What to do, what to do?

[gerlonda]

Happy New Year all!

I've been away from dance for 3 weeks (for 2 weeks the studios were closed and the other week I had final exams) and I can't wait to start back on Monday.

Lately I've been feeling restless. I have a major case of "Would have, could have should have." I feel like I should have MADE my parents enroll me in ballet when I was in elementary school, but back then I was not that persuasive and money was tight. I feel like I should be dancing in a ballet company right now. I've got this feeling that I'm missing out on something really big.

I just don't understand why there are not any "ballet-ish" modern companies that are willing to take on hard working 20 to 30 year olds as company members? I mean, yeah, taking daily class is wonderful. A performance or two may help soothe me. But for some reason I feel like I should be apart of something bigger. Does anyone else feel like I do?

What type of options does a ballet-mad 25 year old like me have?

[Dance_Scholar_London]

You might want to audition for a contemporary dance program, or in case you are at an advanced level you could audition at contemporary dance companies. IMO, 25 is pretty late for a professional career as a dancer but there are so many other options such as choreographer, artistic director, etc... Maybe you want to use your passion for one of the related fields? Being mature can be very useful for choreography - you have some experience of life and can translate this into dance Good luck!

[Cabriole]

I just don't understand why there are not any "ballet-ish" modern companies that are willing to take on hard working 20 to 30 year olds as company members? I mean, yeah, taking daily class is wonderful.  A performance or two may help soothe me.  But for some reason I feel like I should be apart of something bigger. Does anyone else feel like I do?

What type of options does a ballet-mad 25 year old like me have?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually quite a few 'ballet-ish modern companies' do take 20-30 year olds. Hubbard Street, Alvin Ailey, Lines, Santa Fe/Aspen all take dancers in that age range (just to mention a few). It will be hard to find those options in Wisconsin, however. If you are at a level where you can audition, then you need to look at the magazines (Pointe, Dance, etc.) and note the audition requirements for those type of companies. There are threads on this site regarding the costs and options for audtioning.

[lampwick]

gerlonda,

I know a whole slew of 20-30 somethings who are dancing in small classical and contemporary companies as pick up dancers. Getting hired for a Nutcracker or Sleeeping Beauty or something. Not making a living per se, but you can definitely perform as a professional dancer in a decent company if you're good enough. I'm 29, and that's what I want to do. I've never had a teacher ignore me because I'm too "old". How can they tell how old you are anyway? Everyone looks the same in a leotard with your hair in a bun. I've met one or two who became full time professionals in thier 20s as well. Not many, but it does happen.

 

I can sympathise with your regrets about the past. I wish that I had taken my dancing more seriously when I was still young enough to have made it into a company like Boston Ballet or NYCB. But I just tell myself that maybe I would have hated it, or gotten injured, or whatever. You can't change the past. It's not worth the agony of "what if". It's hard to accept, I know. If it makes you feel any better, I haven't noticed anything about my body that's much different than when I was a teen. It's still trainable. Maybe not what it could have been, but good enough. Don't wait any longer if you really want to do this though... not much of a window of opportunity left in the 20s. I know that this is the ONLY time in my life I'll ever be able to do this. You need fabulous teachers and lots of classes NOW.

 

good luck!