At what age multiple classes per week?

[Guest MasterPuppeteer]

My daughter is five years old and she is in a once-a-week pre-ballet class at a local school that specializes in the very young dancer (age 18-months to 12 years). I've been lurking here for a while and have read posts about 8-year olds who go to ballet class almost everyday. My question to parents: if your child shows talent and enjoys the classes and wants to dance more, at what age do you typically enroll them in more than one class per week? Is it all up to the teacher's recommendation, or should I start thinking about it next year when she moves from Pre-Ballet (45 minutes) to Ballet (1 hour class)?

[bec2]

I would talk to the teacher or the director of your child's school. They will be able to make recommendations based on your daughter's level of ability and physical readiness.

 

In my experience, 8 year-olds going to class almost every day is not the norm. My daughter attends a good pre-pro ballet school, and while class placement is done by technical readiness more than by age, kids at 8 years old are usually not taking more than 2 1-hour ballet classes per week. Children that are in the first level of true ballet training (beyond pre-ballet) attend class once a week. Sometimes younger children who want to dance more take a jazz or tap class for fun. If your daughter continues with ballet training, the number of classes required will increase dramatically over time (and it will come more quickly than you think) so I would not be in any hurry to add classes.

 

You mentioned that your daughter's school specializes in the very young dancer. She is still young yet, but if she continues to show interest in ballet, you may eventually want to look at schools that focus on ballet training at the highter levels as well. My daughter came to her pre-pro school on the later side (age 10) from a school where the oldest dancers were 12 or 13, and I wish we had made the move sooner.

[bec2]

I just found these 2 threads that might be help to you. Best of luck!

 

http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=40208

 

http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=41440

[LauraR]

At our school, a student must be 8 to start Level 1 ballet training, and have teacher approval or an audition. Level 1 has two 90 min technique classes and an hour of character or jazz. Anything below is considered enrollment track and is set by ability with age guidelines and is an hour per week. In essence, it is determined by the teacher when students progress, even in the enrollment track.

[BelaNina]

MP - "How many hours per week?" was a big concern of mine when my daughter was 9 - 11 years old. This year, she finally has quite enough, and I haven't had to ask whether or not her schedule is adequate! I know that there have been parents who've talked about their 8 year old taking classes 5 days per week at times, but I do think that is the rare exception in the ballet world. It is more common in the competition dance world, but that's not the world of dance that this board is focused upon.

 

It is my opinion that 8 year olds should have 2 high quality ballet classes per week 60 - 90 minutes long. At 8 years old, my own daughter had one 60 minute ballet class, and two 60 minute jazz classes per week at a recreation dance oriented studio. When she was still 8, but close to 9 years old, she moved to a ballet focused studio, and started taking 2 ballet classes per week. She didn't start taking ballet classes 5 days per week until a year ago, and she built up to that many over time.

[angiered]

My 8yo takes three days a week and my 9yo takes 2 days a week. Honestly it's more to do with the level they dance at, rather than age.

[sam7]

..

[Myers]

At out pre-pro school, students around age 7-8 take 1 or at most, two 90 minute classes of ballet per week, plus an optional jazz class. I don't think that more is better at young ages (just a personal opinion), as the body needs to develop, and other kinds of physical activity (even just play ground stuff) is valuable for mind and body for these young kids. I don't know of any 8 year olds taking daily classes.

My 11 DD takes 4x per week, and this is quite a lot with school and just trying to be a kid. I do think that muscles and brains need to absorb all the information thrown at them in a gradual progression-slow and steady I think is best for training both bodies and minds.

[wannabe]

At DDs studio the number of classes are based on ability/level of the dancer. I believe all current 8 YOs take (2) 90 min classes per week plus rehearsals. This is not always the case though. At 8, my DD took class 4 days per week and also took (this additional at a dolly dinkle type school that she had previously attended) jazz, hip hop and clogging classes. This school was well known in our area and had fun clogging classes. DD really enjoyed them until the schedule interferred with ballet. Then the pre-pro ballet school won out. I think that you just need to trust the ballet teachers and find out what your child really wants.

[k_k_100]

DD is 6 (turning 7 this year) She is taking 5-7 hrs. per week - all ballet technique (obviously no pointe!). Her classes are usually 1 hr. but she has a couple of 1.5 thrown in there. She is one of the younger ones at her level but most at her level are taking a few more hours. This schedule is pretty easy for her right now but it is going to get tough once rehearsals start up.

[askaherm]

My 6.5yo is in pre-ballet classes and has been since 3yo. She takes classes at a RAD pre-pro studio. The studio usually starts students on the barre at age 7.5 or 8 for two classes per week at 60 min each. Whereas my 15yo is 6 days per week 2.5 to 3 hours per class. I guess it really depends on the philosophy of the studio.

[dancingjet]

DD is 6 (turning 7 this year) She is taking 5-7 hrs. per week - all ballet technique (obviously no pointe!). Her classes are usually 1 hr. but she has a couple of 1.5 thrown in there. She is one of the younger ones at her level but most at her level are taking a few more hours.

 

Am I reading this correctly then that the other girls in her level are taking about 8-10 hours a week? That means 5-7 1.5 hour classes for girls who are what, 8-10 years old?

 

[k_k_100]

It is an intense school and certainly not for everybody. There are some 10 year olds who take 16 - 20 hours and even more. It really is not for everybody - there are many different paths - dd's school offers a more intense one (I've been told it's comparable to Russian schools). The training is amazing but very focused.

[petnzoo]

My 8 y/o take 3 1.5 hour ballet classes per week plus one hour of historical. She is the youngest in her level by a year. The girls that are closer to her age and one level down, attend 2 1.5 hour classes a week plus historical.

[BelaNina]

t is an intense school and certainly not for everybody. There are some 10 year olds who take 16 - 20 hours and even more. It really is not for everybody - there are many different paths - dd's school offers a more intense one (I've been told it's comparable to Russian schools). The training is amazing but very focused.

 

 

We have discussed schedules like this for young kids before in the context of one very well known school. The general consensus from the teachers here has been "too much too soon." But as you say, there are many different paths, and the particular school we're familiar with that has similar requirements for young children certainly turns out outstanding dancers.

 

I did want to point out, though, that Russian schools do not start training their students until they are 10 years old. Students who have no dance experience whatsoever can be accepted to the top Russian ballet schools at that age. They are not putting 8 year olds through their rigorous schedules. And someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they have 16 hours of ballet class right off the bat, either. I'm sure vrsfanatic could add more specific information, but since the teachers seem to be staying out of this conversation, which is certainly their prerogative, I did want to clarify that point.

 

In the years I've been on this board, the general consensus seems to have been that 8 years olds take 2 to 3 ballet classes per week on average.