I want to take ballet more seriously...

[dance5678]

I started ballet recreationally when I was 3, and continued with 1 class a week until I was 10. I wanted to go to a ballet school with a pre-pro program, where I could take ballet multiple times a week for multiple hours, and eventually start pre-pointe/pointe work. My parents always dismissed dance as a fun after school activity that would fade away, and encouraged me to pursue other things. I eventually became discouraged and quit. Now I am 14, and I finally convinced my parents to let me take dance again, but they would rather I took jazz or a recreational ballet class once a week at a local studio, not multiple ballet classes at a ballet-focused school. Everytime I try to discuss it with them, they dismiss my desire to take ballet seriously. Does anyone have advice for explaining to my parents how much dance means to me?

Thank you,

Ariel

[Victoria Leigh]

Welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers, Ariel.

 

I think what you need to say to your parents is that ballet is an art form, and like any art form it takes much more intensive training than a recreational activity if one wants to learn to do it well. And, anything worth doing is worth doing as well as one possibly can. Therefore, studying it once a week is simply not enough to accomplish anything. It's not a sport and not an afternoon once a week activity if you expect to learn anything and achieve any degree of accomplishment.

[dance5678]

Thank you! I think if I explain it like that they might understand better.

[Victoria Leigh]

Another thing is to remind them that finding the best in any form of education matters. Would they want you to have training in anything that is not the best in quality and quantity that you can find in your area?

 

Good luck, and let us know how it works out.