Can rural ballet classes be as good as big city?

[Guest galenaballet]

Hello everyone,

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. My question may seem a bit dumb, being you all seem very knowledgable and I am "just a mom" of a new ballet student. One thing I have come to understand is you must be informed very early on in the world of ballet!

We recently moved from the suburbs of Chicago to Galena Illinois, close to the Dubuque Iowa border where my daughter takes her classes. A few month before moving my daughter starting ballet and her 2 day a week classes consisted mostly of streching and very little bar work. Now she is in a 1 day a week class where she is learning bar work (simple steps) ballet terms, and placement and alignment. The class seems very structered the teacher and her mother are both former ballerinas and own and are the only teachers of the small studio.

My question is, how does a parent really know their child is getting proper training?

My daughter is now 9, and I know it is a crutial age. The teacher doesnt communicate alot with us parents, but she is VERY attentive to her students. Ive read books, asked questions. I just dont want to be making mistakes early on that could affect my daugter later because I didnt ask the right questions or had her trained improperly

 

Do you think this school in such a small city, my daughter could still get proper training? Should I send her for additional training in the summer in the city, or would this confuse her more????

 

Thank you for listening!!!

 

Jen

[Guest galenaballet]

P.S-

 

Is one day a week sufficiant in the first year of training? The do have more claases per week as they move up.

[Mel Johnson]

Hi, galenaballet, and welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers!

 

Yes, one hour a week is all right for a 9-year-old just starting out in "real" ballet. As time rolls on, as you've noted, classes and hours will be added in order to accommodate the increasing proficiency and ability to learn and execute more and more ballet. Summer study would be nice, at her home school, if they have classes then, but not essential at this point.

[BW]

Hello galenaballet you're not alone in wondering about the number of classes and if it's possible to get good training outside of a big city... Although Mel Johnson has answered your question ably, I thought you might like to take a look at this older thread/topic Number of classes per week for children. Here is another interesting thread called Yes, there is training in Idaho, any other unlikely places with training? Both threads will help you get a feel for what goes on in different locals, and I hope help you not to worry too much right now.

 

Good training is what is key.

Edited January 16, 2005 by BW

[Victoria Leigh]

While once is a week is not too unusual for beginning students, I really think that twice a week is better, once they are out of the pre-ballet levels and into "real" ballet. As they are starting to really work on alignment, and learning how to rotate their legs and articulate their feet, I feel that it is very hard to retain what they learn with a full week in between classes. They will progress faster with more classes. Since some teachers put them on pointe somewhere between 11 and 12, there is no way they will be ready for that without at least twice a week at 9, and maybe three times by age 10 or 10 and 1/2. Definitely by 11.

[Guest galenaballet]

Thank you every one for your replys! Very helpful info. Ms. Leigh can you tell me if I should address this concern to my daughters teacher? I think the reason they only attend once a week in the beginning might be because she is teaching all levels and its a time issue? Not sure though. Any ideas on what questions I should be asking her? And is it appropriate for me to do so?

 

Thank you so much!

[Guest galenaballet]

Thank you BW!

 

The threads were very helpful!!!

[Mel Johnson]

I think that since it's halfway through the school year, adding a class now would be good timing. You should ask your daughter's teacher if there's another class at about her level that she can take in addition to what she's taking now. And it is absolutely appropriate to ask.

[Guest galenaballet]

Thank you so much Mel!

There is so much learning that we do as parents! Chances are she will not become a professional ballet dancer, But I do not want it to be because I was an uninformed parents who didnt do her homework!

[Balletmom]

...she is learning bar work (simple steps) ballet terms, and placement and alignment. The class seems very structered the teacher and her mother are both former ballerinas and own and are the only teachers of the small studio...The teacher doesnt communicate alot with us parents, but she is VERY attentive to her students.

 

As another "just a mom" who lives in an area that is not exactly known for being strong in the arts, I would like to say that yes, you can get good teaching from first-rate instructors in these locations, and it sounds like your daughter's school is certainly trying to take their role seriously. In our experience, the main drawback has been that my daughter's small studio has not had the means to offer classes such as partnering, variations or modern, but SIs have helped fill this role as she has gotten older.

 

Also, this board has been invaluable as I've tried to learn more about this passion of my daughter's. The moderators and other posters are all first-rate!