becoming pro

[thorgurl82]

i know there is a post like this one but mine is a little different. maybe not but ok. i'm 13 and becoming a professional ballerina is my one and only dream and i have only 2 1hr 15min classes a week. i have the option of takin 3 of those classes and i was wondering if i should take classes lower than my level to improve my technique. plus my problem is my friends dont support me on becoming a full-time dancer. they say its a waste of time but i keep telling them that if they had done dancing or somethin since they were 3 like me they would be hooked on it too if they loved itn as much as i love ballet. could you plz help me out here...........anyone thanks

[Mel Johnson]

You've definitely got the right idea, you definitely need more classes. Good classes. It's not easy to see if you're getting a solid technical base where you're studying now, but that is essential. A 13-year-old should be taking at least 5 1½ hour classes a week, if they're career-bound. Pointe would be introduced this year, if you were on-track. So yes, take the added lower-level classes and work for mastery of the material.

[Guest dancedance7]

hey, im 12 years old and in my first year of dance. i started late and i was woundering if i have a chance to become a pro. i think i have the drive and i work hard at dance. i was also woundering how much of an arch u need to go on pointe? when your ready of course.

[Victoria Leigh]

dancedance, it's not unheard of for someone who starts late to become professional, but in classical ballet it's very difficult. One would need to start with a lot of physical facility and talent, plus the best training.

 

As far as how much arch, that is not quantifiable. It's a matter of foot strength, flexibility, and training. You need to be at a solid Int. level, which generally takes 3 years at least, and you should have good placement and very good control and usage of your rotation. These things take time to develop. Naturally, the more training you have per week, the better.

[Guest dancedance7]

thank you

[Guest lovinballet14]

I started at 12 too!!! :]

[sugarplumfairy37]

I started ballet when I was about 8, but not until I was 12 did I really become serious about ballet. From ages 8-12 I only took ballet as a class at school school, and the teacher (and the students) were just awful. I mean, I learned the basic steps, but in this school/ballet program girls do not even begin to learn how to do fouettés until they are at least 14! Not exactly a pre-pro program. But most of the girls don't want to go pro. They are dancing as a hobby. So it was a great program for them, but not so much for me. Anyway, when I was 12 I switched over to a real ballet school, and stayed there until just last year after Nutcracker. Then I switched to an even better school with one of my friends, where I am currently having the time of my life with the most amazing teacher and friends! My studio is small, but is like a family. I am so happy here, and I know that I am getting some of the best ballet training I could ever hope for. I believe that even though I started late, I am still right on track for going pro. I watch videos of myself when I was 12 or 13, and I am like "Woah! I can't believe I was ever that bad!!!!" I have improved so much just in the last 2 1/2 years--it's amazing! I'm sure the same will happen for you, dancedance, if you work hard enough--you have to really want to do it. Even when you get discouraged, as I do a lot of times, you have to just push yourself--and eventually, you will be rewarded for all your hard work.

 

Whew! Sorry that was so long!

[thorgurl82]

well now im doing 5 hours 15mins of ballet and 1 hour jazz in a week which brings me to 6hrs 15 mins. Do you think the jazz class could help me with flexibility and and technique??

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, the jazz should help with flexibility and hopefully more freedom in your work. By next fall though I would hope that you could have more hours of ballet and pointe.

[Guest SweetSorrow004]

I love looking back at old videos of em dancing, the improvement is so great from then and now!

[Victoria Leigh]

What, or who, is "em"?

[Guest SweetSorrow004]

sorry, weird typo, "em" is me.

[Victoria Leigh]

Oh, okay! I guess this really makes the point for proofingreading and editing your own posts!

[toedancer]

I hate watching videos of past performances. I am always suprised (and often upset) at what I actually danced like.

[LeapingLizard689]

Getting back to becomming pro...

What do you guys think it takes? More than "perfect" technique? I hope love of ballet and dedication count too.

Like many of you, I started late too. I have been working really really hard, and have been able to progress enormously in a short amount of time.

I don't know if I'll ever become a pro, I hope so though. I think that if you set your mind to it, anything is possible.

So to all of you other late starters, or anyone interested in becoming pro, best of luck! The ballet career is a hard one to achieve, but if its in your heart, I truly believe it is possible, no matter who you are, or what age you started.