right now for me. Next year I want to be in the intensive division and I know I'm definately good enough to get in, so then I'd be dancing at least as much as you talked about the ideal being. Anyway, I'm turning 14 at the end of May, so next year I'll be a freshman - Do you think that if I want to be a professional (and I do) that I would be behind? I've taken ballet since I was 3, but I had never even thought about doing anything with it until this past year, so I've never taken that many classes before.

[Victoria Leigh]

No, you should not be behind. Most dancers are in high school before they can handle an intensive program.

[TomarkenFan89]

I'm 16 and I only do ballet for the pure joy of it but sometimes I wonder if I'm taking enough classes. Here's my schedule:

 

Monday: 1 hr 3/4 tech, 1 hr pointe

Tuesday: 1 1/2 hr tech, 1 hr pointe

Wednesday: 3 hrs tech (I take two classes)

Thursday: 1 1/2 tech, 1 hr pointe

Friday: 1 1/2 tech on pointe

Weekends off.