What else besides ballet?

[blueskies]

My DD is looking forward to summer and being able to spend more time dancing. She'll be 13 this summer and will be taking classes at her home studio. During the school year she takes ballet four times a week and one lyrical class a week. She'd like to try some new types of dance this summer. Would tap or jazz be more beneficial to her ballet training? I pretty sure there won't be a lyrical class offered this summer. Are there any other types of dance she should try?

[calamitous]

My DD does tap and jazz with a heavy musical theatre emphasis. She LOVES tap, but from what I can tell tap is either something kids really like or really don't like. I do not believe either of these really help her ballet, but the ballet really helps the tap and jazz. DD's school does have them do modern once a week, although not in the summer. THis seems to be the second dance type of choice for most ballet programs. This is probably not very helpful, but is summer is for fun, she may want to just try something out for the fun of it.

[dance1soccer1]

My DD took jazz for years, along with her ballet, and now takes modern and ballet. The jazz was really a lot of fun. It incorporates a lot of conditioning and musicality, and sometimes gives ballet dancers a new lease on the joy of dance. I recommend jazz. It increases the dancers' versatility, jazz shoes are pretty cheap, and DD and friends have always enjoyed it.

[vicarious]

I would say character or folk dance. Most of the classical ballets have character dancing in them. These are baised on ethnic folk dances. DD loves these and I think it has helped her develope her musicallity.

[Rhapsody]

Last night my dd asked about tap classes as well. She took tap when she was 7 and loved it. The only problem with tap is the expense of the shoes and taps. And whatever you do, make sure the taps get screwed - NOT NAILED - onto the shoe. Dd also wants to do some hip hop and jazz this summer.

 

I think the jazz can really help a dancer develop stronger rhythm. Of course tap is all about rhythm but at first the dancer has to concentrate on brushing the foot forward and back and getting the tap basics. With jazz, they miss the learning curve associated with tap (flap ball change, shuffle hop step etc.) so possibly reap the rhythm benefits much sooner with jazz.

[Guest pink tights]

DD takes ballet, tap, and jazz. Some of her friends take hip-hop, but she thinks it's a waste of time. I know some schools discourage tap as it encourages loose ankles and that's not good for pointe. DD has a few years to go until pointe and it has not been a problem so far. She is not on a pre-professional track as she is only 10. This summer she is attending a "dance camp" that will feature ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and a little musical theater.

[blueskies]

Thanks for all the suggestions My DD is already on pointe so I was wondering if tap would be ok. I've heard mixed reports on tap being ok for ballet dancers.

[Mel Johnson]

Speaking for myself only, I'm not a real big fan of tap for a ballet dancer, although there have been some first-rate tappers among the crowd, Dame Beryl Grey and Frederick Franklin among them. The disciplines seem to work against one another, but if you find it good for you, then go.

[BelaNina]

My dd's ballet teacher has said that the difference she sees in her students who've taken jazz in addition to ballet is that they are more comfortable with contemporary ballet choreography, which is becoming more and more common, and they are used to learning more complicated counting and combinations at an earlier point in their training than the students who've only taken ballet. She doesn't think they are necessarily better ballet dancers, though, just more comfortable learning certain new skills at the outset.

[calamitous]

As for dancing for fun, I was just reminded by DD, she LOVES swing dancing. She loves the music and the style. Tap shoes if you are not dancing seriously don't have to be that expensive. We bought $20 pairs for years, basic oxford style for several years. This year we had to invest in expensvie shoes since most of what she does seems to be on her toes and there are special shoes that allow this.

[blueskies]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I think I'll advise her against tap as long as she remains serious about ballet. But hopefully she can try something new this summer.

[love_ballet]

My daughter did a 1-week ballroom dancing camp after her SI last summer. She had a blast and it was a nice change of pace!

[swanchat]

DD did tap for several years and loved it-mostly hoofer type stuff but a little broadway style along the way. She made it into the senior tap company the same year the ballet bug hit (age 11). That was also the same year she had a bad case of achille's tendonitis. She cut out the tap as she recovered her way back to ballet. She still "shuffles and cramp rolls" around the house. She's talking about picking it back up this summer. Doctor thinks growing and overuse were cause of Achille's Tendonitis. No problems with achilles this year. Does anyone know if tap is associated with achille's problems?

 

edited to add:She is doing a six week ballet intensive at the pre-pro level and I don't want to push our luck with the achilles!

[leebick]

Many of the older dancers at my daughter's studio do tap, jazz, ballet, and pointe, and they are beautiful, strong ballerinas. Huh, you think tap shoes are expensive? I just bought the third pair of pointe shoes, and DD's only been doing pointe since July 2005. The "cheap" pair was $50! Give me tap shoes that last for years ANY day!

[Wizardofizzard]

My DK, in addition to her ballet training, paticipates in jazz once a week. Last summer she took a tap class for fun, an kept up with a tap class once a week for the first half of this academic year. It wasn't really her bag, but she enjoyed it for a short time, and it broke the monotony a bit. There are also other offerings such as ballroom, irish, modern, carribean-style, etc. She sees these classes as just a whole lot of fun, and I think ultimately they contribute to her ballet training in their own ways. I could be wrong -- correct me if I am -- but regarding tendonitis, I think that one tap class per week would not cause so much of a problem.