How many hours does your child dance?

[k_k_100]

This is my first time posting - I have been reading this forum for several months and learning a tremendous amount. My daughter just turned 6. This is her third year dancing. Her first two years were in her schools pre-school program and she was thrilled this year to “graduate” into the more traditional training (last year she danced 2 hours a week).

 

My question is how many hours/classes a week do others take at this age. She is currently taking 5-6 hours of technique each week. We started with 3 hours a week in September and she has responded enthusiastically with each additional hour added (although this is the absolute limit I will allow for this year). Next year she will probably take 7-8. This is very normal at her school and encouraged by the AD. Are there any other parents out there who have young children dancing this many hours?

[Tuesday]

Hi there, welcome. My DS is 12 now, but when he started at age 9 he was just taking 3 hours a week, I believe. I don't think very many 6 year olds dance that much. It seems like a lot for such a young child, but I guess if your daughter is happy and you are happy it is probably okay.

[Small Slipper]

My DD is 11- she started at 8 yrs old. When she was 8 she danced about 4 hours a week. That jumped up alot the next year. My DS is now 8 and started last year- he has been taking 2 classes a week for 3 hours.

 

I do think there are some parents wit younger children here- it will be interesting to hear- since we were not involved at that age.

[Momof3darlings]

At 6 my daughter was taking 1 hour a week of ballet and 1/2 hour a week of tap. 5-6 hours a week of technique for a 6 year old is way too much in my opinion. Is all of this ballet or other classes as well?

[Guest dreamofdance]

At 6, my daughter had 2 technique classes per week, 90 minutes each.

[Guest pink tights]

I see my 6 year olds (pre-ballet) one hour per week. A few of my students take jazz or tap at another studio and a few take gymnastics, in addition to ballet. I think anything over 2-3 hours per week at that age is too much. My DD at 6 took ballet and tap (2 hours total) per week at 6. Now at 12, she is at the studio daily: 2 + hours daily during the week, 10-5 on Saturdays, and a few hours on Sundays. The hours mount up quickly as training intensifies. Don't feel the need at 6yrs to take on too much.

[dancingjet]

At 6 DD took two 90-minute classes. Now (age 7, almost 8, at a new school) she takes two 60-minute classes. I'm guessing in another year or so the days will increase to three, and the length of class will increase as well. Rehearsals added a bit more time at the studio for Nut; we'll see what happens for the spring production.

[Zampa]

At 6 my now 11 year old had 1,5 hour of ballet per week. At 10, before he moved to residency, he had 6 hours coed class and 1,5 hour boys class per week. My 9 year old has 3 hours per week.

[petnzoo]

My DD just turned 8 two months ago. This year she dances 5.5 hours per week. last year when she was 6 turning 7 she danced 2.5 hours a week in the open division. This year she is in the pre-pro division. I think the key is how intense is the training and what does she do besides dance, at 6 there is no way to know what she can/will be when she is older so I think having a balance is very important. That said, DD has announced she wants to do a SI at her home school this year - 4 weeks worth. I am thinking NO, maybe 2 weeks worth. She still needs to play, and go to girl scouts and practice piano and study. Besides realistically we have no idea if she will even be suited to being a dancer until she is much closer to puberty, so no rush, no stress needed yet.

[Guest pink tights]

Petnzoo--wow a 4 week intensive for an 8 year old! That does sound like a lot. Are they half days? Two weeks of half days would be fun and give Mom a little break.

[petnzoo]

Last summer division I went from 10-5 which is why I thought it was too long a day for her. This year they are supposed to have a shorter day for division I as a LOT of parents thought it was too long a day. I am thinking 2 weeks will be a NICE break for me, half a day to shop, to read, to oh I don't know . . . .sleep!

[Momof3darlings]

petnzoo--I think this may be a first for me. But your school calls the 8 year old division pre-pro? Meaning they divide the dancers already into rec and pre-pro? I've not heard of that "break" so early.

[quill]

Ours does the same. The first year of ballet is the Children's Division, for which they have to be at least 6 years old (prior to that there are preballet and other movement classes) and when the dancers are ready for 2 classes a week they enter the pre-professional division. This can be as young as 7, but many start later and enter later. In this division the class requirements and length increase as they move through multiple levels. There isn't a separate recreational division.

[Momof3darlings]

Ahh, got it quill. I guess it was not really the division of the ages I was really asking about. It was more the calling it pre-pro that I don't hear alot around here. I think most places change the program to reflect the increased focus when the students go from one day to two days but I was just seeing a huge jump in what petnzoo was describing from her pre-ballet classes to her pre-pro level so that I guess is more where my question came from. That same division happens around here (although not as intense) but they are generally called A level, B level or Children's Division, Intermediate divison with pre-pro being reserved for older students who in fact, are making a personal decision to increase their training because they want to dance professionally. It is the calling it pre-pro that I find interesting, I do understand the level/days per week differences.

 

It was a question more for my education than anything else.

[mom2]

I think when my oldest was 6 she had one ballet class per week. She had a variety of other activities then as well, such as figure skating and piano lessons.

 

When youngest was 6 I believe there were two ballet classes/week, but I honestly can't remember with 100% accuracy. When she was 7 the girls moved to a different dance school - again I think there were two classes. (This daughter also had activities in addition to ballet, but ballet was her favourite from a very young age, with rhythmic gymnastics a close runner-up). Many of her peers only did one ballet class/week as they did other forms of dance as well. I remember quite clearly that other kids/parents were not happy (even as the kids got older) that there was more than one ballet class/week. To these dancers, ballet was simply something that was required in order to do the jazz and tap. For my daughter it was a very different story, and her path from about age 11 has been quite different as well.

 

So really - in my view, it all depends! I do think that one has to be careful with the young ones not to overdo things, and in my opinion it's also good to expose kids to a variety of activities at a young age. You may not find something that is a vocation, but you may very well find something that will be a treasured activity throughout life. For example, if my husband hadn't insisted on skating lessons for the kids it might not have been high on my list. However, as a result of their lessons they are now able to quite capably skate for leisure at any time. No triple axels, but a nice skate. I never learned how to skate myself, and wish I'd had the opportunity when young! (growing up in Houston didn't exactly prepare me for adult life in Canada in terms of recreation)