hours a week

[Guest dance4life87]

hey everyone, is 9 hours a week good training to be a ballet dancer? i dont know if this sounds really stupid but, oh well might as well ask right or anyways, how many hours a week should i probably be at?

[Mel Johnson]

A thirteen-year-old student in a professional-track program will often take twelve and up hours a week of technique and pointe classes, plus allied skills like Pilates, modern, and/or jazz classes.

[Guest Medora]

Wow I take 7 hours of ballet and two hours of jazz a week plus rehearsals, and I am 16! I am doing all I can and take every class at the school and attend the best school in my city! I really want to be a ballet dancer. Does this mean I need to move to a place next year where I will be able to take more classes?

[Mel Johnson]

That would most probably be advisable, and make sure it's the best possible school you can find.

[Guest Medora]

Wow, that would mean a boarding school like SAB somewhere, and my parents would never go for that. They want me to go to college. It only I could make them understand. I will try. Thanks, I'm glad that now I know.

[Mel Johnson]

Not necessarily; from Virginia Beach there should be many schools where you could supplement your schedule, and not spend an inordinate amount of time in commute.

[Guest dance4life87]

WOW lol that means im nowhere close to how many hours i should be doing... especially since 1 and a half of those hours are jazz and every other week i do a pilates class instead of one of my ballet classes thanks for answering my question by the way!

[Guest Medora]

There is a school with a training program fairly close (half an hour), but learning from kids that have been to this school, this school does not provide the best training. My friend who went to this school was almost never corrected there and ultimately burnd out. She had so much talent, and when she returned to my school she had lost nearly all of her abilities. So, although there are less classes offered at my school, I feel that the quality is better than quantity. I get a lot of personal attention at my school, and have come a long way in two years. So unless I move away from home, I don't know what to do. There are not many dance schools in my area.

[Mel Johnson]

Richmond too much of a commute?

[Guest Medora]

2 hours each way? :eek: It is for my mom I guess I could take at the above mentioned school on days I don't have class at my regular school but I am skeptical of it. I really am afraid to say those things about it because I have never been there but after my friend's ordeal I am afraid to find out. Hmm, my best friend lives in Richmond and her sister is away at college. Maybe I could ask to live with her. Just a thought...

[Mel Johnson]

I'd do a little more local research. No use to accept a decline in quality just to gain quantity. But you do need more classes if you intend to pursue ballet as a career.

[Guest Medora]

Okay, I'll talk to my dance teacher about where i could go to supplement my schedule at her school. Thanks

[Guest dance4life87]

if my ballet school doesn't offer as many classes that i want should i go to another ballet place too?

[Mel Johnson]

If you're interested in a career, I'd say so.

[Guest Danceon]

i am only taking 3 hours of ballet a week! but i am not thinking about becomeing a professional dancer, i am only doing it for fun:) but is that enough to get better and better?