Am I doing enough ballet ??

[- ' freya]

ive started doing ballt grade 2, but only have a single 45 minute lesson a week, my studio has anothr 45 minute lesson in the week but i cannot attend it. Am i taking enough ballet ?

[Victoria Leigh]

'freya, I know that the system in the UK is different from here in the US, but 45 minutes a week is really not enough to accomplish much of anything. We do not believe in 45 minute classes, period. A full ballet class, for anyone beyond the age of about 9, takes an hour and a half. We usually start beginners at twice a week, and then progress from there to 3, then 4, then 5 or 6 days a week by the time they are in the middle teens. If you really want to learn ballet, you will need to have more than the one class of 45 minutes per week. Sorry.

[- ' freya]

My mum has recently been trying to get off work on a monday to take me to the other lesson in the week, but has not succeded. maybe it would be better for me to have frequent private lessons at my studio so that i can be working to my best. I would love to do ballet when i a older and i practise everyday at home, so that i can do well, my teacher also says that i pick up each new step very quickly, and perform then very well.

[luvpointe7]

Is this schedule okay, I'm 15 years old and am turning 16 this week:

monday: technique 1.5 hr ; pointe 1hr

tuesday: pilates 1 hr

wednesday: technique 1.5 hr; pointe/variations 1hr

thursday: none

friday: technique 1.5 hr; pointe .5 hr; pas de deux 1 hr

saturday; technique 1.5 hr; pointe 1 hr; character 1 hr; technique 1.5 hr

sunday: private 2 hr; sometimes warmup class and rehersal for 3-4 hrs

thanks so much!

[Mel Johnson]

It's mostly adequate, but I'd replace the Pilates with a technique class, or add one. Remember, Pilates is a supplement to ballet class. It's really best when done after a technique class. You need one day off, but that's your Thursday. It would be better, if you are in regular school, if you had a day that was OFF off - where you can veg out and recover, if that's what you feel like doing.

[luvpointe7]

thanks so much for the reply!

i can also take a technique class on thursday from 4-7 when I don't have too much homework.

and i have a lot of days off of school so then i usually go to my studio's tech class in the morning for 1.5 hr

Edited October 6, 2008 by luvpointe7

[Victoria Leigh]

That's fine, but just be sure you are not dancing 7 days a week on a regular basis. The body and the brain need at least one day to rest and recover!

[newyorkcityballet2b]

[Removed by moderator. Please do not give advice on Young Dancers. The questions are answered by our Teacher Moderators.]

[Victoria Leigh]

newyorkcityballet2b, please do not give advice on Ballet Talk for Dancers. Young Dancers ask the questions, and our professional moderators, who are teachers, answer them. You may offer anecdotal experience with the topic, but it is not up to teens to advise people.

 

We also do not use text speak here. Please spell out the words and use punctuation, so that your posts can be read and understood by everyone, including our many members from other countries who speak English only as a second language.

[DanCe 4 liFer]

Hi, I am 14 years old and wanted you opinion on if I am taking enough ballet,

 

~on monday I have an hour and a half technique class, an hour pointe class

~on tuesday an hour and a half technique class,

~on wed. an hour and a half technique class flat, an hour and a half technique class en pointe

~on thurs. an hour and a half technique class en pointe

~on friday. rehearsals for witch I ALWAYS warm myself up

~on saturday, an hour pointe class, an hour and a half technique class flat, another hour pointe class, a stretch/ pilates class, and rehearsal

 

I also take a jazz, modern, and contemporary class an hour each throughout the week

[Victoria Leigh]

Yes, it's a pretty good schedule, except for the pointe class before technique on Saturday. That class is not needed when you have another one later, plus rehearsals.

[Busy dreaming]

I am in my 8th year at a large pre-professional ballet school, and this is my 5th year en pointe. I have been told at evaluations that my pointe work is strong, and I excel at jumps and turns (which are best en pointe.) I will turn 15 in a couple of weeks, and feel that my current level of training does not offer enough pointe (total of 3 hrs./week) to challenge me and doesn't prepare me for auditions/SIs where students at my age/number of years of pre-pro training usually have pointe 5-6 times a week. Would you mind giving an opinion?

 

Monday: Tech 1 1/2 hrs; Rep 1 hr.

Tuesday: Tech 1 1/2 hrs.; Pointe 1 hr.

Wednesday: Tech 1 1/2 hrs.

Thursday: Tech 1 1/2 hrs.

Friday: Pilates 1/2 hr.; Tech 1 1/2 hrs.; Pointe 1 hr.

Saturday: Tech 1 1/2 hr.; Pointe 1 hr.

 

(Any and all rehearsals are scheduled outside of regular class time, and schedules vary from week to week.)

[Victoria Leigh]

If Rep and most rehearsals are also on pointe, I don't see any major problem here, especially since you say that you are strong on pointe.

[Busy dreaming]

Rep class is not en pointe, and no rehearsals are on pointe.

 

Students at our school are chosen to perform in student roles, if any are available, in the professional Company's productions. Nutcracker, for instance, has only one student role performed en pointe, and those dancers were chosen from the level above mine. None of the other Company productions except Nut have included pointe roles for students since I've been at the school.

 

At our school performance in the spring, my current level does not perform en pointe, so those rehearsals are not en pointe either.

[Victoria Leigh]

While 5 or 6 pointe classes would be great, it's not unusual for there to be only 3 at your level. Hopefully, in the next level you will get more rep and rehearsals on pointe, and performances too.