DD going en pointe

[SAMI4166]

Hello All,

My DD wil be thirteen in Jan. She is going up en pointe next month. She has always took any extra classes below her level that she could. Now she has 5 her level and one below. She has been asked to take the next level higher class one day in addition to her course level. When Nut starts she will need to take another adv. class to replace the lower one so she can keep a day off. She will end up with eight classes a week plus her rehearsal schedule. The kid loves to dance and it always amazes me. I just don't want her to burn out. I have seen so many kids drop out. How have you guys handled the increase with your kids? She has lots of drive and is totally self motivated...but should I hold her back a bit on the classes or just let her go?

 

Thank you! It is so nice to have a place to go and get honest feedback!

[Mel Johnson]

Let her go! That sounds like a proper class load for 12-13ish student. Most thrive on it.

[NSMH]

Hello SAMI4166~

 

First, congrats on all the exciting happenings for your DD. I read your post and was prodded to respond by one word that you stated...self-motivation. I would say that as long as your DD stays self-motivated, is excited by her classes and her new challenges, she will be fine. My DD is twenty now and I remember the big 'jump' that occurred class wise, parts wise and challenges wise. She handled it fine. She needed more sleep, especially after NUTS and was sleeping in the car etc. The best advice I can give you is follow your instinct and take your cue from her. You will be able to tell before her if she is on the road to burn out. Be ready for the classes and rehearsals...and flow with the changes. Make sure she eats and stays well hydrated. Enjoy the excting times ahead and try to remember these are new memories in the making. Good Luck!

 

NSMH

[dancemaven]

I have repeated the answer I received from DD's primary teacher many years ago when DD loaded her schedule with 8 ballet classes, 2 jazz classes, and a modern class, and I will pass it on to you:

 

If she is going to burn out, she will----whether you limit her class load or not. In the meantime,

she is doing what makes her happy and as long as SHE wants to do it and enjoys it, there is no

reason to limit her. What better place could she be but doing what makes her happy?

 

Years later, DD is still going strong and is insatiable when it comes to ballet.

[SAMI4166]

Thank you so much for input! I have always felt that as long as she is motivated and enjoying ballet to encourage her. But...this is soooo much more! Thank you for the support. It is new territory with her going en pointe and I guess I am feeling overwhelmed. Thanks you all!

[Pasdedeux]

It is so normal for classes to increase like this. Gone are the days of 2 classes a week, my dd is up to 13! You can't progress without adding classes. Stay close to your dd and help her with time management if it becomes an issue. Dancers are usually good students as well.

[2marzipans]

You are so lucky that your daughter has these classes available to her at this age. My daughter was only able to take five ballet classes a week at the most advanced level at the dance school she attended during her high school years! To gain more classes, she would take classes in the lower levels, but she was still behind in her technique when she graduated from high school. She's playing catch-up now in her post-graduate training. I wish she could have had your daughter's schedule at 13. As was said before, if your daughter is happy and also doing well in school, she's on the right track.

[5-6-7-8]

I'm sure your daughter will do just fine! You'll be amazed at how much she progresses with the extra classes.

[SAMI4166]

Thank you for your posts. I do feel very fortunate that my DD has such classes available. It is just a huge leap. But it sounds like this is when it naturally occurs. We have several girls at our studio in the higher level that are just plain "stinky." I guess I am also worried about the whole mean girl aspect. I was just hoping for another year with just her class. They are wonderfully grounded and such a tight group of friends...cheering each other on, instead of getting jealous. But...I guess if she is going to dance she will also have to deal with this. Thank you all again for your encouragement that this is the time for her increase. I feel overwhelmed sometimes. Who knew when she was two that she would STILL want to dance "tippy toe"!

 

Sami4166

[Guest pink tights]

If she is going to burn out, she will----whether you limit her class load or not. In the meantime,

she is doing what makes her happy and as long as SHE wants to do it and enjoys it, there is no

reason to limit her. What better place could she be but doing what makes her happy?

 

Knock, Knock...

I am often stumped when people say "she is going to burn out"....Thank you, Dancemaven, I now have an excellent come back!!

[Hamorah]

I'm sorry - your comment about her still going strong at 12 amused me! I started dancing at 3 and a half and more than half a century later I'm still hooked and still dancing! When the passion gets you - that's it usually! I agree with the other posters I think you're lucky that she has the chance to do more classes. Let her go with it - I'm sure if she finds it too much she'll tell you. I wish I was able to offer our serious students more classes.

[Pasdetrois]

Just a thought here! This maybe a bit off topic but I feel it ties in! When teen girls go through those late chidhood and early teen years they hit brick walls all over the place. Walls caused by peers, peer pressure, hormones and that need to break free that most young ones seem to experience. I'v seen so many really focused kids choose to stop dancing around the age of 14 only to wake up a year or so later and wonder what the heck they did. Sadly, they attempt to go back to class and are discouraged because their former classmates are now advanced dancers and they have gone from being on the brink of something wonderful to now playing catch-up. Everyone of these poor kids has quit again and it's been very sad to see it happen.

 

In truth, burn out is a possibility. However, what I just talked about has nothing to do with it. It may feel like it but it's all about developing into an adult. I'm sure other parents have seen it or even experienced it. My experience is to walk through these early teen years carefully. Listen, communicate and try and hear what's really being said rather than what appears to be said. The number of classes, the lack of free times, pressures of school work and homework, marching to a different drummer and in many ways being a little off kilter with most of their generation. All can create a minefield that can be a disaster to navigate.

 

Don't worry about burn out from the number of classes. Ballet is truly the anchor in life for most dedicated ballet kids! They just need a lot of help when it comes to navigating! Sometimes helping them juggle and making sure they have time with friends, the celebrating of special events. Even indulging and saying that a missed class or two is acceptable in order to be a member of their generation, maybe to attend a special concert, will not be a disaster but the very thing that gives rather than takes from their ballet and their love for it.

[BalletQt121]

Ballet is truly the anchor in life for most dedicated ballet kids! They just need a lot of help when it comes to navigating!

 

I love that! What a great way to think of her dance! It just seems that with my DD it is a different experience raising her. I have two older girls that are in their twenties and I am just realizing how different it is with my youngest. She seems to be growing up and maturing faster ...she is so focused for her age. I do believe that you are all right as to the burnout issue.

 

What about injuries? Can they occur from too much dance? I just have so many questions! I am planning on meeting with her teacher soon. But boy am I thankful for this board. I would be clueless otherwise!

 

Thank you again for the great input!

 

sami

 

[Moderators note: This post was made by Sami, not by her dd, who had not logged out.]

[redshoes]

My DD would have given anything at 13 to have more classes to keep her challenged.Unfortunately her instructors would not allow her to take more than 4 hrs. a week because they feared burn out. Since we live in a small remote area that was and still is our only option for a school.

 

Now at 17 she has unlimited classes but does not have more than 6 hrs. of class that really challenge her.She also is playing catch up at her SI's where there are DK's that are taking at least 18 hrs. of intensive classes a week.

 

If she can handle it I would be thankful that she has the chance to dance as much as she can. She will need the training to keep up with DK's in the future. As far as injuries go, if she attends a SI there is a possibility she could be injured if she is not accustomed to a strenuous schedule.

[DegasDancer]

Hi Redshoes You asked about your dd getting injured when she dances at an SI and hasn't been dancing as much as the other dancers. From what I've seen at the SI's that I've been to, the ones getting hurt are coming to the SI with the injury already there and it flares up during the program.

 

Congratulations to all of the dancers just starting on pointe. It's great!