Taking only open classes

[cecchettiballetgirl]

Hello everyone,

 

I am a second year university student and am currently trying to juggle my academic classes with my ballet classes. My academic schedule has become very demanding and while I love ballet, I know my schoolwork must come first. Right now I am dancing about ten hours a week and finding it quite difficult to keep up with everything. I am registered in a ballet program at a professional school near my campus for approximately 10 hours per week and I love the teachers and the environment. However, the rigid structure of the program is really starting to become difficult to manage.

 

There is a studio in my city which is well respected and where many company members both teach and take class. All of their classes are open and drop-in style. I pay my tuition to the ballet program in two semesters per year and I am considering leaving the program and simply taking classes when my schedule allows at the drop-in studio. I know this is not an ideal training situation, but does anyone have any experience with taking only open classes? I would prefer to have the same instructors, teaching techniques, styles and classmates on a week-to-week basis, but I feel as if I am going mad with stress!

 

While I no longer have dreams of becoming a professional ballet dancer, my training is still quite important to me and I do want to be the best dancer I can be.

 

Any insight or advice would be much appreciated.

 

(Moderators, if this forum is not an appropriate place for this topic, please accept my apologies and feel free to move or delete it!)

[vrsfanatic]

Have you discussed your situation with the director of the ballet program you are currently attending? Perhaps an arrangement could be made, not only for payment but also for class attendance. It is worth a try. You will not know until you give it a try.

 

If your only alternative is to switch programs, then perhaps that might be the solution to your problem.

 

It is wonderful to read of your dedication to ballet while studying in university. Time management can be challenging, but well worth the struggle!

[cecchettiballetgirl]

Vrsfanatic, thank you so much for your reply!

 

I have discussed the situation with one of my teachers, but not with the director. The payment structure is not so much the problem, it is the scheduling. One solution would be to drop down to a lower level where the classes fit in with my lectures and labs more conveniently, and that is certainly an option because I know a good student can learn and improve even in beginner classes! Would you think that is preferable to switching to the drop-in style studio?

 

And thank you! While I am only in my second year of undergraduate classes, my ultimate goal is to become a doctor specializing in sports medicine and dance. I've gone through a lot of injuries while training and know I would not be where I am today without the amazing medical care I was given! I would love to be able to help other dancers in the same way I was helped. I cannot imagine my life without ballet and not only does it keep me in great shape, it really is the best outlet there is for frustration and anxiety when it comes to schoolwork!

[PinkSpaghettiShoes]

I haven't been on BalletTalk for a long time - its good to read up on new issues, etc...

 

I have just started university and I would say that perhaps you would be less committed to open classes and would be more likely to start missing them/drop out of them, and if dancing means that much to you its important to keep it in your life in a structured way. (I know when I have the option, even the smallest thing will make me miss a class even though going would be best for me).

 

I'm hoping to take on another class next semester - I am only doing classes for the fun of it (and not many of them - I was never going to even try to be professional), but its so nice to meet other people at university with the same interests outside of academia